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Irish Times
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Desmond Fennell and Michael McDowell: not exactly ideological bedfellows, yet they share a few things in common
The Radical Thinking of Desmond Fennell Author : Desmond Fennell Edited by Toner Quinn and Jerry White ISBN-13 : 978-1739577445 Publisher : Boluisce Press Guideline Price : €19.99 The Definite Article: Collected Writings of Michael McDowell Author : Michael McDowell ISBN-13 : 978-1786052162 Publisher : Red Stripe Press Guideline Price : €30 Desmond Fennell and Michael McDowell were not exactly ideological bedfellows. 'Waffle,' was McDowell's scathing verdict when the pair debated Fennell's book Heresy on an RTÉ chatshow in 1993. '[He] has from the vastness of his intellectual ivory tower decided that there's a group of people called 'south Dublin middle class' who are keeping his views repressed … it's all rubbish.' As these two anthologies of their writing prove, however, the cultural philosopher ( who died aged 92 in 2021 ) and the Progressive Democrats tánaiste turned independent senator (still going strong at 74) also had a few things in common. Both emerge here as passionate Irish republicans with a broad vision of how unity should work. Both are still sometimes labelled as reactionary conservatives, a gross distortion of their actual views. Most importantly, both these volumes showcase original and creative minds with a refreshing willingness to swim against the tide of public opinion. READ MORE The Radical Thinking of Desmond Fennell opens with some stirring essays from the 1960s and 1970s in which he urged readers to be inspired by the Easter Rising's 'restorative humanism'. 'My basic position from the start,' he later explained, 'has been that ... the proper task of Irish intellectuals and policymakers is to think about the country, and transform it, in the spirit of the Irish Revolution.' Toner Quinn and Jerry White have distilled Fennell's hefty output (he produced 19 books, 13 pamphlets and hundreds of newspaper columns) into a 214-page 'greatest hits' collection that shows how he followed his own advice. It highlights his early campaigns for the Gaeltacht civil rights movement and a repopulation of Irish-speaking areas based on the Israeli Hebrew model. When the Troubles broke out, he advocated 'a four-nation federation' of Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales that would fully respect unionists' British identity. Much of Fennell's work is quite abstract, but he occasionally used stylistic devices such as adopting the voice of an Orangeman or penning a sorrowful open letter to Margaret Thatcher following the death of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. [ Desmond Fennell obituary: An independent thinker and purveyor of ideas Opens in new window ] Fennell's penchant for martyrdom is also fully on view. Throughout Ireland's divorce and abortion culture wars, he railed against the 'thought police [in] Dublin 4' (not so much a geographical location, more a state of mind) for pursuing individual freedoms over national projects. Quinn and White have diplomatically omitted some of Fennell's most colourful polemics, most notably his 1991 attack on 'Famous Seamus' Heaney for supposedly not doing enough to support northern Catholics. Instead, we get slightly too much about his later 'post-western civilisation' theory which claimed the world had entered an era of 'moral chaos'. It's Fennell's waspish, provocative but never glib commentaries on specifically Irish affairs that, as President Michael D Higgins noted after his death, 'will endure and continue to inspire'. Michael McDowell's The Definite Article has an equally monumental feel, even though its author modestly describes it as a stop-gap publication while he works on a book about the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty. It contains 452 pages' worth of columns (many from this newspaper), legal analyses and summer school speeches, all written since 2009. The wide-ranging content is presented thematically rather than chronologically, with section headings such as Defence, Policing and Security, creating a manifesto-like effect. Since McDowell has been a public figure for more than 40 years, his core beliefs are well known. 'Middle Ireland does not want to be governed by the policy demands of the hard left,' he insists in one key passage about shifting Dáil alliances. 