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Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
Fix the City's next act is Mamdani-esque
New York Minute: Gov. Kathy Hochul FaceTimed with Democratic Texas state lawmakers Tuesday evening ahead of the contentious mid-decade redistricting vote, which is expected to bolster Republicans in five Lone Star State House districts. 'We know this is not about red versus blue, it's about right versus wrong,' Hochul told the lawmakers, according to audio obtained by Playbook. 'You are the leaders in this and history is going to look back on you favorably.' Hochul hosted Texas Democrats who bolted from the state to delay the vote. They returned Monday, giving the Legislature a quorum. Hochul is pushing for ways to change New York's redistricting process to build on Democratic advantages; any changes won't happen in time for the 2026 elections. — Nick Reisman FIXING FIX: The behemoth pro-Andrew Cuomo PAC that spent millions futilely vilifying Zohran Mamdani in the mayoral primary now wants to be more like him — though only when it comes to emulating his organizing prowess. Fix the City is launching MainStream, a new group that aims to 'protect our city from extremism' by 'building a growing force of volunteers' and plans to host an introductory Zoom call tonight, according to invitations obtained by Playbook. 'Mamdani's primary win was fueled by an army of 40,000 volunteers. Thankfully, there are far more of us — those who reject extremism, socialism, antisemitism and the politics of division — than them,' reads an intake form that lists volunteer opportunities like voter registration drives and 'social media activist.' The anti-Mamdani effort is ramping up as the democratic socialist victor of the Democratic primary looks to the November general election with a healthy polling lead over Cuomo, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams — both running as independents — and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Fix the City — funded primarily by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman and DoorDash — spent more than $22 million in its effort to thwart Mamdani in June. Despite failing in that effort, it's still bringing in big money for the general election. Its contributions this month include $100,000 from Walmart scion and philanthropist Alice L. Walton, according to public filings and as reported by Crain's New York. Its revamped website touts a mission to provide 'voters with the tools they need to make their voices heard — not just in this election cycle, but in the years to come,' noting that the PAC believes the best choice for mayor remains Cuomo. 'This is a wake-up call for what I would characterize as regular Democrats: If you want to have a say in your government, you're going to have to get organized and you're going to have to convince voters to show up at the polls,' Steven M. Cohen, chair of Fix the City, who served as Cuomo's secretary when he was governor, said in an interview with Playbook. The work of getting out the vote in elections — including door-knocking, pamphleting and voter registration — has been a forte for the political left, including the Democratic Socialists of America and the Working Families Party. Fix the City via MainStream seeks to lay the foundation for an organizing operation that could boost more moderate Democrats for other offices and in other election cycles, Cohen said. 'I don't want to lose sight of the November election. But also, I think there are a whole lot of people who belong in Congress, belong in Albany, belong in the statehouse,' Cohen said, 'And I worry if we don't mount an effective response to what was a very well-organized and … a very well-financed operation, we're going to be on the outside looking in.' Mamdani defeated Cuomo in June by nearly 13 points, but the relative newcomer is still struggling to get his party to coalesce behind him before November. Mamdani has yet to be endorsed by party leaders including Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Mamdani has sought to position Cuomo as Trump's choice for president as the rivals duke it out in the coming months. Cuomo recently told prospective donors in the Hamptons that Trump could tell Republicans to back him for mayor if they want Mamdani stopped, POLITICO reported. Mamdani, a Queens state assemblymember, has a new super PAC in his corner, the Daily News reported, and his anti-billionaire message of the primary is carrying through to the general. 'Andrew Cuomo and his Republican billionaire donors are about to learn that a competitive ground game can't be bought,' Mamdani campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec said in a statement responding to Fix the City's new campaign to turn out votes. 'Zohran already defeated millions in special interest money in the primary, and he'll do it again — because New Yorkers are ready to fight for a city they can actually afford.' — Emily Ngo IT'S WEDNESDAY. Got news? Send it our way: Jeff Coltin, Emily Ngo and Nick Reisman. WHERE'S KATHY? In Syracuse, making an announcement at the Great New York State Fair and likely visiting the Wizard of Oz-themed butter cow sculpture. WHERE'S ERIC? Opening a campaign office in Harlem. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'In a choice between NYU and Columbia losing tax exemption and giving Trump a raised middle finger, Mamdani chose the latter.' — Retired Baruch College professor Doug Muzzio on the candidate backing away from his pitch to make the private colleges pay taxes, after Trump started attacking Columbia and other universities, via POLITICO. ABOVE THE FOLD 'SANCTUARY' DEMS STAND GROUND: Attorney General Pam Bondi targeted more than 30 'sanctuary' jurisdictions with letters last week demanding they drop their policies limiting cooperation between federal immigration agents and local law enforcement. 'This ends now,' Bondi wrote. Actually, it doesn't, several of the Democratic-led cities, counties and states wrote back Tuesday. The tenor and approach of the responses obtained by Playbook varied across the country and New York but the underlying message was the same: They denied that their policies 'thwart federal immigration enforcement.' Hochul responded with a three-page letter to Bondi as Trump implements his deportation agenda and spurns Democrat-led parts of the country for purportedly protecting undocumented immigrants. 'I recognize that you disagree with New York's view of what the constitution requires of states, and the legality of New York State law and policy, and now — contrary to the positions you took as Florida Attorney General — believe states are merely vassals of the federal government,' Hochul wrote. 'These disputes are rightly before the courts for resolution.' Rochester via its corporation counsel Patrick Beath said that Bondi shouldn't be writing to Mayor Malik Evans at all, since the correspondence 'appears to be a violation of your ethical obligations as an attorney.' That's because the Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Rochester challenging its 'sanctuary' policies. 'Given this pending litigation, you — as counsel for the government of the United States — should have no direct communication with my clients without my prior permission,' Beath wrote. New York City's response was the most succinct of those obtained Tuesday by Playbook. Adams has criticized the 'sanctuary' laws put in place before his time in office but said he would uphold them. He has sought to work with Trump while also standing up to him in some areas. As part of a two-paragraph letter to Bondi, the city's Corporation Counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant wrote: 'The city's choices do not 'thwart' such enforcement; rather, they merely reflect choices the City has the legal right to make in our federal system.' — Emily Ngo CITY HALL: THE LATEST CUOMO PROPOSITIONS: New York City faces an entrenched prostitution problem, even as the Adams administration has greatly ramped up arrests, Cuomo said after a Monday morning visit to Elmhurst, Queens. But the problem would be even worse if Mamdani decriminalized prostitution as mayor. 'It's not going well,' Cuomo told Playbook. 'There's rampant prostitution on Roosevelt Avenue. … It's gotten worse over the last two years. That's what they all say.' Cuomo's main focus was to draw a contrast with Mamdani, who co-sponsors a state bill to decriminalize prostitution. But Adams doesn't support decriminalization, and his admin has been cracking down on sex work. Asked what he'd do differently, Cuomo said 'stepped up enforcement' and 'focus on the operation behind them,' not just the sex workers. City Hall said that's exactly what they're doing, touting that seven major crimes are down 35 percent compared to last year in the special enforcement zone set up around Roosevelt Ave. — totaling 350 fewer incidents than in 2024. 'Anyone dropping by Roosevelt Avenue for a photo-op should do their homework before spreading lies, because working-class New Yorkers in Queens are not political pawns — they're real people who, under our administration, are finally getting the results they deserve,' Adams said in a statement. Cuomo said prostitution needs to remain a crime, because it would 'proliferate' otherwise, and arrests can be used to drive people to treatment and services. He said decriminalization advocates like Mamdani have 'a romanticized version of prostitution that I think is unrealistic. … I don't think anybody goes home and says to their daughter at night, 'Honey, I hope you grow up to be a good prostitute.' We're better than that.' Decriminization hasn't been a part of Mamdani's platform, but he hasn't been clear about how he would handle sex work arrests as mayor. — Jeff Coltin FOR YOUR RADAR: New York City's Commission on Racial Equity says it's suing the Adams administration for never releasing a legally required racial equity plan. BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE: Two prominent political donors said that Cuomo and his aides had talked about Trump helping to clear a path for the ex-governor in the general election, The New York Times reported, building off POLITICO's scoop on Cuomo's comments at a closed-door fundraiser in the Hamptons. More from the city: — A super PAC backing Adams' reelection is phoning tens of thousands of voters to tell them Cuomo is a 'sore loser.' (New York Post) — Former interim U.S. Attorney Danielle Sassoon talks about her career and briefly revisits the Adams saga in her remarks to Yale Law School's incoming class. (The Free Press) — About 3,000 city families are currently waitlisted for child care vouchers despite a huge funding boost from both the city and state. (Gothamist) NEW FROM PLANET ALBANY AFFORDABILITY TALK: The political buzzword of the year — affordability — has crept into the nascent race for state comptroller. Democratic challenger Drew Warshaw, running an uphill primary against longtime incumbent Tom DiNapoli, believes the cost-of-living issues raised by Mamdani are transcending the New York City mayoral campaign. 