Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 11/1/2024
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Election distrust is pretty much baked in among a certain group of voters. Despite the lack of evidence of widespread fraud, this skepticism is not budging.” – Hughes Center Research Director Alyssa Maurice
TOP STORY: Advance Voting Warming Up Among New Jersey Voters Across the Spectrum
New Jersey voters across the spectrum are warming up to early voting.
NJ voters with ‘swing state envy’ are knocking on doors in PA, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
A Rutgers-Eagleton poll finds 6 in 10 New Jerseyans believe political violence is a major problem in the nation.
Housing matters a lot to Hispanic voters in the state, according to NJ Spotlight.
Over 1.3M votes have been banked in the state so far, according to NJ Globe.
Nearly every county clerk has reached a settlement agreement with the county party line lawsuit, according to NJ Globe.
Montclair State University changed its protest policy after complaints, according to MyCentralJersey.
Burlington County says the need for a shelter outweighs residents’ opposition, according to Burlington County Times.
ICYMI: Early voting began; Monmouth Airport issue up in air; Insider NJ’s Who’s And Who’s Down; labor hit Philly streets as PA Dems build Harris coalition; Philly Dems in gear for Harris; Murphy discussed lowering voting age
GOP Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw signed the ‘Moms For Liberty’ pledge.
NJ Globe released a voter guide to the elections.
In CD7, there’s a flood of campaign ads, according to NJ Spotlight.
In LD39, Frank Pallotta is eying an Assembly run, according to Politico NJ.
Morris County commissioner candidates debated, according to Morristown Green.
ICYM: FDU poll shows Kim decisively beating Bashaw; Kim in campaign overdrive; poll shows Kim heavily favored; Guinchard, Prempeh held a joint town hall; Salerno, Van Drew debated; Gottheimer rallied w/ MCDO; guv drama continues to simmer; Bashaw addressed Essex GOP; Sarlo outlined Trump opposition; Van Drew wants to beat back Salerno challenge; Kean in negative overdrive against Altman, Malinowski jumped feet first for Altman; Kim phonebanked; Prempeh faced off against Pou; Kim, Bashaw clashed ; former Guv Kean endorsed Bashaw; CD7 2-point race; Essex Assembly races intensifying; Jones made the case for Harris; Kean, Altman debated, Altman touted poll; Morris’ Ali has had enough of Crispi; Golden touted Monmouth GOP numbers; Bramnick has new argument; NJGOP working to increase VBM returns; Altman poll shows 2-point race
The push to raise state fees on marijuana is on hold, according to NJ Spotlight.
ICYMI: Bramnick bucked his party
In Howell, there’s little unity within the GOP this election season.
In Atlantic City, there’s a new ‘homelessness czar, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Edison, the BOE backed off abolishing the transgender policy, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Hackensack, an officer alleges retaliation over a union vote, according to the Bergen Record.
In Hoboken, the PATH station will be closed most of February, according to Hudson County View.
In Jersey City, the city may lower the voting age for BOE and municipal elections, according to the Jersey Journal.
In Montclair, the council discussed the turf moratorium, according to TAPinto.
In Mount Holly, the feds launched a civil rights probe into the schools, according to NJ Spotlight.
In Newark, the school district says it will appeal over a court’s Maple Ave school decision, according to TAPinto.
In Paramus, the Fairview and Midland intersection was selected for improvement, according to the Bergen Record.
In Prospect Park, the schools chief inked an exit deal with the board, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Scotch Plains, three are vying for mayor, according to MyCentralJersey.
In South Brunswick, over 200 acres of land was purchased for open space, according to TAPinto.
In Sparta, there’s a crowded BOE race, according to NJ Herald.
In Spotswood, a lawsuit alleges the mayor weaponized internal affairs against the police chief, according to NJ.com.
In Toms River, the regional school district is struggling under aid cuts, according to the Asbury Park Press.