'Middle Ireland is, in international terms, centre-right.' Once nicknamed the Rottweiler, today he more closely resembles a watchdog of prudent public spending, our built environment and Bunreacht na hÉireann. McDowell's family links with the fight for Irish independence add weight to his historical pieces. The man whose grandfather (Gaelic League co-founder Eoin MacNeill) tried to call off the Rising in 1916 argues that it simply had to happen and explains why Michael Collins is his closest thing to a hero. Perhaps his most heartfelt running theme is that modern-day Sinn Féin betrayed that legacy, since anyone who glorifies Provisional IRA violence 'has not even a smidgen of republican blood in [their] veins'. As that line suggests, the former justice minister has never lost his flair for a brutal put-down. 'Permit me to point out that the emperor is totally naked,' he declares at the end of a typically data-driven argument against the 2011 referendum on Oireachtas inquiry powers, one of several he has helped to defeat. His barrister's skills are also used to coolly dissect the 'quango-driven catastrophe' of MetroLink, 'architectural barbarism' in Dublin city centre and Donald Trump's 'raw evil'. [ I gave my friends hats which said 'Make America Hate Again'. That's what Trump is trying to do Opens in new window ] The Definite Article could have benefited from more detail on sources and an index, but it certainly shows why the upcoming race for Áras an Uachtaráin will be duller without McDowell's presence . 'ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOUR IDEAS,' read a typically uncompromising email that Desmond Fennell sent to one of his editors. On this at least, he and Michael McDowell should have been in hearty agreement.
Politico
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Platkin enters the battle for Cherry Hill
Good Tuesday morning! Attorney General Matt Platkin is weighing in on the fight to fill Cherry Hill's 71 vacant Democratic committee seats. And here's a shocker: It's not on the South Jersey Democratic machine's side. Platkin filed a motion to intervene Monday in favor of the South Jersey Progressive Democrats, who won a shocking landslide victory in last month's Democratic primary, when their slate of just three candidates for Democratic committee in Camden County's largest town beat the full slate of 74 backed by the Camden County Democrats. The Camden County Democratic Committee is suing and convinced a judge to block the progressives from filling the seats ahead of a court date on Friday. But Platkin's office says there's no ambiguity about the law for filling vacancies: It's up to the elected county committee members to do it. He accused the Camden County Democrats of trying to 'rewrite the rules of the election after the rules were already set.' I try not to assume readers' knowledge about political relationships, but if you're an even semi-regular reader you don't need me to explain the state of affairs between Platkin and the Camden County Democrats' unofficial boss, George Norcross. But from my non-lawyer's perspective, Platkin and the South Jersey progressive Democrats have the plain language of the law on their side. 'In any election, voters go to the polls and cast their ballots based on the understanding that their properly cast ballots will be counted according to settled rules, and that their ballots will likewise be translated into election outcomes according to settled rules,' read the filing for Platkin, written by Assistant Attorney General Christina Brandt-Young. 'It would severely undermine voters' confidence in the electoral process. It would effectively deprive voters of the franchise, denying them the benefit of the rules according to which they cast their ballots.' State senator and Camden County Democratic chair James Beach suggested in a phone call that Platkin's intervention was related to Beach's bill, proposed a couple weeks ago, to remove the State Police from Platkin's purview. 'He's proven himself time and time again to be more focused on headlines and politics than doing his job for the people of the state of New Jersey,' he said. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — No public schedule QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'The old-school gangsters would just stick a gun in your mouth and say, 'Do this.' Today's gangsters put a pen in your face. They're just a little more educated about it.' — Atlantic Club owner Rocco Sebastiani, on why he's putting it up for sale HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Everyone I mentioned Monday because I couldn't keep dates straight: Brian Bergen, Mo Butler, Naomi Nix, Michael Boonin. And those I missed Monday: Barry Albin, Michael Soliman, Fred Butler, Ben Giovine, Kate McDonnell WHAT TRENTON MADE TURN THE STATE AROUND. LOVE TO HEAR DISCUSSION. TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN. HATE TO SEE REPERCUSSION — 'Murphy says his final budget caps efforts to 'turn our state around',' by NJ Spotlight News' John Reitmeyer: 'From affordability to sustainability to opportunity, Gov. Phil Murphy has cast his final state budget as a spending plan that gives New Jersey a 'brighter future' as he readies