Mamdanew Jersey

Politico

26-06-2025

Good Thursday morning!
A democratic socialist is the heavy favorite to be New York City's next mayor, and Republicans really want to talk about it.
'To all the residents and business owners of New York City who don't want a socialist, defund the police, antisemitic mayor representing them, I encourage you to move to New Jersey,' Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli wrote in one of several tweets about the apparent but not official Democratic primary victory of Zohran Mamdani. (Ciattarelli had previously responded to a question about Medicaid cuts by saying 'this is a race for governor of New Jersey and we will continue to talk about New Jersey issues.'
Republicans all over the state were talking about it on social media. Frequent congressional candidate Billy Prempeh encouraged Staten Island, where much of the original Jersey Shore cast came from anyway, to join New Jersey. Ed Durr posted an anti-Muslim tweet about it. The Republican Governors Association in a press release said that 'Mikie Sherrill must decide if she is jumping on board with the Democrat Socialist movement. Voters across the tri-state area are begging to know.'
But Ciattarelli isn't necessarily being inconsistent in talking about New York. New Jersey's governor will always have to deal with New York City's mayor. So I asked Sherrill's campaign for comment on Mamdani's victory. Here's a statement from Sherrill:
'Voters want leaders who understand their daily struggles and are willing to throw out the old playbook to solve them, and while I have plenty of disagreements with Mr. Mamdani, I share his voters' goal of making life more affordable,' she said. 'I'm focused on my race and bringing costs down in New Jersey, while Jack Ciattarelli represents politics as usual: a 100% MAGA lackey who has voted to raise taxes at every level of government, and has been running for office since before my kids were born.'
Republicans are trying to make the case that the Democratic Party has gone radical. But New Jersey has over 1 million more people than New York City, and Democrats there didn't choose a radical, just as the state's Republicans rejected the more reactionary ones. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka — who was joined by Mamdani following his arrest by ICE and endorsed him shortly before the primary — ran far to Sherrill's left. And I see some parallels between the reaction to Mamdani's apparent win and when Baraka was first elected mayor in 2014. Democratic power brokers and business leaders were worried about how he'd govern. A year later, they were praising him.
Sherrill didn't elaborate on her differences with Mamdani. I assume that besides not considering herself a socialist, one is that she doesn't want to be associated with a candidate who's expressed strong criticism of Israel's conduct in Gaza and his defense of the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' even though he has acknowledged Israel's right to exist.
Republicans apparently think there's plenty of sting in radical labels like socialist, but I'm not sure. There was years ago, when the Cold War fresh on voters' minds and they were more apt to associate 'socialist' with the Soviet Union than countries with big welfare states. The same goes on the mainstream right. It would have been hard to imagine a scenario in which a Republican presidential frontrunner dined with a white nationalist Holocaust denier and antisemitic rapper, and it didn't hurt him. But here we are.
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WHERE'S MURPHY — No public schedule
QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'I grew up in Cherry Hill and it's heartening to see growing political participation that will give the people more choice in their democracy. I congratulate and wish the Camden County Progressive Democrats well as they take the helm of the Democratic committee in my old home town.' — Sen. Andy Kim, on the county committee victory of a trio of anti-machine Democrats
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Ross K. Baker, Christopher Connors, Shelley Skinner. Missed Tuesday: Katie Brennan
WHAT TRENTON MADE
GOTTHEIMER IHRATE — ''Outrageous, shameful' NJ Assembly won't adopt IHRA Jew-hatred definition, Gottheimer says,' by JNS' Jonathan D. Salant: 'New Jersey Jewish leaders blasted state Assembly members who cancelled a vote, which would have enshrined a widely accepted definition of antisemitism into state law, at the last minute on Tuesday … Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) called for a vote, noting that 70% of Assembly members co-sponsored the legislation. 'It's outrageous and shameful that the New Jersey Assembly refuses to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism as hate surges across our state,' the congressman told JNS. 'The Assembly needs to stop stalling and finally bring this bill to the floor for a vote.''
FINDING $100M SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM — Reference pricing vote deadlocks in PDC committee, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: The committee overseeing health insurance plan design for state and local government employees deadlocked on a vote to implement reference-based pricing on Wednesday. The outcome did not come as a surprise — labor groups that backed the resolution did not expect state buy-in from management representatives on the committee, which is split equally with labor and management. But the meeting became contentious at times. The vote comes as state leaders are working to pass a budget deal that would require the State Health Benefits Program Plan Design Committee to find $100 million in savings by a certain date. It is unclear how the savings will be enforced if the 12-member committee cannot come to an agreement. Public-sector unions have long pushed for reference-based pricing, which caps provider payments at a percentage of a benchmark.