ICYMI: In Marlboro, tensions rising in the BOE race; in Somerville, JFK is on the ballot; in Randolph, council control at stake with huge significance; in Marlboro, BOE race polarized; in Jersey City, Gilmore fundraising presence causes havoc; Solomon slapped at McGreevey as he kicked off his mayoral candidacy, which could shake up the 2025 race
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Dari Kotzker writes ‘Blue Wife, Red Husband: LMT Household at the Heart of the Battleground‘
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Liz DeBeer writes ‘What Motivates Progressives to Write Postcards‘
Insider NJ columnist Andrew Leven ‘An Aspect of the Harris/Trump Economic Plans That Isn’t Being Discussed, But Should Be‘
Insider NJ columnist Bob Hennelly writes ‘More Helene Fallout: When Local News is All that Matters‘
AROUND THE WEB:
New Jersey media’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
Terrence T. McDonald, NJ Monitor
- I grew up in a family that loved newspapers. On a normal day, my parents bought the New York Times for national news, the New York Daily News for a bit of color and trash, and the Asbury Park Press to learn what was going on locally. On Sundays, we each grabbed a section or two of a paper and read aloud the good bits as we ate breakfast. And long before I had bylines in newspapers — before I was born, in fact — I had a mention in one. The Dec. 26, 1976, edition of the Star-Ledger included a feature story about my family on page 49 of section one (!) that included this line: “The McDonalds are expecting another natural child in the spring.” That would be me.
Gov. Murphy signs bill allowing loans to ailing public health benefit fund
Nikita Biryukov, NJ Monitor
- Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation that will allow the State Health Benefits Program to issue loans from a fund covering state workers to one covering local government employees, with the latter facing a financial spiral spurred by municipalities’ flight to other health benefit plans amid high premium increases.
Governor signs law granting foreclosure protections for Hurricane Ida survivors
Dana DiFilippo, NJ Monitor
- Homeowners still struggling to recover three years after Hurricane Ida ravaged their homes will soon get foreclosure protections under a bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law Wednesday. The new law will put some Ida-impacted homeowners’ mortgage payments on hold for a year and insulate them from foreclosure during that time.
Institute for Social Justice at 25: Powerful past, challenging present, inspiring future
Tom Bergeron, roi-nj.com
- It’s hard to imagine what Alan and Amy Lowenstein would have thought if they knew a sold-out crowd had poured into the N.J. Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, honoring the 25th anniversary of an organization that they helped create in 1999 with an aim of advancing social justice on all fronts and in every area of the state.
Q&A: Role of the Black church in getting out the vote
Taylor Jung, NJ Spotlight
- With Republican initiatives like Project 2025, which some argue could remove social and civil rights for communities of color, social justice leaders say everyone’s vote is critical. Salvation and Social Justice, an advocacy organization in New Jersey, has held a series of get-out-the-vote events to mobilize Black faith leaders this election.
Q&A: Important school board elections on the ballot too
Hannah Gross, NJ Spotlight
- Much of the attention this election season has been on the presidential race, but New Jersey voters in every county will also have a chance to elect people to their local board of education.
These Burlington County cold cases remain unsolved. Do you have information?
Celeste E. Whittaker, Cherry Hill Courier-Post
- Sasikala and Anish Narra were brutally murdered inside of their apartment at Fox Meadows apartment complex in Maple Shade on March 23, 2017. Sasikala Narra, 38, a software engineer, and her 6-year-old son Anish Narra were stabbed multiple times in their residence. Autopsies performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood concluded the pair died from slash wounds to their necks.
Is it really illegal to keep your old license plates in NJ?
Eric Scott, NJ1015
- Maybe you sold your car and removed the license plates. Maybe you have old plates hanging on the wall of your garage. Maybe you lost a license plate or had one stolen. You should know that New Jersey has very specific rules about what you can and cannot do with license plates once they are no longer attached to a legally registered vehicle in the Garden State.