'He has put his finger on the affordability crisis,' Warshaw told CNBC on Tuesday. 'People look to the mayor to solve the affordability crisis and people look to the governor. Exactly no one has looked to the comptroller.' Drafting off Mamdani's successful focus on affordability is a popular tactic. Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado — who is running a long-shot primary bid against Hochul — has seized on the 33-year-old democratic socialist's upset primary win as a sign New Yorkers are turning against candidates who represent the status quo. Warshaw said he would vote for Mamdani in the general election. DiNapoli has not endorsed in the race, a stance that's in keeping with other statewide elected officials like Hochul. The comptroller's campaign did not comment when reached by Playbook. Warshaw is mounting a spirited bid against DiNapoli, who is the longest serving elected official in state government and has never faced a primary. The comptroller's job — overseeing the state pension fund and auditing spending — is a low-profile one. But Warshaw believes the cost concerns fit with his push to leverage the pension fund to build more housing and scrutinize state spending. 'The average New Yorker understands that they're paying too much in taxes and their costs keep going up,' he said. — Nick Reisman DEPLOYMENT DURATION: Hochul won't put an end date to the National Guard's subway deployment, which started in March 2024. But she insisted a combination of factors — the presence of troops on platforms, placing cameras on subway cars and boosting overtime for cops — have all worked. 'You look at the numbers, it's showing we're making a real difference here,' Hochul told reporters on Tuesday. 'We're going to keep up our efforts to fight crime.' Hochul previously differentiated between her deployment of the guard — meant to allay the public's concern over crime through coordination with New York City officials — from Trump's use of National Guard troops on Washington's streets, despite opposition from the locally elected government. She is walking a delicate line politically on the issue. Hochul wants voters to feel safe — especially on mass transit — and can tout statistics proving her point that safety has improved. But it all comes as Republicans signal they'll again make public safety a campaign issue as she runs for reelection. — Nick Reisman More from Albany: — DiNapoli says there's a gap in rural health care coverage. (Spectrum News) — New York lawmakers this week will scrutinize the state's troubled home care program. (New York Focus) — Trump's 'political weaponization czar' Ed Martin urged Attorney General Letitia James to step down. (Associated Press) KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION — House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would be the focus of a congressional investigation if Democrats flip the House in the midterms. (The Guardian) — Trump budget officials claim sweeping spending power from Congress, records show. (Washington Post) — A spat between Rep. Elise Stefanik and North Country GOP leaders appears to be cooling. (Times Union) NEW YORK STATE OF MIND — The feds are threatening to withhold up to 25 percent of federal funding for the New York City Transit Authority over concerns that its safety reviews aren't up to snuff. (POLITICO Pro) — Acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone was hit with an ethics complaint after taking a newspaper off his media list. (City & State) — Watch out for that rip current at city beaches. (NY1) SOCIAL DATA WELCOME TO THE WORLD: Virginia Boney Moore, senior manager for public policy at Amazon and a Trump White House and NSC alum, and Andrew Moore, chief of staff to Google's Eric Schmidt and a State Dept. alum, on Aug. 5 welcomed Margaret Roberts Moore, who came in at 6 lbs. 13 oz and 19 inches. Pic ... Another pic MAKING MOVES: Nick Simmons has been named CEO of Pursuit, a workforce training company for getting low-income workers into tech jobs. Simmons, who started his career as a founding teacher and acting school principal of a public charter school in Harlem, most recently ran for the state Senate in Connecticut and is a former senior advisor to the secretary of education in the Biden Administration and deputy chief of staff to Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. … … Gerardo Bonilla Chavez is joining The Century Foundation as director of government affairs. He previously was chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and was a 2024 Pritzker fellow at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. … Patrick Hill has been promoted to director of constituent services for NYC Council Member Keith Powers. MEDIAWATCH: Kelly Jane Torrance has been promoted to be New York Post's PostScript and books editor. … Katherine Finnerty has been promoted to be head of live journalism at The Wall Street Journal … BronxNet Community TV Cuts 13 Staffers as Cable Cash Dries Up (THE CITY) HAPPY BIRTHDAY: DCJS Commissioner Rossana Rosado … Manuel Belliard of the Manhattan BP's office … Catalyst's Kate Knight … BTN's Manuel Burgos … Oliver Darcy … Al Roker … Tammy Bruce … Larry Kudlow … former USTR Michael Froman … MSNBC PR's Alisha Sahi … Jim Hock of PSP Partners …NYT's Julia Kurzius … Jessica Todtman … Meghan Grant Swiber … (WAS TUESDAY): Marc J. Rowan ... Eric Zinterhofer ... Gabriela Shalev ... Miriam Benkoe ... Dan Aloni
Politico
2 hours ago
- Politico
Vote-by-fail?
