Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s about identifying those voters who are going to say, ‘Yeah, I’m going to vote for her, even though I might traditionally be a Republican’, and then get them to vote. And it matters more for her because there are several thousand more Republicans in the district than Democrats. So she’s looking for those Republicans who won’t vote for Trump and she needs to get them to not vote for Kean, as well.” – Rowan University’s Ben Dworkin on CD7 Democratic candidate Sue Altman
TOP STORY: CD-2 Flashpoint: Van Drew Versus Salerno
A Rutgers study finds voters with long COVID could shift our politics, according to the Bergen Record.
The Harris and Trump tax plans could have potential NJ impacts, according to NJ Spotlight.
The state has lost its punch in the fight for LGBTQ rights, according to NJ Monitor.
Former Senator Weinberg is the subject of a new documentary, according to NJ Spotlight.
There are lessons from home and abroad regarding lowering the voting age, according to NJ Spotlight.
Ongoing droughts cause a risk of wildfires in the state, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Atlantic County’s Board of Elections voted for more security cameras, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Human nature has been at odds with nature for 400 years on Burlington Island, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
There’s more sand for Northern Ocean County beaches, according to the Asbury Park Press.
There’s a push in the state’s Korean American community to register new voters, according to NJ Spotlight.
ICYMI: Insider NJ’s Who’s And Who’s Down; labor hit Philly streets as PA Dems build Harris coalition; Philly Dems in gear for Harris; Murphy discussed lowering voting age
GOP Senate candidate Curtis Bashaw has a Trump problem as he seeks to win the general election, according to Politico NJ. Bashaw slammed Kim in a new ad on border security. The state police union endorsed Bashaw, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In CD2, Rep. Van Drew looks to beat back a challenge from Salerno. AFSCME endorsed Salerno.
In CD5, Rep. Gottheimer launched ‘Women For Josh’.
In CD7, Rep. Kean is going into negative overdrive against challenger Altman. The battleground race has national consequences, according to NJ.com. Former Rep. Malinowski jumped feet first into supporting Altman. National Democrats are coming to aid Altman with TV ads, according to NJ Globe.
There’s an odd connection between the Ciattarelli campaign, his Super PAC, and an America First group, according to NJ Globe.
The Atlantic County commissioner race is testing the new 2nd District, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Morris County Surrogate Darling is vying to keep her post, according to NJ Hills.
Morris County commissioner candidates will debate, according to Morristown Green. Three Democrats are vying for the three seats, according to NJ Hills.
ICYMI: Kim phonebanked; Prempeh faced off against Pou; Kim, Bashaw clashed ; former Guv Kean endorsed Bashaw; CD7 2-point race; Essex Assembly races intensifying; Jones made the case for Harris; Kean, Altman debated, Altman touted poll; Morris’ Ali has had enough of Crispi; Golden touted Monmouth GOP numbers; Bramnick has new argument; NJGOP working to increase VBM returns; Altman poll shows 2-point race
The Senate is considering a cannabis self-exclusion program, according to NJ Biz.
The challenge continues to the state’s right-to-die law, according to NJ Spotlight.
Lawmakers are seeking regular review of the state’s police use-of-force policy, according to NJ Monitor.
NJ lobbyist Michael O’Connell was struck by a car and killed in Nashville, according to NJ Globe.
The NJ Chamber of Commerce elected seven new board members.
The NJBAC launched the Cannabis Training Academy.
ICYMI: Coughlin, DiMaio announced ballot committee; ‘Freedom To Read Act’ advanced; insiders consider Scutari future
In Somerville, JFK is on the ballot for council.
In Randolph, council control is at stake in the local election.
In Allenhurst, an election investigation is over, according to NJ Globe.
In Atlantic City, Visit AC announced leadership changes, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Senator Helmy urged HUD to address Housing Authority deficiencies.
In Bernards, factions take sides in the BOE race, according to NJ Hills.
In Califon, the council discussed the Coles Mill Dam removal, according to NJ Hills.
In Clifton, candidates are vying for an unexpired council seat, according to NorthJersey.com.