R.I.P. The Jersey Journal, print edition of the Star-Ledger
Dan Alexander, NJ1015
- New Jersey’s largest newspaper will soon no longer be available in a print format. The Newark Morning Ledger Co., the owner of the Star-Ledger, said it will no longer publish a print edition of the newspaper after Feb. 2. The company also plans to close its Montville production facility. The online version will continue at NJ.com. Sister newspapers owned by the Ledger parent company Advance Local — the Times of Trenton, the South Jersey Times and the weekly Hunterdon County Democrat — will also end their print editions. All will continue to be available online.
Black voices should be heard, with or without a leader
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- An interesting aspect of U.S. life involves a notion that Blacks need a leader. Not sure about rules and regulations or even the origin involved in such anointments although disappointment surfaces anytime anyone receives identification as grand Poobah of Black people.
Murphy celebrates “a full week of declining numbers” then says “status quo of lockdown will remain until new cases and fatalities decrease.” So, which of Murphy’s statements is accurate? He said 2 opposite things in a single paragraph of speaking.
He;s “vacationing” at his villa in Italy, while Covid surges and the state is paralyzed by “remote work”…………translation: NO WORK
That is what happens in practicality when they are “suspending their disbelief” (HR Clinton) in real numbers and going on predictive models to make decisions. And then after doing that, they vote with “feelings.”
lmao imagine supporting lockdowns after the largest mass death event in american history and calling that a feeling driven conclusion? maga chuds never fail to disappoint
keeping up with the news
OK
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keeping up with the news
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Murphy running for President is LAUGHABLE. Nased on what??
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Murphy doesn’t want to be the president, he wants to be a state trooper.
Nice article! thanks for sharing the post!
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lETS NOT FORGET that during the pandemic Donald Trump sent the MERCY, a fully equipped, COVID prepared Hospital ship to save lives of victims and healthcare workers . But Murphy in his wisdom would rather send Patients back to nursing homes that were ill-equipped to treat these patients so they could die , rather than utilize a life-saving gift and be like NY governor Cuomo, another anti-Trump
tool.
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Gun owners don’t have to talk about guns because they know that they have to come out and vote to protect their constitutional right to bear arms. The Supreme court decision has affirmed that right and somehow our “leaders” haven’t learned how to read.
NJ is one of the most corrupt and racist places to live. There’s “0” accountability for the criminal acts, corruption, and unfair treatment of the people of this state. It starts with our governor who cares less for truth and honesty. Continue to ruin the lives of the citizens of this state.
How about those unintended consequences.
New Jersey mandating that all cars being sold by 2035 be electric is telling us what we can or cannot buy with our own money. There will always be gasoline powered vehicles because of the power produced by internal combustion compared to the power produced by batteries; which is to say the more power the bigger the battery to the point of rediculousness. My thought is that if the state wants fewer gas powered vehicles on the road it should create a mass transit electric powered system that would emphasize convenience for commuters and everyday shoppers. Of course that would mean vehicles weighing tons more because of the size of batteries and that creates a whole other question of where to dispose of them (also for elelectric car batteries), since they are composed of highly toxic materials that can’t be burnt or buried. These are unintended consequences no- one is willing to grapple with until its too late. I think by 2035 th he electric car fantasy will go the same way the offshore wind farm has gone.
Stephen Brickman
206 Stonehenge Dr
Phillipsburg,NJ 08865
Stephen.Brickman@gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone
The military serving in the Middle East represents every state in the Union. Those are our sons and daughters, Moms and Dads and yet we are very little to protect them, or REALLY retaliate when they’re attacked. Governor Murphy is the Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, and past chair of the National Governors Association and yet you never hear him mention about any requests either organization makes to Biden to be more aggressive about protecting our kids in harms way. It’s as though it doesn’t seem to matter to them. No wonder we look so weak to the rest of the world.
Teaneck property taxes pays for the school budget. Teaneck High School students walk out. Is a Hamas military shuffle march property tax bill included?