Good Wednesday morning! Two years ago, New Jersey Republicans were talking about retaking one or both houses of the state Legislature for the first time since the early 2000s. They were coming off big pickups in 2021 and a near miss of the governor's office. The issues appeared to be in their favor. The voter registration trends were in their favor. And then Republicans lost six seats in the Assembly and one in the Senate. There's never just one factor that explains election results, but most agreed at the time that Republican mistrust of vote-by-mail played a role. Now, with less than three months to go before New Jersey's gubernatorial election, President Trump isn't helping on that front. On Monday he pledged to 'lead a movement' to end mail-in voting altogether in time for the 2026 midterms. 'ELECTIONS CAN NEVER BE HONEST WITH MAIL IN BALLOTS/VOTING, and everybody, IN PARTICULAR THE DEMOCRATS, KNOWS THIS,' he wrote on Truth Social. You can read the fact checks of the president's social media post. There were plenty of false claims in it. He's targeting the voting method preferred by Democrats. And he does not have the power to unilaterally end it. States run their own elections, and it would be up to Congress to stop them from using mail-in ballots. But there have been mail-in ballot fraud scandals in New Jersey — famously in Paterson and even more recently in South Jersey, where notorious operative Craig Callaway pleaded guilty to mail-in ballot fraud. Ironically, he was working at the time for the campaign of Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, Trump's biggest ally. This can't be welcomed by Ciattarelli's camp. Most people believe this is a close race. And the way New Jersey mail-in voting works, most voters who have voted by mail before automatically receive ballots. That likely increases the chances that lower-propensity voters will cast them. So even if more Democrats vote this way than Republicans, you probably don't want to discourage Republicans from doing it — especially in gubernatorial elections, which have lower turnout than presidential elections. In a statement, the Ciattarelli campaign didn't directly contradict Trump but did not say he wants to end mail-in voting. 'Jack wants all NJ voters who already cast their ballots by mail this year to be fully confident they can do so,' said his campaign manager, Eric Arpert. 'Jack feels strongly that the strong partnership between his campaign, the NJGOP and the RNC, will result in a 2025 election marked by integrity and inspire public trust in the election process.' Ciattarelli has called for some narrowing of New Jersey's mail-in ballot law, like no longer allowing ballots to be received after polls close (postmarked ballots have to be accepted if they arrive within six days of polls closing). He also wants to expand in-person early voting, which Republicans have embraced. Sean Higgins, the spokesperson for Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill, said in a statement that 'Mikie, who swore oath after oath to defend democracy, will always fight to make it as easy as possible for eligible citizens to vote, including through vote-by-mail.' I reached out to the three Republican members of Congress from New Jersey about whether they would vote to end mail-in voting, and none responded. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY? At the Hard Rock in Atlantic City at 10:30 a.m. for an announcement and 'fireside chat' QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'I was looking to file a police report or potentially even a restraining order against my ex-boyfriend who has been harassing me. He placed recording devices in my home, has continued to text me and call me, and then I just came out last night from work and my car had been keyed and I have no idea who did it, but I don't have anybody else in my life with any animosity. He's also a State Trooper, so I'm especially uncomfortable. I just stopped in the office but nobody was available so the girl at the front desk gave me this number. If you could give me a call back when you have a moment, that would be great.' — Lauren Semanchik in a May 20 phone message to police in Franklin Township, Hunterdon County. The police never called back, according to Semanchik's family. Police believe State Trooper Ricardo J. Santos on Aug. 1 murdered Semanchik and her boyfriend, Tyler Webb. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Morghan Cyr, Steve Klinghoffer WHAT TRENTON MADE THOMAS THE ECONOMIC ENGINE — 'NJ Transit owns 8,000 acres and is looking to sell, spur development near train stations,' by The Record's Colleen Wilson: 'NJ Transit owns more than 8,000 acres of valuable real estate throughout the region — and now agency officials are trying to figure out which parcels to sell and how to monetize many other underused lots. Kris Kolluri, president and CEO of NJ Transit, directed agency officials to conduct a systemwide assessment of its real estate holdings to figure out what the agency should keep, what could be sold for a one-time cash infusion, and how other parcels could create recurring revenue … Now the agency wants to sell some properties to the state Economic Development Authority