Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing: 9/12/2024
Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Just as much as Harris enthusiasm is going to help Altman, that distaste for Trump — or any disdain toward Trump — is certainly going to hurt Kean down ballot as well. And especially when we’re talking about a numbers game. This is all about turnout.” – Eagleton’s Ashley Koning on battleground CD7
TOP STORY: Schaffer Does an Endzone Dance after Harris/Trump Debate
Two counties are on the verge of settling a ballot lawsuit, according to Politico NJ.
A lawsuit pins the blame for assaults on NJ prison transgender policies, according to NJ Monitor.
Efforts by Governor Murphy and Choose NJ to communicate in French are going a long way, according to ROI-NJ.
Hospital care at home is about to explode in the state, according to NJ Herald.
Hunterdon County is partnering with PA to fight black flies along the Delaware, according to NJ Hills.
Rider University President Dell’Omo announced his retirement, according to ROI-NJ.
ICYMI: Legislation pending to honor Pascrell; funeral held for the late Rep. Pascrell; smoking still allowed in casinos; Kelly may have helped torpedo Mastro
Somerset County Democratic Chair Schaffer said VP Harris’ debate performance against former President Trump impressed her, saying she ‘kicked his ass‘.
Senator Booker trolled Trump, according to the Bergen Record.
Former Governor Christie says former President Trump should fire his team following the debate, according to the Bergen Record.
The Garden State Equality Action Fund released federal endorsements.
ICYMI: Abortion flashpoint issue; Bramnick to fundraise w/ Boehner; Dems crammed BBQ; Bashaw’s campaign highlighted polling data; Elect Women NJ announced endorsements; PAM’s List endorsed candidates; NJGOP wants real race in the state; Gottheimer’s road to Guv goes through Middlesex; Pou by acclamation
Assembly Republicans pledged to support banning smoking in casinos.
The LD10 legislators urged the US Senate to pass the SAVE Act.
A 20th anniversary event highlights appreciation for the Highlands Act, according to NJ Hills.
Behind the Ballot: Getting on – and off – the Ballot for President in NJ
In looking at the career of the late Rep. Pascrell, its instructive to consider the 2012 primary battle as a stand-out race.
Al Sullivan’s memories of Rep. Pascrell.
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Policymakers publication.
Compliance Corner: Navigating ELEC Investigations and Complaints
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Legal publication.
Download and read Insider NJ’s 2024 Insider 100: Lobbyist publication.
In Jersey City, Councilwoman Ridley hosted a debate watch party.
In Camden, the council approved a increase in legal fees it will pay for past and present employees, according to TAPinto. A pioneering development near a PATCO station is getting a reboot, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Residents are ‘fed up‘ as the council approved a bill that could help fund the indicted former mayor’s legal fees, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
In Edison, Mayor Joshi reimbursed the town for his DNC security, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Florham Park, the zoning board denied a senior housing complex, according to NJ Hills.
In Hillsborough, a developer is eying a Route 206 property, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Mendham, the public safety director post was approved, according to NJ Hills.
In Morris Plains, the town’s only female police officer is suing the town for harassment, according to the Daily Record.
In Morristown, there’s a revised cannabis ordinance, according to Morristown Green.
In Neptune, a homeless camp deadline looms, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In Newark, the city launched its first office for film and TV production, according to NJ Biz.
In North Bergen, an ex-Housing Authority employee alleged the ED misused agency funds, according to Hudson County View.
In Paterson, the city is eying $20k pay bumps to stop the loss of cops to suburbs, according to Paterson Press.
In Phillipsburg, the town is considering extending fines for truck traffic on 100+ roads, according to Lehigh Valley Live.
In Plainfield, the council approved a tax exemption for a West Front Street development, according to TAPinto. Six year police contracts were approved after a long stalemate, according to TAPinto.
In Scotch Plains-Fanwood, voters will decide on another elementary school, according to MyCentralJersey.
In Teaneck, an ethics complaint was filed against BOE members, according to the Bergen Record.
In Upper Township, talks continue about development at a former power plant site, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In West Orange, a judge denied Councilman Rutherford’s candidacy.
ICYMI: In Bedminster, debate prompted ‘kindergarten behavior’
Insider NJ columnist Alan Joel Steinberg writes ‘Pa.: A Tom Kean Sr. Endorsement of Harris could Make the Difference‘
Insider NJ reporter Fred Snowflack writes ‘The New Reagan Movie and the MAGA Crowd‘
Insider NJ columnist Andrew Leven writes ‘An Intersection of Antisemitism and the War in Gaza That You Can Live With, and By‘
In a guest column on Insider NJ, Charlie Wowkanech writes ‘Labor Day: It’s Better in a Union‘
AROUND THE WEB:
Harris outflanked Trump: What does NJ need to take away from the debate? | Stile
Charles Stile, NorthJersey.com
- President Joe Biden tanked his own reelection hopes by stumbling onto a June debate stage as an addled, confused and unprepared octogenarian. The question now facing former President Donald Trump after his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris is this: Did he just tank his own reelection with his angry, meandering and bizarre debate performance ranging from denialism to railing about desperate migrants eating stolen cats and dogs?
9/11, 23 years later: Questions about Saudi involvement in terror attacks persist | Kelly
Mike Kelly, NorthJersey.com
- The smoke and rubble are gone. The trees at the place we all called Ground Zero are taller. And all those kids who seemed so small and vulnerable two decades ago are now adults. Yes, America has moved on from the horror of the 9/11 attacks. But something awful still remains. We still don’t know the full extent of who was responsible. And we still can’t figure out what to do with some of the key players of the terror plot.
Retail crime is rampant in N.J., but there is a legislative remedy | Opinion
Linda Doherty
- Organized retail crime in New Jersey affects everyone.