In Demarest, a lawsuit alleges a DPW worker was left disabled after a co-worker’s assault, according to the Bergen Record.
In Egg Harbor Township, Democrats are looking to break GOP dominance, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Glassboro, a house was approved for removal to make way for a building, according to Burlington County Times.
In Hoboken, Councilwoman Jabbour acknowledged the prosect of a mayoral run, according to Hudson County View.
In Irvington, there’s a development plan to eliminate blight, according to NJ Spotlight.
In Jersey City, Councilman Rivera endorsed the ‘Education Matters’ BOE slate, according to Hudson County View. The council voted to drop Acrisure as their insurance broker, according to Hudson County View.
In Millburn, the town is headed to court again over affordable housing, according to NJ.com.
In Neptune, the Democrats’ three picks to replace a committee member were rejected, according to the Asbury Park Press.
In New Brunswick, an ordinance would limit public smoking, according to TAPinto.
In Paterson, the city will delay the due date for sewer fees, according to Paterson Press.
In Randolph, council candidates sparred, according to NJ Hills.
In Readington, women were charged with illegal wiretapping of political rivals, according to NJ Hills.
In Rockaway, a blaze is 70% contained, according to NJ Herald.
In Sparta, the council has cannabis ordinances on the agenda, according to TAPinto.
In Wayne, the town stiffened the law on bamboo, according to the Bergen Record. No one wants a new housing development, but its coming anyway, according to TAPinto.
ICYMI: In Randolph, council race has huge significance; in Marlboro, BOE race polarized; in Jersey City, Gilmore fundraising presence causes havoc; Solomon slapped at McGreevey as he kicked off his mayoral candidacy, which could shake up the 2025 race; in Paterson, oral arguments set to begin over takeover; in AC, Small, wife indicted
AROUND THE WEB:
Harris v Trump: Who will do better to tackle climate change in NJ and beyond?
Ricardo Kaulessar, NorthJersey.com
- “Well, the former president had said that climate change is a hoax. And what we know is that it is very real … We know that we can actually deal with this issue. The young people of America care deeply about this issue.” That was Kamala Harris speaking at the presidential debate in September after she was posed a question about how she and her opponent, Donald Trump, would fight climate change.
Retired chief of Bergen County Sheriff’s Office arrested on child pornography charges
Mary Ann Koruth, NorthJersey.com
- A retired chief of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office was arrested Thursday on charges of possessing child abuse material, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office has confirmed. Stephen Bojekian, 69, a resident of Franklin Lakes, was arrested for allegedly using the internet “to view, download, and possess items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children,” the office said in a statement.
The Star-Ledger Endorsement: Harris over Trump, by a mile
Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- Voters have countless reasons to reject Donald Trump on policy and principle alone, such as his vow to repeal Obamacare and order mass deportations, his fondness for dictators and tax cuts for billionaires, his 34 felony convictions, his promise to deploy military force against protesters, his climate nihilism, his appalling pandemic management, his role in abolishing reproductive rights, and his attempt to overthrow the government by violence – to name a few.
On Israel, Altman stands with Biden — not The Squad | Moran
Tom Morgan
- Sue Altman, the Democrat challenging Rep. Tom Kean Jr., stood on a stage in Rahway taking questions Wednesday night when a Republican lawyer took the microphone and praised her for her support of Israel, and her outspoken opposition to antisemitism. “I wanted to express my appreciation,” the lawyer, Alan Levy, said afterwards. “She’s all-in on support of Israel and the Jewish community.”
Women, children in N.J. are healthier than most of the country, but still fall short in these areas
Jackie Roman, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- Women and children in New Jersey are among the healthiest in the nation, according to a new nationwide ranking. The UnitedHealth Foundation released the America’s Health Rankings 2024 Health of Women and Children Report on Wednesday.
Dem political operative sentenced after filing fraudulent election petitions
Matthew Enuco, NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
- A longtime political operative in New Jersey politics was sentenced Friday to two years probation and fines after pleading guilty in August to illegally trying to place a candidate for governor on the election ballot in 2021, court records show.