under a new plan approved during last year's state budget negotiations. Gov. Phil Murphy and the Legislature approved sending $100 million to the EDA to purchase properties from NJ Transit. The goal, state officials said at the time, is to dispose of properties such as parking lots or underused parcels, and generate development, more ridership and revenue for NJ Transit.' THE BLUE WALL — 'NJ trooper murder-suicide case draws similar domestic abuse claims,' by NJ Spotlight News' Brenda Flangan: 'Shonda Tamaro told NJ Spotlight News she was a victim of domestic abuse by her husband, Toms River Police Officer Victor Tamaro. Shonda Tamaro said she is now seeking a divorce … She said he made her fearful, by locking up shared resources and monopolizing economic assets. And she also alleged her estranged husband has been shielded by law enforcement because of his employment as a police officer … Tamaro said it wasn't until she and her daughters received help from a domestic violence advocacy group that they were able to move out. The alleged abuse finally stopped, but by then, Shonda Tamaro said, she'd made numerous reports with the Beachwood Police Department and filed nine requests for a restraining order. All were turned down … 'They basically were protecting their brother in blue. Like, they just didn't seem to really take my or validate my concerns. … Beachwood Police Chief Daniel Altman said in a statement: 'We recognize the gravity of all matters involving domestic violence. Out of respect for the privacy and safety of those involved, we cannot release specific details on this case. We can confirm, however, that any time a person who meets the classification of a domestic violence victim contacts our department and requests to apply for a restraining order they are provided that opportunity, and that was no different in this case.' STATE OF RACE — 'The Trump-backed candidate for New Jersey governor makes an awkward appeal to Black voters,' by Salon's Garrett Owen: 'When former New Jersey state Rep. Jack Ciattarelli, a self-styled moderate Republican, lost the governor's race to Democratic incumbent Phil Murphy in 2021, he could point to a key failure: his lack of votes from communities of color …. He has worked to court the votes he sorely missed in the last election by reaching out to Black faith leaders across New Jersey … However, taking a look at Ciattarelli's website begins to raise some questions. In the tab entitled, 'Coalitions,' among the groups listed (alongside 'Law Enforcement'; 'Muslims'; and 'Parents') is one for African Americans. Only, it's called 'Blacks.' Clicking it takes you to a page of Ciattarelli standing proudly with his hands on his hips and the phrase 'Blacks Back Jack' in big block letters. Beneath it are photos of Ciattarelli with about a half-dozen Black people, none of whom are identified … When asked about the 'coalition,' Ciattarelli's Deputy Campaign Manager Nick Poche did not have specific details on 'Blacks Back Jack,' but instead talked about the need for the campaign to 'engage' minority groups.' —'Robinhood sues Nevada, New Jersey over sports wager threats' TRUMP ERA INTIMIGRATION — 'The children in Newark Immigration Court,' by NJ Spotlight News' Hannah Gross: 'On a hot summer afternoon, a middle-school-aged girl … took her seat at U.S. immigration court in Newark. She lives with three family members but showed up to court with a woman she had only met once before. The girl's mom, also facing deportation, was too scared to come to court, the woman who had accompanied the child at the mother's request explained. Judge Tamar Wilson called the mother's failure to appear 'unacceptable.' … When her mother arrived in the courtroom, she sat down next to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her as the girl leaned into the embrace … That family's apparent fear inside the Newark courtroom is one example of the environment created by the Trump administration's increased immigration enforcement, which includes immigrants being detained just outside of court. Some parents, afraid of deportation themselves, are increasingly deciding to stay home and send their children facing deportation to court with someone in their circle who is a legal resident … Children, some of whom arrived in the country alone, often face the uncertainty and fear of appearing in immigration court without an attorney, since they do not have the same right to a court-appointed lawyer that U.S. citizens do.' —'New Jersey leads lawsuit demanding Trump abandon immigration-related conditions on crime victim funds' —'Bondi threatens to cut Hoboken's federal funding, Bhalla says city still won't aid ICE' —'Menendez demands DHS rescind advance-notice policy for detention center visits' —'Trump blames 'stupid and ugly' NJ project for rising energy costs' LOCAL DOOBIE AC — 'Atlantic City's weed store glut raises concerns from businesses,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Bill Barlow: 'One of the funny things about a gold rush is how few people get rich. For Atlantic City's green gold rush, the surge of cannabis dispensaries and the city's wide-open approach to approving new weed businesses appears to have resulted in a glut on the market and some businesses struggling to get by … There are 15 cannabis dispensaries open in 48 blocks of Atlantic City, with numbers 16 and 17 on the way. 