It was going to be a little confab to stick a fork in pot, but it wasn't to be.

[bubbleAutoLink text="Recreational marijuana" id="50562"] wouldn't even get a decent burial, as it turned out. Of course, it could always be spun as, "it was left alive for future consideration." Ultimately, a plus for the industry.

Anyway, the three principals - Governor Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3), and Speaker Craig Couglin (D-19) - were originally going to get together to hash out the details of marijuana in this budget cycle.

They didn't.

Coughlin and Murphy were at a bill signing in Middlesex.

In the middle of a [bubbleAutoLink text="statewide brawl" id="55148"] between Murphy and Sweeney ally South Jersey Democratic Party Power Broker George Norcross III, Sweeney phoned in a few minutes ago and said he wouldn't be able to meet them prior to his appearance later this afternoon at a New Brunswick Path to Progress-style event.

He had his head under the hood at the Statehouse, a source said, at the Budget hearing.