Matt Friedman's must-read briefing on the Garden State's important news of the day
Matt Friedman's must-read briefing on the Garden State's important news of the day
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When Ocean County GOP Chair George Gilmore was convicted on three tax counts in 2019, he didn't just face a year in prison, but also the daunting prospect of losing public work amid millions in back taxes and debts. His law firm, which typically did well over $2 million in public business, folded.
Enter Frank Sadeghi, an engineer and close ally of Gilmore who ran and narrowly lost the contest to succeed Gilmore when he resigned the chairmanship in 2019. Months after Gilmore’s conviction, Sadeghi founded a new division of his engineering firm called Morgan Municipal Services. And Gilmore’s wife, Joanne — whose work experience, according to LinkedIn, is as a legal assistant at Gilmore’s former law firm — was one of its three founding partners, state records show.
That’s not the only project Joanne Gilmore is involved in. Last year, several publications reported that she’s an owner of an LLC that’s developing a large apartment building in Seaside Heights. Two of the other owners: Warren County GOP Chair (and likely future state senator) Doug Steinhardt and Hunterdon County Commissioner Zach Rich.
Gilmore said there’s nothing wrong with this arrangement, and that it’s being brought up as a political hit by his GOP rivals now that he’s back in the saddle as chair again. Whatever the reason, if you like to track the intersection between politics and public contracts, this is worth paying attention to.
Read more about it here.
DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE’S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 226
TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at [email protected]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — ALJ Jeff Gardner, MWW’s Michelle Timoni, Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello, former Star-Ledger reporter Alexi Friedman
WHERE’S MURPHY? In Atlantic City to speak at the New Jersey Building & Construction Trades Council Convention at 11:30 a.m. Media: CNBC at 8:05 a.m.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I have to give a huge shout-out to Chairman George Norcross for everything he has done with Cooper over the years — and more broadly for Camden and South Jersey.” — Gov. Phil Murphy at the Cooper Hospital expansion announcement. Norcross sat between Murphy and former Gov. Chris Christie.
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THE THREE AMIGOS —Murphy, Norcross, Christie come together to announce $2B expansion for Cooper, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Cooper University Health Care announced Monday that it will soon launch a $2 billion expansion of its Camden campus, an event officials lauded as part of a broader revitalization effort for the city. The project brought together an unexpected group of dignitaries: Gov. Phil Murphy, former Republican Gov. Chris Christie and South Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross III shared the stage during the announcement, a sight that seemed improbable just a few years ago. The project will be completed over the next decade and will add 100 private beds and three clinical “towers,” according to a release from the hospital ... Camden City is back,” he said. The sight of Murphy, Norcross and Christie together was highly unusual. Murphy often clashed with Norcross during his first term — he was told to not come to Camden in 2019 — and has frequently used Christie as a foil for the state’s problems, often declaring that he “inherited a mess” from his predecessor. For his part, Christie has criticized many of Murphy's policies But no hostility was present on Monday as the three heaped praise upon one another.
NO PROTEST — “NJ teachers will be paying more out of pocket after change to benefits,” by NJ 101.5’s Michael Symons: “New Jersey teachers in the state’s School Employees’ Health Benefits Program will be paying over 15% more for health coverage in 2023, similar though slightly less than the increase being imposed on municipal and county workers. Teachers didn’t avoid the big hike like state workers did, agreeing to increase copays for seeing specialists by $15 and going to urgent care by $30, as part of a deal shrinking their premium increase to 3% from over 18%. But looking ahead, the New Jersey Education Association did achieve something the Communications Workers of America tried but failed to do last week: Enact resolutions through the benefits commission ordering the state Treasury Department to produce information and hire a vendor for future action.”
EVERYBODY HATES KRIS — “Gateway work sped up. Now it's delayed. Why 'most urgent' project in the US slowed again,” by The Record’s Colleen Wilson: “U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer bubbled with enthusiasm last year as the Gateway tunnel program finally started accelerating after being stalled for years under the Trump administration. ‘The building plan is now sometime in 2023. We're trying to get it moved up to 2022’ … [T]he start of construction of two new tubes and rehabilitation of the two 112-year-old ones is not being moved up, but rather delayed until fall 2024 … Kris Kolluri, who became the Gateway Development Commission CEO in July, explained in an interview with The Record and NorthJersey.com that the decision to push back construction came after an intense few weeks of analyzing the project, with the help of cost-estimating firm Turner & Townsend, Amtrak, NJ Transit and the GDC's seven employees. ‘We spent days and days asking these very, very important questions, and develop, again, a very realistic, transparent and conservative schedule and cost,’ Kolluri said. ‘We owed the governors and our partners, again, a realistic assessment. That’s what I committed to doing, and that’s what we did.’”
ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM — “New Jersey is a work-from-home leader in U.S., Census data shows,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Nikita Biryukov: “The number of New Jerseyans working from home last year more than quadrupled from pre-pandemic levels, leaving the Garden State with a greater share of people working from home than 43 states, according to new census estimates. In 2021, 22% of New Jersey workers ages 16 and older worked remotely, compared to just 5% in 2019, when the Census Bureau last released comparable American Community Survey estimates. More residents worked remotely only in Maryland, Colorado, Massachusetts, Oregon, Virginia, and Washington, which led the pack with 24% of its residents telecommuting.”
SWEENEY TRIES AGAIN, CALLS FULOP ‘STEVE WEENIE’ — “Fulop says he won’t get sucked in to fight with Sweeney,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Former Senate President Steve Sweeney tried to pick a fight on Monday with one of his potential opponents for the 2025 Democratic gubernatorial nomination over electric vehicles, but Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop refused to take the bait … Fulop, who is expected to run for governor, would not allow himself to get dragged in to an early skirmish. ‘I’d like to think I’ve grown over the last seven years as a mayor and as a person. In 2015 and 2016 when I was looking at the Governor’s race as a candidate, I would get sucked into every little fight over petty things,’ Fulop told the New Jersey Globe. ‘Looking back that was mostly fighting with Steve Sweeney.’”
—“NJ minimum wage going higher than planned in 2023. Here's why”
—“Crisis at closed nursing home drives reform”
DEGROOTS OF THE PROBLEM — “NJ GOP candidates try to change the subject on abortion. The party won't let them,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “Paul DeGroot, the Republican candidate for Congress in New Jersey's 11th Congressional District, was livid. His opponent, Democratic incumbent Mikie Sherrill, had just unleashed a scathing television and mailbox blitz casting DeGroot as an extremist who could be counted on to support a national ban on abortion if elected in November. A pack of lies, he complained in a rare, online press conference last week. But pushing back on his rival's claims wasn't his only goal. DeGroot wanted to change the subject. ‘These people, they're using it as a weapon. They're trying to make this into a major, major issue,’ DeGroot said of the Sherrill campaign's focus on abortion. ‘Why aren't we talking about inflation? Why aren't we talking about the Afghanistan withdrawal?’ … Sherrill and her neighbor Tom Malinowski, D-East Amwell, the incumbent in the 7th Congressional District, are nationalizing the race, hoping to make the contest a referendum on abortion rights, but more broadly on the Republican Party's embrace of Trumpian extremism.”
—“The abortion issue intensifies for battleground Democrats”
VAN DREW WILL ACCEPT DEBATE FROM PRO-TRUMP LEAGUE OF WOMEN BOATERS — “Van Drew to skip League of Women Voters debate, citing organizers' bias,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Michelle Brunetti Post: “U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew will not participate in Tuesday night's Atlantic County League of Women Voters debate at Oakcrest High School, his campaign manager Ron Filan said Monday, calling the group's debate organizers biased against Republicans … Filan attached screen shots of League debate organizer Victoria Druding's Facebook posts, which make fun of Republicans, promote fundraisers for his Democratic opponent Tim Alexander, and encourage people to attend protests against Van Drew at various events … Reached late afternoon Monday, Druding said the League is nonpartisan, but its members are allowed to have political affiliations as individuals. That has never gotten in the way of fairness, she said, and Van Drew should know that ‘We would never do anything to any candidate to disparage them or ... to not treat them well. There are no zingers or hard balls. The League doesn't roll like that.’ … Van Drew will participate, however, in an Oct. 19 debate sponsored by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University and the Press of Atlantic City, Filan said.”
—“Malinowski-Kean NJ House race crucial for Republicans. Here's why”
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NEEDLE EXCHANGE — Atlantic City says ordinance to close needle exchange 'rendered invalid' by new state law, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: Atlantic City is abandoning the ongoing legal battle over the future of its needle exchange, declaring the city's effort to close the facility has been “rendered invalid” by a new law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy earlier this year, attorneys for the city say in new court filings. In papers filed in Superior Court last week, lawyers for the city asked that a lawsuit from the needle exchange’s operators to keep the facility open be permanently dismissed. The Atlantic City Council voted in July 2021 to shutter the facility, which provides clean needles for drug users and other services, despite calls from back public health advocates and the governor to keep the harm reduction center open. At the time, state law granted municipalities the power to establish and close needle exchanges within their borders. However, a bill Murphy signed earlier this year shifted those responsibilities to the state Department of Health — stripping municipalities of those powers.