'Really, there's too many of them,' City Council member Kaleem Shabazz said Monday. 'They're cannibalizing each other, and some of them can't make it.' Mayor Marty Small Sr. has remained bullish on cannabis, and his administration has expressed a goal to make Atlantic City the cannabis capital of the East … On the City Council agenda for Wednesday is a resolution to 'sunset' previous letters of support for cannabis businesses if there has not been substantial progress toward a state license in the previous year. But on the agenda for the same meeting are resolutions in support of six different cannabis businesses' AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY, BUT THOUSANDS ATTRACT THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT — 'Beloved N.J. apple-picking farm closing forever after health department fight,' by NJ Advance Media's Emma Ferschweiler: 'Hill Creek Farms in Mullica Hill will close after this year's apple picking season, ending decades of family-friendly fruit picking, hayrides and sales of its renowned apple cider donuts … [Owner Fred] Sorbello blamed clashes with the local health department with prompting his retirement from farming. 'I refuse to deal with the Gloucester County Board of Health here forward. And sadly, potentially another New Jersey farm lost,' he wrote on the farm's websites … Annmarie Ruiz, a health official from the Gloucester County Department of Health, told NJ Advance Media the county has had a multi-year correspondence with the farm about operations. The exchanges started in 2018 when Hill Creek Farms applied for permission to add an employee bathroom on the market building's second floor with no mention of expanding food facilities, Ruiz said. Three years later, the county discovered the farm expanded to a full-size kitchen and a rental venue that were not mentioned in its first application, she said… Hill Creek Farms agreed to scale back services, but the county later found operations again exceeded the approvals, Ruiz said' … While Hill Creek Farms will be closing down, Sorbello announced MC Farms, run by Mario Caltabiano, will take over the apple picking traditions at the site.' O. HENRY — 'A New Jersey town planned a dozen new affordable homes. They may never be built.,' by WNYC's Mike Hayes: 'New Jersey state Sen. Owen Henry is angry. Before he was elected to the Legislature last year, he'd negotiated as the mayor of Old Bridge to build 12 new affordably priced homes — many of them for veterans — on an empty lot not far from the beach, in the Laurence Harbor neighborhood on the town's east end. Builders said they should have already broken ground. But the project is on an indefinite hold because Owen's legislative colleagues decided in June to divert $125 million from a long-standing state trust fund for constructing affordable housing across the Garden State and spend it instead on other initiatives, including down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. Gov. Phil Murphy supported shifting the funds, touting them as a way to provide New Jerseyans with immediate housing assistance. ' I'm very upset. In my opinion, the diversion of those funds is totally asinine,' Henry, a Republican, told Gothamist.' CODERUPTION— 'City code enforcement officer accused of seeking bribes from N.J. business,' by NJ Advance Media's Nicolas Fernandes: 'A Newark code enforcement officer has been indicted over allegations that she solicited bribes from a business in exchange for letting them reopen. Sonia Rogers, 50, of Newark, was indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday on the charges of second-degree official misconduct, bribery in official and political matters, theft by extortion and acceptance or receipt of an unlawful benefit by a public servant for official behavior, the state Attorney General's Office said in a statement. As part of her job, Rogers visited a store on Broad Street in Newark to conduct an inspection in September 2024. Following the inspection, she ordered the store to be closed due to an expired municipal business license, officials said. State investigators allege that Rogers then asked the owner for an $800 cash bribe in exchange for waiving the required fines, reinstating the license and reopening the store. When the store owner turned down the offer, Rogers said she would settle for taking some free merchandise, authorities alleged.' —'Six Flags defends keeping elderly elephant after animal rights group calls her captivity 'harmful' —'After 3% raises, Paterson school district now pays 12 officials over $200K' —'[Edison] judge denies ethics charge that he lied about having only one drink before crash' —'Bergen man who put swastikas on his car loses EMT license plates' —'Katie Brennan backs Solomon for Jersey City mayor' —'Hackensack calls on NJ Transit to improve safety at crossings after recent fatalities' —'How a new Tony Soprano mural ended up in a historic [Montclair] hub. See the renovation' —'Egg Harbor Township to spend $600K to restore West Jersey Avenue after Atlantic Shores pullout' EVERYTHING