Good Monday morning!
At this point it seems undeniable that Chris Christie’s presidential campaign has gained some kind of traction. Not all that much, but it’s clear. Look at the recent polls:
Christie got 9 percent support in New Hampshire — a distant third place in the Republican field — in a recent New Hampshire Journal poll.
Nationally, Christie’s support prior to his launch had typically been around zero. Now, he’s on the board with 2 percent in an Emerson college poll, 3 percent in a YouGov poll and 5 percent — fourth place — in a new NBC News poll.
But while that’s some progress, Donald Trump’s popularity has not diminished in the Republican base and he’s been expanding his polling lead over Ron DeSantis. Christie is running as the anti-Trump. But barring some sea change — and with all Trump has done of the years, the idea that he would do something that alienates his followers is almost impossible to imagine — Christie will find himself bumping up against a low ceiling. Look beyond the topline numbers of the NBC News poll and you can see it: Once again, Christie is seen overwhelmingly negative by Republican voters, at 15 percent positive to 42 percent negative. None of the other candidates are viewed even close to that negatively. And that’s why Christie just got booed on the trail.
Chris Christie, responding to quips about his weight, tells Trump to ‘look in the mirror’
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QUOTE OF THE DAY #1: “We all experienced the recent forest fire smoke. Imagine having to experience the odors and increased levels of volatile organic compounds in the air every time they roast.” — A flier protesting a proposed artisanal coffee roasting facility in Princeton
QUOTE OF THE DAY #2: ““I struggle to breathe. I can feel the difference when I leave my neighborhood.” — Maria Lopez-Nuñez, who lives near a garbage incinerator in Newark, as quoted in a 2020 article
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Christopher Connors, Ross K. Baker, Shelley Skinner
WHERE’S MURPHY? — No public schedule
VETERANS HOMES — “‘It’s bad, bad, bad….’ N.J. officials to investigate if mold is putting veterans in jeopardy,” by NJ Advance Media’s Susan K. Livio and Ted Sherman: “Two New Jersey state senators who have long raised concerns about the operations of the Veterans Memorial Home at Menlo Park say they plan to hold hearings to investigate reports that residents may have been exposed to potentially deadly mold apparently growing unseen behind walls for years inside the state-operated nursing home. The spread of what appeared to be mold, which was first reported by NJ Advance Media, has already led officials to launch a $500,000, months-long remediation project after a whistleblower said he raised red flags and refused to simply paint over the dark discoloration on the walls in the rooms of several residents. Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, chairman of the state Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee said he still had many unanswered questions, even after meeting with Adjutant General Lisa Hou last month. The goal of the hearing, Vitale said, is ‘specifically to learn about the sources of the mold contamination, when it was first reported to the facilities leadership, the eventual decision to address the issue, and the ongoing cleanup and future protection of the veteran residents.’”
THE GREAT OUTDOORS —New Jersey CRC executive director: Growing weed outdoors could cut prices in half, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s top staffer on Friday said that outdoor cultivation of cannabis could cut prices in half. The remarks from CRC Executive Director Jeff Brown came during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the cannabis industry, where lawmakers peppered Brown and CRC Chair Dianna Houenou for around two hours on the state of the industry and how it could be improved. “If there was outdoor cultivation in the state of New Jersey, the price would drop by probably about 50 percent as soon as those cultivators come online,” Brown said. “Outdoor cultivation wholesales about half the price of indoor cultivation.” Even though outdoor growing is allowed, there are currently no state-sanctioned cultivators, Brown said. … While prices would go down, though, it is not necessarily an exact comparison. [Scott] Rudder said that some cannabis strains require a controlled environment for maximum quality. Other cannabis strains don’t require similar treatment.