I’m a conservative and I do believe life begins at conception but the problem is that each mother is responsible for that life and it is in the realm of her mental and physical health that she will either bring it to term or abort it. This should not be a political decision and should not be be dictated by thousand of strangers. The Supreme Court turned it over to the states but it still remains personal for the mother and her family.
I don’t think it should be an “agenda item” for any political party. A state medical society may want to impose a time frame within which an abortion can occur but even that may be subject to the mother’s doctor’s discretion.
I say just quit discussing it and leave it up to the mother a father.
Voting should be based on understanding what’s actually happening and knowing who would make life safer and more livable. The only way to do that is to get both sides of the information remembering there are always two sides to a story. Mainstream media in my area includes the Star Ledger and the Easton Express. If you look at the bylines of the opinions you will find writers from the Washington Post and Bloomberg, both notoriously on the left. Even the political cartoons are a dead giveaway. CNN and CNBC are also left leaning. So what are the options for getting opinions and news from the right? Fortunately cable news has Fox, which is near center, and Newsmax, and NewsNation which are full right. Watching these even just occasionally will show a much broader picture and give the reader more information with which to make an informed voting decision. And remember you DONT have to vote party if you feel there’s a wiser choice.
The governor signed off on having Narcan available in all schools grades 9 through 12. But what about the idea
of having Narcan available in ALL SCHOOLS in New Jersey?
How’s his for an idea? Uncover the identities of the un-elected advisors to Pres. Biden, and publish their names. That way there is actually someone to blame when we lose valuable lives from unanswered attacks by terrorist organizations. We know Biden isn’t making these decisions on his own. My guess is that these advisors will quit the team rather than take the heat for poor decisions, revealing a big weakness in this administration. It might lead to improvements to the decision-making process.
Note to Concealed Carry permit holders: make sure you subscribe to one of the insurance companies that specialize in CCP, ie: US LAW SHIELD. If you ever have to fire your weapon , that has to be the first phone call you make. The second is 911, the third is your family. With so many new permit holders there will probably be an increase in discharges until word gets out that it’s actually unsafe for criminals to be in New Jersey and crime will take a nosedive.
Now unless you have a conviction in your background you can get that CCP and really defend yourself and your family. And more women are applying which is great for family defense. The stats that record gun violence will have to be re-organized into guns used for crime and guns used to prevent crime. A lot of get-always here because sometimes just brandishing a firearm is enough to stop a crime. But it should be reported anyway..
The liability limits for taxi cabs are extreme starting July 1. It was a plan in place through the insurance banking committee and it was abruptly changed with an amendment. The guys are barely making a living today and you’ve increased their insurance. What’s fair is fair and this is not it was an incremental increase, which was fair, and was removed by the governor please refer back to the original plan
Iowa gets it right. What better school security is there than trained, armed teachers with concealed carry permits. You wonder what parents and local government officials when they oppose this idea. Apparently they would rather wait for some demented individual, either a student or maybe an ex student pulls out a handgun of his backpack , or a long gun out of a duffel and starts firing do they can call it in and wait for help to show up. This move would save many lives and I would heartily endorse this idea nationwide. Of course I’m just an average gun owner who believes that our kids are our most valuable asset and need real protection.
The problem with the Line is that there is no vetting process. Whoever pays the most and/or is specifically unqualified and therefore relegated to the status of puppet is who the county bosses support and threaten the committee members to support. My opponent said on-air that he will do whatever they tell him. What kind of leadership is that. I have 8-10 organizations endorsing me to his zero. I have served many statewide for almost 4 years while he has never helped anyone but himself. No-brainer who is qualified, and they know it. That’s why they are getting nasty and vile while I continue to take the high road.