to leave office early next year. Murphy, a term-limited Democrat, has emphasized to the public increased funding for direct tax-relief programs and K-12 public school aid as major advancements, along with the setting aside of an estimated $6.7 billion surplus that will be inherited by his successor in 2026, if all goes according to plan ... However, others paint a far different portrait of the budget's overall impact on a state with many residents struggling to manage major concerns like housing and mass-transit affordability, even as total state spending by New Jersey has now risen to a record-high, nearly $60 billion. And the surplus being left to the next governor could have been even bigger, Murphy's critics note, if Murphy and majority Democrats who control the Legislature weren't planning to spend nearly $1.5 billion more than the administration estimates will be collected from taxes and other revenue sources over the next 12 months.' SURE, IT'S REGRETTABLE THIS HAD TO GO. BUT AT LEAST BAD FOR-PROFIT NURSING HOME OPERATORS AREN'T PENALIZED — Key part of suicide prevention hotline may close, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: A key expansion of the state's suicide prevention hotline program may close after lawmakers declined to give it additional funding in the state budget. The Department of Human Services told POLITICO it may have to halt plans to open centers designed to provide immediate services for people who call the 988 suicide prevention hotline. The comments come as lawmakers declined to include a 40-cent monthly fee on phone plans to help fund the 988 suicide hotline in the state budget. Gov. Phil Murphy called for the 40-cent fee in his initial spending plan. PLAINTIFFS HERE SEEK TO DEFY THE LOGIC OF ALL SEX LAWS — 'A N.J. court just made it harder for sex offenders to get off Megan's Law registry,' by NJ Advance Media's Colleen Murphy: 'A New Jersey appeals court has ruled that individuals seeking removal from the state's sex offender registry must prove they are not a danger to the public in any way, not just that they are unlikely to commit another sex crime. The ruling, which sets a new legal precedent in New Jersey, stems from two cases involving men convicted of sex offenses decades ago who later asked to be removed from the state's sex offender registry and released from lifetime supervision … A Middlesex County judge granted both men's requests — but the state appealed, arguing the court failed to consider their full criminal histories. The Appellate Division found that the lower court was wrong to focus only on the risk of future sexual offenses.' MURPHY DECIDES IT AINSWORTH IT — ''How many will close forever?' N.J. just dealt a massive blow to local newspapers, advocates say.,' by NJ Advance Media's Jelani Gibson: 'A decades-old law requiring towns and government agencies in New Jersey to publish meeting notices in newspapers was abolished last week, raising concerns that some local publications covering the state may be forced to close … The consequences of the end of the meeting notice law could be dire for New Jersey's smaller publications, according to Brett Ainsworth, publisher of The Retrospect, an award-winning newspaper in Camden County. 'There are independent, hometown newspapers everywhere in the state that will be devastated,' Ainsworth said. 'The only question to me is how many will close forever.' Ainsworth said he is worried about his own newspaper. 'As publisher for the last 25 years of my hometown newspaper, The Retrospect, I have grave concerns about this 123-year-old newspaper's viability,' he said.' JOHN LYDON MAY JOIN CIATTARELLI CAMPAIGN — 'Tim Lydon joining Sherrill campaign as policy director and general counsel,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'Former Superior Court Judge Timothy Lydon is taking a leave of absence from his post as executive director of the New Jersey Senate Majority Office to head up the policy shop for Democrat Mikie Sherrill's campaign for governor and serve as general counsel to the campaign. With Lydon, Sherrill gains an advisor deeply rooted in the functions of state government, as well as friends on both sides of the aisle and in Gov. Phil Murphy's office.' COPS — 'NJ attorney general's 2024 major discipline report lists 644 incidents, up 19.7% from '23,' by The Record's Amanda Wallace: 'The 2024 report, which was released July 7, lists 644 incidents of major discipline taken last year by 172 agencies in New Jersey against 543 officers. The numbers are up 19.7% from 2023, when there were 538 major disciplines from 167 agencies involving 460 unique officers … 'Major discipline' is defined by the office as terminations, reductions in rank or suspension of more than five days.' — 'New Jersey lawmakers chip away at judicial vacancies' — 'N.J. is finally fixing its 911 