Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 7/26/2024
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Joe Biden is the president. He was sworn in office in January 2021. I don’t deny the fact that he’s president. Do I think there was something wrong with the 2020 elections? Absolutely.” – Former Senator and GOP gubernatorial primary candidate Ed Durr
TOP STORY: Baraka Comes out Swinging, Defends Harris Against GOP ‘DEI’ Smears
Some NJ young voters say VP Harris’ age makes a difference, according to the Bergen Record.
The state’s paid family leave law has a gaping hole, according to NJ.com.
The state’s temp worker law was upheld in a court challenge, according to NJ.com.
NJ Transit approved a $3B budget over an outcry over fare hikes, according to NJ Monitor. NJ Transit will spend $178M on new trains, according to NJ.com. NJ Transit workers are upset about health insurance switch, according to the Bergen Record.
Bergen County’s Food Insecurity Office received an achievement award.
Morris County will supply Narcan vending machines, according to NJ Hills.
ICYMI: Menendez plans to resign, Governor will appoint placeholder; Biden withdrawing, and endorsed Harris, Dems scrambling to advance potential VP picks; Menendez saga still unfolding, Senator says there ‘seems to be an effort to force me into a statement‘, Murphy in position to appoint, Booker would lead expulsion effort; Menendez found guilty and faces a reckoning; Trump injured in assassination attempt; Norcross pleaded not guilty; Sherrill doesn’t want President Biden to run; Menendez verdict will come soon; Murphy signed budget; courts shaping political developments; Critchley, Marino statement on Norcross
Newark Mayor and gubernatorial primary candidate Baraka kicked off his ‘Rollin’ With Ras’ block party tour across the state. Baraka came out swinging in defense of presidential candidate VP Harris.
Former President Trump is returning to the Shore for a fundraiser, according to NJ.com.
ICYMI: Menendez seat raises questions; NJSPBA endorsed Bashaw; Spadea launched ad hitting Ciattarelli; Bashaw slammed Kim; Sette planned, cancelled fundraiser for commissioner candidates; NJ delegates endorse Harris; Sherrill ahead of the game; SEUI endorsed congressional candidates; Kim tapped Bustamante as political director; Bashaw recommended Menendez replacements; McIver victorious in CD10 primary, eleven were vying; crazy rhetoric very bipartisan; Bramnick visited GW Bush; Jones says ‘coalesce‘ around Biden; HCDO tapped Wyche as ED; Ciattarelli unperturbed by Spadea; Wisniewski says Democrats should rally around Biden; Jones tells Dems ‘work harder’, ‘worry less’ as Dems fret over optics while considering options amid serious doubts; Davis elected Monmouth Dems chair; Bashaw poll shows close race; Spadea’s early win; Durr participated in a FDU forum
Governor Murphy signed legislation establishing the ‘Next New Jersey Program’.
Senator Singleton called for hearings into NJ Transit performance and Riverline cancellations.
Senate Minority Leader Bucco welcomed the USS New Jersey crew.
ICYMI: Way appointed Wolkenberg NJDOS COS; Murphy announced departure of Gutierrez-Scacetti; Murphy says he doesn’t think about his legacy; Murphy announced promotions
A recent political chronology of Garden State politics.
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Legal publication.
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Lobbyist publication.
Former Senator Bob Gordon discusses his career and insights on current events.
In Union City, a self-described independent journalist seeking to uncover corruption in embroiled in an ongoing battle with Mayor Stack and the city.
In Woodland Park, Democrats tapped Luis Torres to fill a council vacancy and join the ticket for the general election.
In Atlantic City, the boardwalk was named a top choice for spreading ashes, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Belmar, a landmark housing approval will add 405 units, according to TAPinto.
In Caldwell, the borough council approved a police director over objections, according to TAPinto.
In Edison, the council approved a Route 27 corridor redevelopment plan, according to TAPinto.
In Fairfield, the budget was introduced, according to TAPinto.
In Hoboken, the council passed the first reading of the compromise rent ordinance, according to Hudson County View.
In Jackson, the state forced the school district to make $18M in cuts, according to NJ101.5.
In Manalapan, voters are asked to sell the water system, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Mantua, neighbors hope ’13’ is the unlucky number for a house developer, according to Burlington County Times.
In Morristown, Orbach pledged tighter security for senior buildings, according to Morristown Green.
In Newark, Tillman will seek the Central Ward seat, according to TAPinto.
In Palisades Park, the police department suffered another reputation hit, according to the Bergen Record.