—Lassiter: “Tidbits from Friday’s cannabis hearing”
SILLY COLUMNIST. THIS IS FOR SENIORS. TRICKS ARE FOR KIDS — “The tax plan is a trick. Don’t fall for it,” by The Star-Ledger’s Tom Moran: “If you think like a detective, you can find several clues that suggest Democrats in Trenton will never deliver the big tax break they just promised. For one, it’s not scheduled to go into effect until 2026, three years from now … Ask them why, and they huff and puff about how complicated tax codes can be. But please don’t believe that — previous tax credits went into effect right away. This is all about providing wiggle room, leaving plenty of time to change course. Another clue: That date means that Gov. Phil Murphy will be gone. A new governor will take office in January of 2026, and he or she is under no obligation to honor this deal. Before the money can flow, the Legislature will need to strike a new deal with a new governor. Who can guarantee that? And a final big one: The text of the agreement explicitly puts this tax credit first in line on the chopping block if money is short, as budget experts in both parties predict. Full funding for pensions and education comes first, along with a modest 6 percent surplus. That’s not legally binding, but it is a political signal.”
—“Senate Judiciary Committee will consider Murphy’s Supreme Court pick on Monday”
—“A new NJ office could focus on community school. Here’s how”
—Prescription drug bill nixes mandatory point of sale rebates
—“The smell of weed was not enough to search man’s entire car, N.J. Supreme Court rules”
—“N.J. requires its teachers to live in state. That could change soon”
—“Don’t raise NJ Transit fares or cut service, polled residents say — increase state aid”
—“As a final NJ budget looms, where is the pork?”
—“Battleground LD-11 erupts: Gopal versus Dnistrian”
CARTOON BREAK — ”A swashbuckling budgetary adventure,” by Drew Sheneman
IN ANOTHER DIMENSION CHRISTIE IS A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING HEEL — ‘You can boo all you want’: Chris Christie faces backlash for criticism of Donald Trump,” by USA Today’s David Jackson: “Donald Trump’s campaign rivals made their various cases Friday before an influential group of religious voters, but for the most part they avoided talking about a top issue: Donald Trump. With the exception of Chris Christie – who got booed for his criticism of Trump – other candidates in the increasingly crowded 2024 race made only passing references to the twice-indicted GOP front-runner and did not argue why they are better bets for the presidential nomination next year. ‘You can boo all you want,’ Christie told members of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, while candidates like Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence only alluded to their differences with Trump; they focused more on President Joe Biden and the Democrats. … The former New Jersey governor, who has made attacks on Trump the centerpiece of his campaign, drew catcalls when he attacked Trump for a lack of character, a failure of leadership, and a tendency to blame others for his failures.”
GERRYMCCANDERING — “Hudson County’s commissioner map is holding anti-organization Dems back,” by New Jersey Globe’s Joey Fox: “The Hudson County Democratic organization may be dominant across vast swaths of the county, but there’s one place the organization has struggled to get under its control: Downtown Jersey City. … Despite their victories at the local level, Jersey City progressives have struggled to win any kind of higher office, including a seat on the nine-member board of county commissioners. A big part of the reason for their lack of success is simple: Hudson County’s commissioner map. In theory, Downtown Jersey City, which includes all of Ward E and parts of Wards C and F, has nearly enough residents for a county commissioner district on its own. The neighborhood has a population of around 73,000, just 7,000 short of the ideal district size. But on the new commissioner map approved for this year’s elections, downtown is split among no fewer than four commissioner districts. … That means that downtown residents are a minority of the voting population in all four districts – and thus are unable to elect a county commissioner on their own. That’s exactly what happened in the Democratic primary earlier this month, when off-the-line challengers came close in two races but won neither.”
THE ONLY REAL ESTATE-RELATED FRAUD THAT EVER HAPPENED IN CAMDEN — “Fired Camden Housing Authority manager pleads guilty in $150,000 fraud case,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Robert Moran: “A fired manager at the Camden Housing Authority has pleaded guilty to directing more than $150,000 intended to help low-income tenants to a company she controlled and to a family member, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced Friday. Traci Willis, 55, of Mount Laurel, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Superior Court in Camden to one count of third-degree conspiracy to tamper with public records and entered into a consent decree that includes a recommended sentence of probation conditioned on her serving up to 364 days in Camden County jail and a lifetime ban on public office, Platkin said. … Investigators found she had directed tens of thousands of dollars in public funds to a relative who was a Camden landlord, and to a company she founded in 2015 and later shared with that relative. The housing authority learned about her activities in 2019 and fired her, Platkin said.”