system. See the counties where calls could be answered faster' — Snowflack: 'The Eagleton Poll' TRUMP ERA IT'S NOT SAL MELGEN'S VILLA BUT IT'LL HAVE TO DO — 'Bob Menendez transferred to low-security prison,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez has been transferred to a minimum security federal prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. He arrived at LSCI Allenwood on July 1, a spokesperson for the prison told the New Jersey Globe. Menendez began serving his 11-year prison sentence on June 17. The 71-year-old former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, now known as federal prisoner number 67277-050, had initially been assigned to FCI Schuylkill, a medium security federal prison with an adjacent minimum security satellite camp in Minersville, Pennsylvania, about two-and-a-half hours from his home in Englewood Cliffs and about 50 miles west of Allentown. His new prison is about 75 miles north of Harrisburg and a little under three hours from his New Jersey home in Englewood Cliffs.' — 'When will Medicaid cuts take effect in NJ now that the 'Big Beautiful Bill' has passed?' — 'Trump's tax bill: Here's what it means for New Jersey wallets' LOCAL JACKSON SEEKS PRO SE REPRESENTATION BY MAN IN THE MIRROR — 'Another delay in Paterson election fraud case: Councilman Jackson changing lawyers,' by the Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: 'Facing thousands of dollars in contempt of court fines, Paterson Councilman Michael Jackson has decided to switch defense lawyers in the state's five-year-long election fraud case against him. Sohail Mohammed, the judge who imposed $250-per-day fines against Jackson in May, gave the councilman two weeks to find a new attorney during a court session on July 7. Mohammed previously said he would consider sending Jackson to jail under the contempt order if the councilman did not provide the New Jersey Attorney General's office with the passcode for Jackson's cell phone seized by state investigators more than two years ago. Authorities seized his cell phone in May 2023 after witnesses in the original election fraud case reportedly recanted their allegations against the councilman. Mohammed has said witnesses changed their statements after having substantial communication with Jackson.' I AM SHOCKED — SHOCKED! — TO FIND CORRUPTION GOING ON IN THIS GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENT — 'Citing 'corrupt' Atlantic City government, owner is selling part of the former Atlantic Club casino,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Wayne Parry: 'Citing 'corruption' in city government that he says has frustrated his development plans, the owner of the former Atlantic Club casino is putting part of the property up for sale. Rocco Sebastiani has listed one of the property's two hotel towers for $55 million while he ponders what to do with the remainder of the property at the southern end of the Boardwalk. As recently as February, the New York developer was optimistic about his plan to create a hotel-condominium complex at the former casino site after years of what he said were difficult interactions with city officials regarding the project. When the state took over supervision of the project in February, Sebastiani was heartened, thinking the project could quickly move forward. But he said Thursday that the state is not accepting previous approvals that were hard-won from city government … 'I never expected the corruption that exists in Atlantic City,' he said. 'You read about Nucky Johnson — that stuff still exists.'' UP THE SHORE — 'Jersey Shore towns report banner Fourth of July weekend,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Bill Barlow: 'For those who could find a parking spot and a couple of square feet of sand for a blanket, Independence Day weekend 2025 seemed made for the shore. 'What a spectacular weekend: sunny and mild, warm and calm ocean, some nice breeze to cool things off,' Doug Bergen, Ocean City's public information officer, said Monday. 'It doesn't get much better.' For much of the spring, weekends brought rain or punishing heat. Along with economic uncertainty and multiple other factors, that meant fewer reservations at the shore and concerns from many merchants. There were no such concerns over the weekend, with fully booked hotels, long lines at restaurants and cars parked in almost every available space. Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock reported Monday that water use from the city utility broke records, a sure sign of a crowded town.' LAKEWOOD — 'Lakewood yeshiva student out of jail after arrest claim that he offered teen money for sex,' by the Asbury Park Press' Joe Strupp: 'A township man, who is also a student at Beth Medrash Govoha (BMG), was released from jail pending trial after being accused of trying to lure a teenage boy into a sexual act for money, according to investigators. Binyamin Kubani, 40, was arrested on July 3 and charged with luring and solicitation during an alleged encounter with a 15-year-old boy, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. Kubani is accused of approaching the victim in a silver van near a car wash … 'The defendant then asked the victim if he would like to make some money, while motioning his hands to the act of masturbation,' [Assistant Prosecutor Gregory] Lenzi said. Kubani's arrest has led to demonstrations in support of him as well as a statement from BMG defending him and calling the case a 'miscarriage of justice.' … Yosef B. Jacobovitch, Kubani's attorney, sought to counter Lenzi's claims … 'This is an individual who everyone who knows him to be a pious, religious, family-oriented man.' Jacobovitch said. 'This is an individual by all accounts and by everyone who knows him to be a good man.'' — 'Efforts to stop gas pipeline in New Jersey's Highlands area failed. See why' — Opinion: 'The $32M question: Why fire the DRBA? The public deserves the truth about the Cape May airport dispute' — '[West Deptford] ex-volunteer fire chief admits possessing massive stash of child sex abuse material' — 'O'Dea slams Solomon: 'Council members need to do more than just say no'' — '2 minor injuries during [Jersey City] fireworks display after crowd 'panicked,' cops say' EVERYTHING ELSE NEW JERSEY EXPORTS HEROES, AND NOT JUST MEATBALL PARM — 'Coast Guard swimmer from N.J. hailed as hero who rescued 165 people from raging Texas floodwaters,' by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino: 'A U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer from New Jersey was singled out as a hero after saving the lives of nearly 200 people over the holiday weekend during deadly flooding in Central Texas. Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, 26, a helicopter crew member, braved the dangerous waters to rescue dozens, according to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. 'Scott Ruskin [sic] is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the U.S. Coast Guard,' Noem wrote on Facebook. Ruskan 'directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas,' Noem said. Public records show Ruskan is from Warren County and lives in Corpus Christi, Texas.' JOURNEY TO NEW JOB RISKS CHOLERA, TYPHOID AND DYSENTERY — 'Ex-N.J. health leader who quit on Trump's inauguration day lands [Oregon] university president job,' by NJ Advance Media's Liz Rosenberg: 'Dr. Shereef M. Elnahal, a former New Jersey health commissioner who was also CEO of University Hospital in Newark during the worst of the pandemic, will be the next president of Oregon's health research university. Oregon Health & Science University — which describes itself as a 'national research hub, with thousands of scientists developing lifesaving therapies' — is also a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and southwest Washington. Elnahal, who most recently served as undersecretary for health at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs under the Biden administration, was selected for the Oregon job last week.' — ''It's chaos': Newark Airport workers rally as United Airlines slashes jobs, healthcare and immigration legal benefits' — '9 killed in crashes on N.J. roads during deadly holiday weekend' — 'Rutgers interim AD Ryan Pisarri set to leave school after 14 years: Here is where he is headed'
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ill. Gov. JB Pritzker makes third term bid official, castigates Trump and Democrats who shy away from progressive causes
CHICAGO — Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker formally declared his candidacy for a third term as Illinois' chief executive on Thursday, vowing to build on a legacy of accomplishments as he criticized President Donald Trump, called Republicans a 'cult,' and even slammed Democrats who are shying away from progressive social causes. Kicking off his 2026 campaign in a 25-minute speech before a couple of hundred supporters at the Grand Crossing Field House on Chicago's South Side, Pritzker also did little to dispel speculation about a 2028 run for president. He routinely touched on national themes — including the importance of the youth vote and the need among Democrats to focus on affordability issues — and he dodged when asked if he would pledge to serve a full, four-year term if reelected governor in November 2026. 'I ran for governor in 2018 to change our story. I ran for governor in 2022 to keep telling our story. And I am running for governor in 2026 to protect our story because our story is now one of fiscal responsibility, of social accountability, of modern adaptability,' Pritzker said. 