In Paterson, the Brownstone alleges Councilman Velez didn’t pay for his wedding, according to Paterson Press. Former Mayor Torres is trying to get charges dismissed, according to Paterson Press. A tardy audit put $1.9M in health grants at risk, according to Paterson Press.
In Paramus, the council approved two new positions to handle trees and parks, according to TAPinto.
In Phillipsburg, tax bills are delayed, according to TAPinto.
In Ridgewood, the village denied a digital billboard for a strip mall, according to the Bergen Record.
In Robbinsville, officials called on residents be respectful of town employees, according to TAPinto.
In Roselle Park, a new borough app was launched, according to TAPinto.
In Springfield, the administrator praised the shared-services agreement with Millburn, according to TAPinto.
In Westfield, major organizational changes came to the DPW, according to TAPinto.
ICYMI: In Union City, residents reacted to Menendez conviction; in Newark, Speight announced candidacy for Central Ward; in Wayne, debate popped up; in Parsippany, Musella kicked off mayoral campaign; in Dover, bumpy transition
Insider NJ columnist Alan Joel Steinberg writes ‘Yes, I will Continue to Call Trump a Fascist Threat to Democracy. Because He is.‘
Insider NJ columnist Bob Hennelly writes ‘An RNC Field Guide from Inside and Outside the Armed Compound‘
Insider NJ columnist Tom Barrett writes ‘Mikie Sherrill is Right‘
Insider NJ columnist Andrew Leven writes ‘The Wrong Questions Are Providing the Wrong Answers‘
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Senator Timberlake writes ‘A Call for Democratic Unity‘
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Newark Councilman Quintana writes ‘The Court has Transformed a President into a King‘
AROUND THE WEB:
NJ is facing a potential lawsuit over alleged failure to protect endangered fish
Lucas Frau, NorthJersey.com
- The state of New Jersey is facing a lawsuit for allegedly failing to protect the endangered Atlantic sturgeon, according to the Delaware and Hudson Riverkeeper Network. New Jersey, as well as New York and Delaware, are being accused of failing to obtain incidental take permits when operating within the habitat of the Atlantic sturgeon species, according to the lawsuit, that has yet to be officially filed.
What it means for commuters now that work on the new Port Authority Bus terminal is starting
Larry Higgs, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- The long awaited $10 billion project to replace the despised Port Authority Bus Terminal that’s prompted a “pinch-me-I-don’t-believe-it’s-happening” reaction from commuters is moving toward the construction phase. Go ahead, pinch yourself.
Police investigating ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti at United Synagogue of Hoboken
John Heinis, Hudson County View
- Local police are investigating who is responsible for “Free Palestine” graffiti at the United Synagogue of Hoboken yesterday morning, with Hudson County law enforcement partners also aiding in the probe.
Who was the $1.4 million North Jersey donor who loved the Cape May Zoo?
John Russo, Press of Atlantic City
- It was a typical day in 2012 at the Cape May County Parks & Zoo for Michael Laffey. Then the office phone rang. A man called the front office. He said he lived in Edison, Middlesex County, and wanted someone from the zoo to come and pick him up and bring him to Cape May Court House for a private tour of the facility.
Joe Biden dropped out of the election. Did the media fuel his exit?
Jim Beckerman, NorthJersey.com
- “I blame the media.” So someone said to me, very matter-of-factly, the day Joe Biden announced he was quitting. “The media” gets blamed for a lot of things — fairly or unfairly, as it may be. But should the mounting pressure on the president to drop out of the 2024 race, coming on top of sinking poll numbers and a June 27 debate that many considered a train wreck for the incumbent, be one of them?
He’s terminally ill but just won the fight of his life against N.J.
Susan K. Livio, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- Charles “Chuck” Carroll has waited more than 70 years for this moment.
Recalling a New Jersey political hero, 50 years later | Opinion
Star-Ledger Guest Columnist
- Considering the trial and indictment of New Jersey politicians this summer, this has not been a particularly good time for those who lament the Garden state’s reputation as a breeding ground for political corruption.
Biden delivers solemn call to defend democracy
Associated Press
- President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country’s democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Kean brings IDF soldier from Scotch Plains as guest to Netanyahu’s address
Matt Rooney, Save Jersey
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a passionate defense of Israel during an address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, mocking pro-Hamas apologists and accusing Iran of fanning the flames of violence.
‘My bill is $782????’ Why electricity costs have soared for some NJ customers
William Westhoven, Morristown Daily Record
- New Jersey residents have been bracing for higher electric bills since the state Board of Public Utilities approved rate hikes back in February. Now the first bills reflecting those power rates have arrived, and homeowners are finding the change, in a word, shocking.
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.