WHO’S UP

Tim Alexander

Vying to run against incumbent U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-2) in the November election, the former law enforcement officer this weekend won the Atlantic County Democratic Party line.

Sean Pattwell

Governor Phil Murphy last week announced the appointment of Pattwell as Executive Director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA). Pattwell – former Co-CEO of Herbert L. Jamison & Co and as the founding Chairman of Grosvenor Brokers in London – will lead the CRDA in its mission to facilitate community-oriented redevelopment in Atlantic City. Mr. Pattwell was unanimously approved by the CRDA’s Board of Directors on March 15.

Cathy Callahan

The head of the Somerset Republican Federation of Women on Saturday helmed another successful annual legislative breakfast, which featured the participation by Assemblyman John DiMaio (R-23), Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz (R-21), Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-23), Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-25), and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn (R-25) in a vigorous question and answer session with members of the federation.

Paul Sarlo 

Outraged by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the veteran senator from South Bergen this month championed a bill passed and signed by Governor Phil Murphy that prohibits anyone engaging in investment activity in Russia or Belarus from contracting with state agencies. The bill essentially creates a government no-fly zone blocking Russian businessmen and their state-connected business interests.

Pat Council 

Team Baraka’s South Ward Council candidate received the enthusiastic formal backing of the man who currently occupies the seat, retiring South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James.

WHO’S DOWN

Joe McCallum

The 66-year-old McCallum of Newark – elected as the West Ward Councilman – pleaded guilty last week before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud for devising a scheme, using interstate wire communications, to defraud Newark and the NCEDC of the right to McCallum’s honest services and one count of subscribing to a false personal tax return for calendar year 2018.

Sharpe James

Newark Judge Thomas Vena denied the former mayor’s effort to certify as an at-large council candidate after James submitted more than 2,000 nominating petitions for an at-large council seat bid, according to TAPInto Newark.

Jose “Joey” Torres

Not only did a state Attorney General’s order ban the former mayor – jammed up like James (see above) on corruption charges – from holding elected office, he later absorbed a contempt charge for the very act of launching his mayoral candidacy.

The Taxpayers of Jersey City

Per the Hudson County View: The Jersey City Board of Education last week “pushed a vote on a $955 million budget that would come with a $2,400 annual tax increase per household.” According to The View, “The board noted that few options exist outside of layoffs or cutting programs, particularly after another significant budget cut from the state to the tune of $68.5 million.”

New Jerseyans

“About half of New Jerseyans aren’t optimistic about their state these days, and the vast majority of residents aren’t happy with how the government is handling the high cost of living here, a new poll shows,” according to a report in the Star-Ledger. “Fifty-two percent of adult residents said the Garden State is on the wrong track, while 38% say it’s headed in the right direction, according to the Rutgers-Eagleton Poll released Monday morning.”