'Our story values love over hate, courage over fear, kindness over cruelty. Our story doesn't have a cult telling us what to believe, or sycophants telling us what to say, or a king telling us what to do.' Pritzker has emerged nationally as one of the most prominent Democratic voices taking on the Republican president among sometimes listless party leadership. He has said his role as Illinois governor provides him a 'bully pulpit' as he presents himself as a bulwark against Trump's efforts to reshape America. Though he never mentioned Trump by name in his South Side speech, Pritzker referred to the president and Republicans in Washington as 'the megalomaniac narcissist in the White House and his malignant clown car in Congress' and as 'fascist freakshow fanatics' who are running 'their experiments on ending democracy.' But in a two-minute campaign launch video, Pritzker lashed out at the president more directly and by name. 'We know government ought to stand up for working families and be a force for good, not a weapon of revenge,' Pritzker says in the video. 'Donald Trump's made clear, he'll stop at nothing to get his way. I'm not about to stand by and let him tear down all we're building in Illinois.' The event at the Grand Crossing Park Field House was the exact location where Pritzker set in motion his initial bid for chief executive in April 2017. As he did on Thursday, Pritzker back then attacked Trump. 'Everything we care about is under siege by Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner,' he said then, also citing the one-term Republican governor whom he would go on to defeat handily in the 2018 general election. The South Side rally Thursday morning was part of a six-stop, two-day statewide announcement tour that included visits to Rockford, Peoria and Springfield on Thursday and Belleville and West Frankfort on Friday. In the campaign video, Pritzker appears in the small town of Chestnut, which is the geographic center of the state, to make his case that Illinois is in the middle of the national battle over politics and government. 'These days, Illinois is standing at the center of the fight: The fight to make life more affordable, the fight to protect our freedoms, the fight for common sense,' the governor says, focusing on Trump before pivoting to what Pritzker describes as his successes since he first took office in 2019, including balanced budgets, state credit upgrades and hiking the minimum wage. Pritzker, a 60-year-old entrepreneur and heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune, is one of the nation's wealthiest politicians, with a net worth of $3.7 billion, according to Forbes. Trump is estimated by Forbes to be worth $5.5 billion. In his two previous successful campaigns, Pritzker has spent $350 million of his personal wealth. He has also seeded state and local Democratic organizations with tens of millions of dollars, creating a robust political infrastructure that has resulted in Democratic supermajorities in the Illinois House and Senate. Following his speech in Chicago, Pritzker added to the presidential speculation when he wouldn't directly answer after being asked by reporters if he would pledge to serve a full, four-year term as governor if reelected. 'I'm running for governor of Illinois. I want to be governor of Illinois. That's four more years,' he said. 'Truly, everything that I do in my job, and every day when I wake up, is about improving the lot of people who live in the state of Illinois, lifting up the working families of Illinois. Whatever I do going forward is going to be about that,' he added. Should he run and win the presidency, the lieutenant governor would take over for the final two years of the third term, and Pritzker has yet to announce who his running mate will be. Current Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton is running next year for U.S. Senate to succeed retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. The governor's announcement Thursday puts him in a position to be in rarefied air in the world of Illinois politics. If Pritzker wins a third term, he'd become the first Democratic governor in state history to be elected to more than two terms and the first governor since Republican James R. Thompson served 14 years from 1977 to 1991. Illinois has no term limits on its constitutional offices. In addition to touting efforts to stabilize Illinois' long-shaky financial governance through balanced budgets and credit upgrades, Pritzker — who has repeatedly described himself as a 'pragmatic progressive' — also highlighted that he's increased protections for abortion access, signed bans on assault weapons and added jobs to the state's economy. Moreover, he appeared to take note of the Tuesday victory of 33-year-old Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary as indicative of the need for the party nationally to motivate younger voters and adopt Mamdani's focus on economic and affordability issues. 