ELSE SHOCCKER — 'N.J. soccer mom demanded justice for daughter after violent foul. Her team got banned instead,' by NJ Advance Media's Patrick Lanni: 'The video tells an undeniable story. Amid a highly contested youth girls soccer match, a player grabs her opponent by the back of the neck, yanking her back and forth before throwing her to the grass face-first. The girl's spontaneous fit of anger is clearly a foul and draws a swift yellow card from the referee … Woodstown Borough, the team with the player who committed the hard foul, was welcomed back to the South Jersey Girls Soccer League for the upcoming 2025 fall season. Monroe Township, the team on the receiving end of the penalty, was not. The ugly foul and the ensuing fallout have now thrust two communities and a volunteer-driven soccer organization into the center of a raging debate over conduct at games, parental involvement in on-field disputes and social media's role in magnifying youth sports incidents and fanning them into viral clips. Lauren Astore, the parent of the Monroe girl who was thrown to the turf, claims her persistent complaints about the incident — and pursuit of accountability from league officials — led to her daughter's team being banned from the league this fall … Online comments, reviewed by NJ Advance Media, show Monroe parents, including Astore, calling the Woodstown player 'trash' and 'evil' as well as other expletives on various Facebook threads' —'U.S. News public high school rankings are out. How did your NJ school do?' —'This South Jersey educator has been named national high school principal of the year: 'I love what I am doing'' —'Study ranks women's equality across all 50 states. Here's where New Jersey stands' —'More Jersey Shore beaches may ban swimming as Hurricane Erin strengthens, creates dangerous surf conditions'
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
A big question about Alligator Alcatraz keeps coming up: Who's in charge?
Who's in charge of Alligator Alcatraz? Since the controversial detention facility opened in the Florida Everglades earlier this summer, immigrants held there, advocacy groups and two federal judges have asked this question repeatedly. The answer could play a key role in a legal battle over the facility's fate. And it has bigger implications, too. State and federal authorities have described Alligator Alcatraz as a partnership aimed at strengthening the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. Florida says it's operating the temporary detention camp under agreements between state and local agencies and ICE. But when it comes to day-to-day operations at the facility, and to decisions about who's detained there, federal officials have said the state is in charge. Critics say confusion over who's ultimately responsible for the facility isn't simply a bureaucratic matter. They argue it raises concerns about accountability and oversight as detainees' lives hang in the balance. Here's a look at three key reasons the question of who's in charge is so significant. In a federal lawsuit, environmental groups are asking a judge to block operations and construction at the site until environmental laws are followed. That case hinges on the question of whether Alligator Alcatraz is a federal project. The groups and a Native American tribe argue the National Environmental Policy Act should apply to the facility. That law requires a detailed environmental impact analysis for any proposed 'major federal action.' Plaintiffs argue none of that happened before Alligator Alcatraz was built. 'They just circumvented that completely by saying this is state-run,' says Thomas Kennedy, a consultant for the Florida Immigrant Coalition, which opposes the detention facility. Attorneys representing Florida and the federal government argue the detention center, which was built in a matter of days this summer, never had to follow those regulations because construction and operation of the facility are under state control. 'ICE did not and has not ordered, supervised, or directed construction of the facility. ICE did not and has not weighed in on the number of detainees held in the facility. The State of Florida has complete discretion in deciding who is detained at this facility,' ICE Assistant Field Office Director Santiago Fuentes says in a signed declaration included in the court records. According to the Associated Press, an attorney representing the environmental group has argued that the facility's purpose is immigration enforcement, a federal function. Questions about who's doing what at the facility have also come up in connection with another federal lawsuit, which focuses on detainees' access to counsel. There is 'confusion of who exactly is running the show at Alligator Alcatraz,' US District Judge Rodolfo A. Ruiz II said in a July hearing. 