Save rent control: Vote ‘No’ on deceptive Hoboken referendum | Jersey Journal editorial
Jersey Journal Editorial
- A group of powerful Hoboken landlords is trying to scam city voters with a deceptive public referendum on the Nov. 5 ballot.
NJ’s proposed flood control rules draw ire of Downbeach, Cape May County officials
Nanette LoBiondo Galloway
- Two Republican Cape May County legislators and a Ventnor commissioner criticized Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed flood control regulations as a “doomsday” plan that will force residents to move away from the coast.
Red Bank Democrat councilman posing as a “Republican for Harris” on PA campaign trail?
Matt Rooney, Save Jersey
- Democrats have made a lot of noise about their “Republicans for Trump” coalition this cycle though the polls suggest few actual defections (as a percentage of the electorate) to Kamala Harris. Are Democrats deploying fake “Republicans for Harris” on the trail to advance the ruse? Consider the case of Red Bank Councilman Ben Forest, a Democrat, who has shared video, photos, and first person accounts his many recent canvassing trips to Eastern Pennsylvania on behalf of Kamala Harris.
Lilo H. Stainton, NJ Spotilght
- Dreeah Austin gave birth to a healthy baby girl in early July. Two weeks later Austin, a 30-year-old Black woman, was dead, the likely victim of a blood clot that became trapped in her lungs. Like 9 out of 10 women killed by a pregnancy-related cause in New Jersey, Austin did not have to die, according to multiple perinatal experts. Austin was healthy herself, her fiancé Saladeen Merritt said, and after delivering their child, she took medication daily to reduce the risk posed by the clot.
Environmentalists caution against PhilaPort proposal to dredge Delaware River — again
Zoe Read, WHYY News
- More than a decade after a controversial plan to deepen the Delaware River’s shipping channel began, the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority is proposing to dredge an additional 5 feet. The Pennsylvania state agency known as PhilaPort, which manages facilities along the Delaware River used for international trade, said deepening the river would mean greater access for larger vessels and make the port more competitive.
A Progressive Perspective: I’m Increasingly Fearful of America’s Political Future
Irwin Stoolmacher, The Trentonian
- I see various very serious threats to our democracy. And every time I think it can’t get any worse, another distasteful example of political expediency, corruption, or an overt attempt to thwart the voting process surfaces. The first threat is the willingness of the Trump/Vance ticket to demonize legal immigrants without any evidence of wrongdoing This is beyond the pale. The anti-immigrant rhetoric, xenophobic hate and racist stereotypes about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio uttered by Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance are disgraceful.
Clearing of trees at Trenton’s Stacy Park is a mistake
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- A decision by Trenton officials to cut down trees and remove vegetation to allow residents access to the Delaware River represents poor judgement and an attack on nature. Men with cutting devices have moved like locusts along the banks of the Delaware River in an area of Stacy Park. Their actions have destroyed an ecosystem.
Jackson father and son duo visit every president’s grave, and here’s what they discovered
Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press
- In old Princeton Cemetery, you could walk right past the grave of the only U.S. president buried in New Jersey and not realize it. Grover Cleveland’s final resting place is an eight-foot-high stone marked by two small American flags and not much else. Henry Fallon has seen more impressive presidential gravesites, including the tomb of his favorite chief executive, Abraham Lincoln. “It was just so big, as tall as a tree,” he said. “It shows how much people appreciated him.”
Politically Grotesque What They’re Doing Now in Atlantic City, NJ
Harry Hurley, NJ1015
- Here’s the latest political scam that’s about to take place in Atlantic City, New Jersey. It all began a few weeks ago, when former Atlantic City Councilman Bruce Weekes resigned his position. We had been told that this resignation would take place weeks (pun intended) before it happened. We were also told that Weekes would be given a full-time job within the Marty Small administration. This too is in the process of happening.
N.J. administrative law judge calls for reinstatement of ex-Hoboken fire chief
John Heinis, Hudson County View
- New Jersey Office of Administrative Law Judge Susana Guerrero issued an order earlier this month calling for former Hoboken Fire Chief Brian Crimmins to be reinstated after nearly three-and-a-half years since being in the public safety leadership post.