MURPHY OFFERS FREESTYLE RAP APOLOGY — Budget expected to restore proposed $20 million community college cut, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: The upcoming state budget is expected to restore a proposed $20 million cut to community colleges, according to two people familiar with the budget negotiations. Gov. Phil Murphy's budget included a $20 million cut in operating aid to community colleges, which drew pushback from education leaders and a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The proposed cuts were part of the governor's broader efforts to limit spending for the upcoming fiscal year, although it appears that community colleges will not face the $20 million reduction, according to the people who were granted anonymity to discuss the budget negotiations.
SEGREGATION NOW, SEGREGATION AT LEAST UNTIL THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION! — 'Murphy team trying to 'stall' on NJ school segregation resolution, plaintiffs argue,' by The Record's Mary Ann Koruth: 'The Murphy administration is using delay tactics in a seven-year-old school segregation lawsuit and stalling its resolution, a group of plaintiffs allege in their latest court filing — potentially upping the ante in a dispute that so far had not strayed from purely legal arguments. At the heart of the lawsuit are the state's home rule laws, which have children attend school according to their ZIP code. Attorneys for the plaintiffs, Latino Action Network and the NAACP, now accuse the state of trying to bide time until a new administration takes over in Trenton. Gov. Phil Murphy is in the final year of his last term, and a new governor will be elected in November 2025. The plaintiffs accuse the Murphy administration of mischaracterizing the trial court's ruling — that the state's public schools suffer from unofficial segregation — to avoid a politically prickly resolution that will require revisiting the state's neighborhood-based school systems.'
— 'New Jersey raising online casino tax rate, which could cost state in the long run'
— 'Judge punts Assembly recount to late July'
— 'How school funding will change if lawmakers go with Murphy plan'
— 'Reformers unveil platform to cut disparities in N.J. prison population'
— 'New Jersey offshore wind project seeks third delay, citing market uncertainty, supply chain woes'
— 'NJ State Trooper denied benefit because he was driving more than 100 mph before I-78 crash'
— 'New Jersey launches $40M extension of broadband internet to underserved areas'
TRUMP ERA
McIVER — Rep. LaMonica McIver pleads not guilty as watchdog group files complaint against Alina Habba, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) appeared in court Wednesday morning in front of U.S. District Court Judge Jamel Semper on a trio of charges following a May scuffle outside a federal immigration facility. 'Your honor, I plead not guilty,' she said. Outside the courtroom, McIver and her attorney, Paul Fishman, said they plan to challenge the charges, which come with a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison, on legal and factual grounds. 'At the end of the day, this is all about political intimidation,' McIver told a crowd of supporters that had gathered outside the federal courthouse in Newark. McIver is accused in a three-count indictment of slamming a federal agent with her forearm, 'forcibly' grabbing him and using her forearms to strike another agent. Allegations of physical violence by a sitting member of Congress are rare, with a handful of incidents including the pre-Civil War caning of a senator by a member of the House. McIver's allies, including two other Democrats who were with her during the incident, have decried the charges as political and have said she was roughed up by federal agents.
— Bove denies advising anyone to flout court orders
LOCAL
WHEN THE FINE FOR NOT PASSING A NEARLY $1 BILLION BUDGET IS LESS THAN THE FINE FOR AN EXPIRED PARKING METER — 'Newark has yet to introduce 2025 budget, three months past deadline,' by TAPIntoNewark's Nicole Zanchelli: 'Newark's municipal budget is nearly three months late — with no introduction date near — and the city may have to pay a penalty each day if its fiscal plan remains delayed. Why is the 2025 budget late? It depends on whom you ask. In public session, the Newark business administrator has pointed to federal funding rollbacks that have complicated the budget development. But the city budget director said she wasn't aware of any cuts, and reported that Essex County's tax levy increase has caused the delay. A June 6 letter from the Division of Local Government Services, Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the City Council indicated that Newark's introduced 2025 budget is 'now two months overdue,' and a penalty of $25 per day will be assessed for each day the budget remains unintroduced after June 30.'