'Who is doing what in this facility?' In response to his questions, officials filed paperwork showing agreements between multiple Florida agencies and ICE. Ruiz dismissed part of that lawsuit late Monday and also moved the case to a different jurisdiction, making it likely legal battles over the facility will continue. In the environmental case, US District Judge Kathleen Williams is expected to issue an order this week. And she's already temporarily blocked additional construction at the site. If she sides with the plaintiffs and issues a preliminary injunction this week, Alligator Alcatraz's days could be numbered. Among the options Williams is considering: a full operational shutdown of the facility. When complaints come up about conditions at an immigrant detention facility, or when issues arise in individual detainees' cases, it's important for lawmakers, members of the public and detainees' family members and legal representatives to know who to contact. Typically, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's website will list basic information about its detention facilities, including a detainee locator and details about family and attorney visitations, according to Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former ICE and DHS official who helped craft detention policies in previous administrations. She notes that Alligator Alcatraz isn't listed there. 'Because it's not really, officially an ICE facility, a lot of the infrastructure that's been built is not applicable. So it's sort of like floating in the dark,' she says. 'It's very concerning. … It's confusing and also frustrating, because it's so murky.' Family members of detainees told CNN they've struggled to find out if their loved ones are even being held at Alligator Alcatraz. And critics have raised numerous concerns about the facility since it opened, with reports of hundreds of migrants confined in cages amid sweltering heat, bug infestations and meager meals. The state of Florida has pushed back, saying conditions at the camp are in 'good working order' and that claims to the contrary are false. The Department of Homeland Security has decried what it calls 'hoaxes' about the facility. 'The media is desperate for allegations of inhumane conditions at this facility to be true, so they can slow down President Trump's partnerships with States to turbocharge efforts to remove the worst of the worst,' DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a recent statement. But immigrant rights groups argue the confusion over who's in charge at the facility has very real consequences. 'It raises a lot of red flags, because we want to make sure that everybody's held accountable,' says Nery Lopez, a senior organizer at the Detention Watch Network. 'We don't know who to hold accountable. There's no number (to call) … to have someone go in there and verify' when allegations are made about conditions inside. Kennedy describes the facility as a 'black site.' 'The detainees and their family members feel like they're just in complete legal limbo while they're inside,' he says. McLaughlin disputed that characterization. 'More Alligator Alcatraz hoaxes. It is not a 'black site,'' she told CNN in a written statement. 'The facility is managed by the State of Florida through the Division of Emergency Management. Detainees have access to phones they can use to contact their family and lawyers. Additionally, Alligator Alcatraz meets federal detention standards.' Debates and legal battles over Alligator Alcatraz could have implications far beyond the Florida immigrant detention facility. 'It's seen as a testing ground,' Trickler-McNulty says. That's because officials have repeatedly pointed to the facility as a model they hope other states will follow. 'Florida was unique in what they presented to us, and I would ask every other governor to do the exact same thing,' DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said after visiting the facility in July. 'This is a model, but we need other states to step up,' Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis added. Less than two weeks later, Noem told reporters she was in talks with multiple states who want to build similar facilities. 'I'm having ongoing conversations with five other governors,' Noem said. Just over a month after Alligator Alcatraz began operating, Noem announced a similar facility would open in Indiana. Officials said the facility, dubbed the 'Speedway Slammer' for the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the south, would provide 1,000 immigrant detention beds. And on Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security announced plans for a 280-bed expansion of ICE detention space at the Work Ethic Camp in McCook, Nebraska, describing the move as its third state partnership. Last week, DeSantis also announced Florida would open another facility at a former prison in the northern part of the state, 'building on the success the state has had with Alligator Alcatraz.' The rapid expansion of detention facilities makes confusion over who's in charge at Alligator Alcatraz all the more concerning, Lopez says. 'Then it flags the alarm of, is this what's going to happen in other areas, too? There's going to be more questions in the air, and it's just truly very dangerous,' she says. Even if legal challenges to Alligator Alcatraz are successful and a judge blocks the facility from operating, Kennedy says, it's clear authorities intend to use this approach elsewhere. 'It's a scary model,' he says. CNN's Devon M. Sayers, Allison Gordon and Isabel Rosales contributed to this report.