Watterman endorses ‘For Stronger Schools’ ticket in Jersey City BOE election
John Heinis, Hudson County View
- Jersey City Council President Joyce Watterman is endorsing the “For Stronger Schools,” ticket in the board of education race, making her the first elected official to do so.
Federal investigators should also take a look at Trenton’s treatment of women
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- Trenton residents and city officials await results of the Department of Justice pattern or practice investigation that looked for systemic misconduct by the Trenton Police Department and City of Trenton. Launched in October 2023, investigators noted the probe could take upwards to one year. With the clock ticking on a result that could deliver mandates for policy change in both police operations and city government, another probe seems worthy regarding attitudes toward female employees within those same entities.
Coughlin bringing N.J. volunteers to boost Harris in Pennsylvania
David Wildstein, New Jersey Globe
- Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin will lead a group of Democratic volunteers traveling to Pennsylvania on Saturday to canvass for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in a critical battleground state. Coughlin’s group will travel by bus tomorrow morning from Middlesex County for an 82-mile trip to Stroudsburg. Volunteers will do about six hours of canvassing before returning to New Jersey. “We recognize the future of our country and our democracy depends on defeating Donald Trump at the ballot box. I’m inspired by the energy of people from across New Jersey contacting voters in Pennsylvania to elect Kamala Harris, and that’s in addition to all the great work we’re doing here at home to elect Democrats up and down the ballot this year,” Coughlin said.
Hunterdon animal control officer charged with dog theft, official misconduct
Mike Deak, MyCentralJersey.com
- The borough’s animal control officer is facing charges of stealing a dog and official misconduct. Carolyn Murphy, 50, of Stockton, was charged Oct. 8 following an investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office and the Frenchtown Police Department.
Troopers union asks for reinstated pregnancy policy after report finds lapses
Zach Blackburn, New Jersey Globe
- After a sweeping report into the New Jersey State Police’s internal affairs, the state’s largest troopers union is calling for the reinstatement of a pregnancy policy it says would have prevented some issues before they happened. The independent report, authored by Kaufman Dolowich attorney Karol Corbin Walker, found that State Police policies do not provide adequate medical leave for pregnant and postpartum troopers. The third-party report found troopers on maternity leave faced regular “integrity checks” that came during doctors’ visits or breastfeeding, among other issues regarding the distribution of pregnancy-related medical leave.
Bruce Springsteen ABC News special: No politics at my concerts, all are welcome
Chris Jordan, Asbury Park Press
- Bruce Springsteen has not talked politics from the concert stage for the last few years. There’s a reason for that. “People know where I stand for the most part, but l also wanted a space where people feel they can come and be with their neighbor regardless of what their particular political point of view is at a given moment,” said the Boss on “Bruce Springsteen: Backstage and Backstreets,” the Oct. 20 George Stephanopoulos ABC News special.
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Insider NJ’s Daily News Update for October 22, 2024
Insider NJ is a trusted source for daily news updates on politics, business, and current events in New Jersey. Their daily news updates provide readers with the latest information on what’s happening in the state, keeping them informed and up-to-date on important issues.
On October 22, 2024, Insider NJ’s daily news update covered a range of topics that are of interest to New Jersey residents. One of the key stories of the day was the announcement of a new initiative by Governor Murphy to improve access to healthcare for underserved communities in the state. The initiative includes funding for community health centers and programs to address disparities in healthcare access.
Another important story covered in the daily news update was a report on the state’s economy, which showed positive growth in key sectors such as manufacturing and technology. This is welcome news for New Jersey residents who are looking for opportunities for economic growth and job creation.
In addition to these stories, Insider NJ’s daily news update also included coverage of local politics, including updates on upcoming elections and legislative initiatives. This information is valuable for residents who want to stay informed about the decisions being made by their elected officials and how they may impact their lives.
Overall, Insider NJ’s daily news update for October 22, 2024 provided readers with a comprehensive overview of the top stories and developments in the state. By staying informed through sources like Insider NJ, residents can be better prepared to participate in the democratic process and advocate for their interests.