HOW MICHAEL JACKSON COULD BEAT IT — 'NJ election fraud cases against Paterson council members still unresolved 5 years later,' by The Record's Joe Malinconico: 'In a legal marathon that has defied almost anyone's definition of a speedy trial, the attorney general's ongoing election fraud cases against Paterson Councilmen Michael Jackson and Alex Mendez reached their fifth anniversary on June 25 … 'It seems like the people of Paterson could care less and want them on the council anyway,' said Matthew Hale, an associate professor who teaches political science at Seton Hall University … Attorney General's Office spokesman Daniel Prochilo said: 'These situations illustrate how corruption cases can be significantly delayed for reasons beyond the control of the prosecution. They also demonstrate that corruption cases are highly complex and they involve sophisticated defendants and schemes.' … Scott Salmon, a lawyer, was involved in the allegations of Paterson election fraud right from the beginning … said Mendez delayed the criminal proceedings in their early stages with motions attempting to have the charges tossed based on assertion of political interference.'
McGRIEVANCE — 'Solomon & Ali both say Mamdani's win is bad news for McGreevey in Jersey City,' by Hudson County View's John Heinis: 'Jersey City Ward E Councilman James Solomon and former Board of Education President Mussab Ali are both saying that New York Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-36) upset victory over former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is bad news for Jim McGreevey in Jersey City. 'There are many differences between New York City and Jersey City but one thing is very clear: voters are rejecting scandal ridden elected officials that resigned in disgrace and are attempting vanity comebacks — and Jim McGreevey is going to be next,' Solomon said in a statement. In a thread on X, he added that McGreevey, a former New Jersey governor, who like Cuomo, resigned in the midst of scandal, donated $500 to his New York counterpart on March 3rd.'
— 'Mayor kicks homeless group out of [Toms River] parking garage during heat wave'
— 'Paterson mayor must testify in suit by city official he tried to fire'
— 'Mahwah able to reduce its next round of affordable housing requirement from 629 to three'
— 'Ocean City to take a new look at 3% Airbnb tax'
— 'Cherry Hill reaffirms commitment to N.J. directive that limits cooperation with federal immigration agencies'
— 'Beloved independent [Ramsey] movie theatre to close this summer'
— 'Officials: Partial collapse, chemical leak reported at vegetable processing plant in Upper Deerfield Township'
EVERYTHING ELSE
DO NOT READ IF SQUEAMISH — 'An Asbury Park lifeguard was impaled by a beach umbrella,' by The Philadelphia Inquirer's Amy S. Rosenberg: 'An Asbury Park lifeguard sitting on the stand was impaled by a beach umbrella Wednesday morning that entered her armpit and exited her back, a fire official said. Officials had to cut the pole, which was about an inch in diameter, on both sides to fit her into the ambulance, officials said. 'She basically had a 6-foot umbrella pole that entered into her left armpit and exited out the left side of her back,' Battalion Chief Chris Barkalow of the Asbury Park Fire Department said in a phone interview … There was 'very minimal' external bleeding, and the lifeguard was conscious and alert and did not appear to be in extreme pain, he said. 'She seemed a lot better off than I would be,' he said.'
'I AM A MEMBER OF AN EXCESSIVELY-ORGANIZED POLITICAL PARTY. I AM A SOUTH JERSEY DEMOCRAT' — 'Iconic fast-food chain making a surprising N.J. comeback after nearly disappearing,' by NJ Advance Media's Rob Jennings: 'A once-ubiquitous chain of fast-food restaurants is launching a South Jersey comeback. A new Roy Rogers in Cherry Hill will hold an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with doors opening to the public at 10:30 a.m., according to the company. The drive-through lane will open at noon. It joins two other Roy Rogers already open in New Jersey, located in Brick and Pine Beach in Ocean County.'
THEY COULD JUST READ THIS NEWSLETTER — 'Kids can learn about boogers, vomit and farts at Liberty Science Center this summer,' by The Record's Roxanne Boychuk: 'Boogers, vomit, burps — all the grossest functions of the body — are being celebrated at the Liberty Science Center this summer, featured in its popular 'Grossology' exhibition for the first time in nearly seven years. 'Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body' exhibition is based on a series of books called 'Grossology' by Sylvia Branzei. The book and exhibition aim to teach children the science behind some of the nastier functions of the human body.'
— 'NJ Transit rail discount for those affected by Route 80 sinkholes ends June 30'