OOH, HEAVEN IS A PLACE IN THE SOUTH WARD — “Despite dead voter signature, judge lets candidate on the ballot,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildsterin: “Evangeline Ugorji may remain on the ballot as a city council seat in Trenton’s South Ward even though as many as two dead people signed her nominating petition, Superior Court Judge William Anklowitz ruled on Monday after a four-hour hearing. A challenge mounted by rival Jenna Figueroa Kettenburg was withdrawn after Ugorji was found to have 71 valid signatures – three more than the 68 needed to secure a ballot position … Ugorji testified that she personally secured the signature of Desiree Clark, who had died on August 5, 2016, but was not able to offer any explanation as to how the signature of a deceased voter appeared on her petition. Her attorney, Flavio Komuves, pushed back on a copy of Clark’s death certificate. ‘I don’t know what the providence of that is,’ he told the judge.”
BERGENFEELINGS — “Bergenfield Fire Department parade sanctions lifted, but wounds are not healed,” by The Record’s Liam Quinn: ”After the Bergenfield Fire Department's decision not to attend the borough's annual Memorial Day Parade led to sanctions and accusations that the department had disrespected veterans, the matter has finally been resolved and the sanctions lifted. But not all the wounds have healed. It all started when, according to fire Chief Steve Naylis, the department, which had been a parade fixture for years, decided not to attend because of their placement at the end of the parade. Naylis claimed at the time that the department's decision was based on safety, and that he requested to be at the front of the parade, in order to more easily maneuver in case of an emergency that required department response. Borough Administrator Corey Gallo said the the decision demonstrated "disrespect" toward Bergenfield's veterans, and issued sanctions as a result … In order for the sanctions to be lifted, according to the email sent by Gallo, the fire department would need to formally apologize at a council meeting and write formal apologies to the veterans' committee, the VFW and the Disabled American Veterans. Ultimately, an apology was submitted and the sanctions have been lifted. But the end result was not to everyone's liking.”
—“Paterson's new acting police chief knows he has work to do. This is where he's focused”
—“Outgoing Trenton councilman accuses candidates of lying about his endorsement”
—“[Ocean Township] school abused child with Down syndrome, other disabilities, lawsuit says”
—“Family of Jameek Lowery wins key decision in wrongful death lawsuit against Paterson”
—Golden: “Go get ’em, Dawn”
THE SALEM WEED TRIALS — “Weed pizza? Marijuana lounges? These SJ startups are getting creative,” by The Courier-Post’s Isabel Koyama and Hira Qureshi: “Matthew Fazzio and his fiancée Alyssa Turner of Fazzio's Pasta Company planned earlier this year to pivot their Italian restaurant in the City of Salem to a weed café. Paying members would have been able to bring their own bud to the lounge, smoke, and munch on the cafe’s menu items, under their proposed business plan. However, the Fazzios quickly received pushback from the city and their landlord … Andrea Rhea, the solicitor for the city, sent a cease and desist letter to the Fazzios, claiming there was no application to the city to operate an outdoor café. The letter reminded the couple that smoking, vaping or aerosolizing any cannabis item in public isn’t permitted in Salem, citing the NJ Smoke Free Air Act. And if a property's lease is underwritten by federal insurance, there can’t be any activities on the property that are prohibited under federal law, as cannabis use is. … The Fazzios' plans in Salem fell through — at least for now.’ … Philip Manganaro of Park Place in Merchantville and John Stewart of Kitchen 519 in Glendora, both chefs/restaurant owners, said they are ready to do some cannabis cooking. The two restaurateurs feel South Jersey residents are ready for cannabis-infused meals but don’t think the towns are ready on the regulatory side.”
EWREALLY? — “Newark Airport Will no longer be considered an NYC Hub — What that means for travelers,” by Travel and Leisure’s Stefanie Waldek:“[W]hile it's true that Newark is technically in New Jersey, it's closer to some of Manhattan than JFK and is undoubtedly a big player in New York's aviation game. But according to a Lufthansa Group memo circulated on Twitter last week, Newark is being separated from its Big Apple companions. The memo notes the International Air Transport Association (IATA) ‘has introduced a new standard for 'Multi-Airport Cities,’ which are metropolitan areas with multiple airports that are united under one IATA city code. The primary way this change could impact travelers is by limiting their options to freely change flights," Scott Keyes, founder of Scott's Cheap Flights, explained to T+L. ‘Currently, many airlines allow travelers to switch flights within a city code — say, from arriving in JFK to arriving in LGA — without a penalty. Removing EWR from the NYC city code could restrict that option for many passengers.’”
—“New tax relief plan, same old questions”
—“Nearly half of domestic violence victims say law enforcement is dismissive of them | Opinion”
—“Toms River police sued over 'unjustified' medical marijuana arrest”
—“What the Gary Busey case says about how we address sex assaults and what needs to change”
—“Jersey City Council unlikely to vote on final $695M budget for several weeks”
—“Sussex, NJ, funeral home put wrong body in casket — lawsuit”
CORRECTION: In yesterday’s edition I included the wrong byline on the Asbury Park Oglesby’s article about the Oyster Creek radioactive water release.
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