Hidden photo of Monmouth couple’s desperate reunion after 9/11 unearthed after two decades
Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press
- On Sept. 11, 2001, Bill Osborn made the short walk from his home to the Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina to photograph the smoldering Manhattan skyline. Upon arrival, he discovered there was more to the scene than he’d anticipated. Much more. Folks who’d evacuated Lower Manhattan by ferry — the only means possible at the time — were arriving in droves. After deboarding at the Seastreak Ferry terminal in Highlands, they were bused to the lot in front of Shore Casino banquet hall in Atlantic Highlands.
Hard to believe it’s been 23 years since 9/11
Jeff Edelstein, The Trentonian
- “It was the Russians,” my very bright and intelligent 10-year-old told me when I asked her who was responsible for 9/11. “It was actually an Islamic extremist terrorist group,” I corrected her. “Close enough,” she said. To be clear: She is very bright and intelligent. No joke. Whip-smart, quick witted, bright-eyed, and eager. And while she was able to give me the broad strokes of what happened that day — now 23(!) years ago — it’s clear that to her, it’s just plain ‘ol boring history.
Mask bans are dumb, dangerous | Editorial
Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- Sen. Jon Bramnick will be proposing a bill on Thursday to ban people from wearing masks at public gatherings in New Jersey. It’s part of a national trend: Republicans have been seeking to criminalize face masks even as COVID cases are surging, once again.
Remembering the only woman from N.J. killed in Vietnam: ‘She gave her life for something bigger’
Ray Zardetto, roi-nj.com
- Eleanor Grace Alexander would have turned 84 next week. But, like too many of her generation, she was cut down in her prime, her life snuffed out 57 years ago on a forlorn mountainside in South Vietnam. Alexander died a captain in the Army Nurse Corps. She holds the tragic distinction of being the only woman from New Jersey killed in the line of duty in Vietnam.
Yet another reason NJ police officers don’t get paid enough
Jeff Deminski, NJ1015
- This was one of the more dangerous calls to which a police officer responded. A domestic violence call. It happened this past weekend in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Now it was bad enough that the incident at a home on Jefferson Avenue involved a suspect who became combative. Officers made the arrest but only after a physical fight that left one officer with unspecified injuries and the other with a broken ankle.
Key takeaways from tense debate between Trump and Harris
Associated Press
- Donald Trump and Kamala Harris faced each other on the debate stage Tuesday night for the first — and possibly the last — time. The Democratic vice president opened the faceoff with a power move, marching across the stage to Trump’s lectern to shake his hand. “Kamala Harris,” she said, introducing herself as the pair met for the first time ever. “Let’s have a good debate.”
NJ Bankers foundation donates $25K to support scholarships for families of USS New Jersey’s crew
Ray Zardetto, roi-nj.com
- To help celebrate the commissioning of the USS New Jersey fast attack submarine on Saturday, the New Jersey Bankers Association has donated $25,000 to fund scholarships for families of the crew. The commissioning ceremony for the USS New Jersey will take place Saturday along the piers of Naval Weapons Station Earle in Monmouth County. The donation is part of an ongoing scholarship program during which the NJ Bankers Charitable Foundation has provided scholarship assistance to military service members and their families.
Newark Public Schools’ $17.5M AI camera project delayed until end of school year
Jessie Gomez, Chalkbeat Newark
- The installation of a new artificially intelligent surveillance system meant to make Newark schools safer has been delayed and won’t be completed until the end of the school year, the district said. Newark Public Schools had planned to install over 7,000 cameras equipped with AI capabilities — one for every five students — by Aug. 31, before the start of the school year. The district did not provide details about the reasons for the delay but sources close to the project said it was due to challenges in connecting required cabling and wiring through Newark’s aging school buildings.
Jersey City police open ‘de-escalation’ training center
Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight
- A former storage facility in Jersey City is now home to the city’s new police training facility where officers will be able to act out — and react to — various on-the-job scenarios.
After 50 years, volunteer group asked to leave East Point Lighthouse
Bill Barlow, Press of Atlantic City
- The Maurice River Township Historical Society held on at the East Point Lighthouse through five decades of punishing storms and persistent erosion, not to mention a global pandemic. But the organization is out, after scrambling to remove paperwork and an extensive collection of antiques set to recreate how the lighthouse may have looked in 1900, about 50 years after it opened in 1849.
Eating pets? Let’s get serious: Trump is a crackpot | Editorial
Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- Donald Trump has issued a tsunami of deranged warnings about immigrants since toddling down the golden escalator in 2015. Now, reading from his racist playbook and babbling like a parrot on meth, he has declared that Haitian immigrants are dining on the house pets of Springfield, Ohio.
NJ’s first ANCHOR deadline is Sunday – Will you be getting money?
Dino Flammia, NJ1015
- Property tax relief payments in New Jersey can start hitting bank accounts as early as Oct. 1, but that’s only going to happen if your information is up to date. New Jersey plans to start rolling out ANCHOR (Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters) payments in early October to folks who’ve received such a payment in the past.
Video: NJ rocker Jon Bon Jovi helps woman on Nashville bridge
Erin Vogt, NJ1015
- One of New Jersey’s biggest celebrities, Jon Bon Jovi, has been credited with helping save a woman standing dangerously along a bridge in Nashville, Tennessee — and police shared video of the encounter.
Tom Bergeron, roi-nj.com
- Tim Sullivan, the CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, can discuss just about anything involving the state’s economy. But, he also knows what he doesn’t know.
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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Increasing Use of Cosmetic Products & Their Side Effects
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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.
Your blog is a haven of positivity in a sometimes chaotic online world.
Your exquisitely curated blog epitomizes erudition, captivating readers with its intellectually stimulating content and profound philosophical insights.
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!!