PRIORITIES —“Vice squad: Bayonne ordinance aimed at curbing spas and pot sales, while city stalls on legal cannabis,” by The Jersey Journal’s Teri West: “Days may be numbered for entrepreneurs looking to enter Bayonne’s spa or smoke shop industry — and its seems like the day will never come for cannabis entrepreneurs in the city. In an attempt to control suspected illicit activity, Bayonne is considering a ban on any new smoke shops or businesses that offer massages from opening in new locations in the city. And it appears the city is in no rush to welcome cannabis retailers, even after taking the time to amend rules on where prospective store could open. The vape/massage shop ordinance is in response to both a proliferation of such businesses and the suspicion that some spas may offering illegal sexual services while vape or smoke shops may also be looking to illegally sell drugs, hinted Council President Gary La Pelusa.”
PARSIPPANDEMONIUM — “Parsippany Republicans have been fighting for 58 years,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Decades of infighting among Parsippany Republicans led to Democratic mayors for 35 of the last 55 years in a town that once provided huge pluralities for GOP candidates running statewide and in Morris County. But intra-party quarrels and changing demographics have made the largest municipality in Morris County a swing, ticket-splitting town. Last year, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) carried Parsippany with 57% of the vote, while two of the three Republican county commissioner candidates also won. In 2021, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy edged out a five-vote win in Parsippany, while State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Montville) won it by 660 votes. The local Republican wars go back to 1965, when voters switched from a non-partisan township manager form of government to the direct election of a strong mayor in partisan elections.”
—Snowflack:”Grossi prepares for a new battle”
—“Jersey Shore beach replenishment project is on hold, and officials say it could affect tourism”
—“Cumberland Democrats pick new county chairman”
—“A new revolution on the Princeton battlefield | Opinion”
—“Completion of Newark hospital-to-high school conversion delayed at least a year”
—”[Upper Saddle River] officer faced hostile treatment, lost pay for National Guard duty, suit says”
ADDRESSING A RESIDENT EVIL —“Rutgers medical residents reach tentative contract agreement,” by NJ Advance Media’s Tina Kelley: “The union representing Rutgers medical residents and fellows has reached a tentative three-year agreement with the university after a year of negotiating for higher pay, the Committee of Interns and Residents announced Thursday. The union, a local of the Service Employees International Union, represents 1100 resident physicians and fellows who work primarily at Newark’s University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. They will receive raises of 3.75%, 3.5%, and 3.5% over the life of the contract, with backpay to July 1, 2022. The agreement also includes increases for on-call workers, a $1,300 education stipend, a meal stipend, and creating a task force to address mental health coverage. … At the CIR rally in Newark on April 27, State Sen. Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, head of the Senate’s health committee, noted that many students are interns and residents in their 20s and work at hospitals 80 hours a week at $14 an hour, which is close to the state’s minimum wage.”
RUNNIN’ WITH THE DEVIL — “Who stole a big Jersey Devil statue from a legendary NJ restaurant?” by WPG’s Chris Coleman: “Normally, most people (unless they’re looking for YouTube views) don’t intentionally look for the Jersey Devil — but in this case, a restaurant deep in the Pine Barrens is. Our travels today take us up County Route 539 into the Warren Grove section of Stafford Township to Lucille’s Luncheonette, a nearly half-century-old eatery that people who are either just passing through or who are out to explore the pines love to visit. A true local landmark. They are looking for the Jersey Devil because someone stole their life-sized carving of the mythical beast right from the front of their building. Yes, someone stole the Jersey Devil.”
—“Nights on the brink Can a text stop a suicide? 8 hours inside an anonymous crisis hotline”
—“Indian PM Modi’s visit highlights polarized views among NJ’s Indian Americans”