With the mainstream media touting the current president and suddenly discovers he’s been lying to us all about how supportive he is of Israel when it is reported he is receiving BIG donations from Soros and Rockefellers , both proven anti-American donors, to become pro Palestinian and Pro Hamas and Anti Israel by holding up ammunition shipments to Israel. And solidly answering the question of why he never goes directly against Iran. Is the MSM party to this also. How can the general public now know who and what to trust. They warn us how terrible a trump administration will be as if they have totally forgotten how good we had it under Trump. All I can say is put on your big boy pants and tell us how it really is.
Studies show that recreational cannabis is responsible a 10% increase in motor vehicle accident deaths. These studies show that cannabis impairs driving ability and driving while high is common among regular users. Since cannabis is still an illegal drug, insurance companies are within their rights to deny coverage in for an accident ruled a DUI due to cannabis. However a state that approved its recreational use should be held accountable for any and all the consequences of that DUI. States are more interested in the money they make but they should accept the responsibility for having approved the use of recreational cannabis.
Could you please fix your “bay blood spots “ typo. It sounds like a horror movie. Although “baby blood spots” isn’t much better. Maybe there’s a clearer and less distressing turn of phrase for all of our sensitive readers, lol. Please and thank you.
Reclassifying marihuana from CI to any other category will involve Pharmacy because by law only a Pharmacist with a DEA license can purchase or sell any drug with a CII to CV
Classification. (CI is exempt because it’s heroine or any other drug with no medical purpose). This is a National problem because it is all under the DEA. And since marihuana is a hallucinogen among other things it requires control. The whole weed issue has put the cart before the horse and really requires reining in to have it conform
to the legal requirements. (Sorry Mr. Weedman). And recreational use will get the biggest hit because it will require a prescription
for medicinal use, but that cuts out the recreational aspect. Maybe in the future Pharmacists may be able to prescribe it but not yet. And how many physicians and Nurse Practitioners will want to be involved in the weed industry, I wonder? Lots of questions and few answers so far.
Changing the regulations to allow Optometrists to perform surgery is foolhardy and dangerous. Their training is doing vision tests and prescribing the correct glasses to improve vision. Only an MD in ophthalmology should be the one to do eye surgery.
That’s like asking the fellow filling your gas tank to fix a ball joint suspension.
This is not the answer to a shortage of ophthalmologists
Can’t seem to access the Steinberg column on Sam Alito, Sr. on your website. Suggestions?
Stop complaining about taxes ,our schools , our crime, ,after all folks we keep voting in the same Democrat party politicians each time .
For instance who would think that every Democrat who represents us in congress would vote for men playing in woman sports ,but they did , ask yourself are you the kind of a person who would kill ( sorry to use that word kill but hard not to since the law is that is a human being and if the mother is murdered it’s a double homicide ) a baby up to the moment of birth sorry to tell you that is the law in New Jersey.
So stop complaining your part of the problem.
NOTE TO SENIORS
I was 85 when I got my Carry permit. If you want to protect yourself and your family you are never too old to carry. As log as you can pass the test at the range, which is pretty simple, and you have a handgun you can handle (which is why I purchased a Walther CCP M2 PLUS which is easy to rack) and you have no police record or mental health problems, you can qualify. Of course you need to get a Federal weapons ID card, if you don’t already have one. We are targets because we are older and look easy. Well surprise , surprise. The more folks that are carrying the less crime because the bad guys wont know if you are armed and might not try something. By the way
it doesn’t matter- male or female!!
Great article, thanks for keeping us informed!
Assemblyman Schaer’s Bill to define antisemitism for New Jersey residents and to be able to react to it is great. But what about our kids going off to college, especially the Jewish kids. They should have a means to know what schools have active anti-Jewish protests, and/or pro-Palestinian demonstration allowed on and off campus. They should be able to feel safe wherever they go, and not have their studies interrupted by what I consider this unlawful activity. Are there websites with this kind of information posted?
Concerns about Jan 6 violence
The simple solution to allay the concerns of the Jan.6 violence happening again is to make sure the election is run in an honest and above board manner, which must include voter I.D. via a totally transparent system. Otherwise I’m betting all bets are off.