'For too long, politicians have chosen what is safe over what is bold. It's time to take our cues from the young people showing up and shouting out that you can't abandon the fight before you even start it — fear of failure is not an excuse to never even try,' he said. 'We have remained tethered to past policy accomplishments and weighed down by past policy failures. We are too unwilling to embrace the vision and drive and energy of new leaders when our old ones refuse to adapt. Change must and will come,' Pritzker said, citing those failures as a factor for Trump's reelection to a second, nonconsecutive term in 2024. At the same time, Pritzker said 'we must reckon with the fact that everything is too damned expensive.' 'From groceries to concert tickets to mortgages to cars to health care, we have created a world where one job isn't enough to raise kids, one salary not enough to own a home and one lifetime of work not enough to earn retirement. And the answer does not lie in tariffs that tax workers, budgets that gut Medicaid, and DOGE bros that strip research funding from our universities,' he said, referring to Trump administration policies and its Department of Government Efficiency. 'Instead, the answer starts with growing Illinois' economy, with relentlessly pursuing the industries and jobs of the future,' he said. Affordability, he told reporters later, 'is what Democrats need to be focused on every single day, day in and day out.' In his speech, Pritzker also appeared to castigate some potential Democratic challengers in a 2028 presidential bid for moving to embrace a center-left ideology at the expense of the progressive social movement. Two Democrats who might run in 2028 and have been criticized for encouraging a party shift to the center are California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a Pritzker friend. 'If you stood up for diversity, equity and inclusion when it was easy, then you'd better be standing up for it now, when it's hard. If you protected the rights of the LGBTQ community and immigrants and Black and brown people two years ago, well then you'd better not abandon them today. Because let me tell you something — of all the unbecoming qualities that Americans hate in their politicians — they hate cowardice the most,' Pritzker said. 'I'd rather lose standing up for what I believe in than win by selling out those who believed in me,' he said. 'And I'll reserve my disgust not for the most vulnerable people in our society, but for the politicians and talking heads who would sacrifice them on the altar of their own ambitions.' Pritzker is a prohibitive favorite to reclaim the Democratic nomination for governor in the March 17, 2026, primary. No major Republican candidate has yet to surface. The biggest GOP name so far is DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick — and while Pritzker's intention to seek reelection became public on Tuesday, the moribund Illinois GOP waited two days to issue a statement. 'He's not solving problems, he's selling out Illinois for applause in D.C.,' a fundraising email from the state Republican Party said, echoing what is likely to be the main GOP attack line of using a potential presidential bid against Pritzker. 'This is bigger than one state. If Pritzker gets four more years, it puts him one step closer to the presidency, and his radical blueprint could go nationwide,' the GOP fundraising email said. But Pritzker said the national attention he has gained was not an act. 'Who I am and what I stand for is not a 'bit.' I don't really care what the D.C. dinner circuit thinks about my unabashed defense of democracy and courage and kindness. My convictions were forged here with you, and they stand in service to Illinoisans,' he said. 'This state and its people helped shape this country, and the last time we faced an existential threat to our nation, it was a son of Illinois who kept us together,' he said, referring to President Abraham Lincoln. ____
Politico
24-06-2025
- Business
- Politico
Budget deals take shape
Good Tuesday morning! They had largely kept it under wraps until Monday, but the budget process was delayed a bit by an impasse between Gov. Phil Murphy and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. The two sides hadn't agreed on about $150 million — a small sum in the scheme of things, but enough to cause some problems. After negotiations Monday, Coughlin and Murphy by the afternoon had agreed on a plan that aims to find major savings in the state's public health benefits, presumably with the consent of Senate leadership. Or more of a plan for a plan: The committees in charge of planning the benefits will be charged with finding millions in savings. The negotiations had also centered around whether to pare back Coughlin's signature StayNJ tax credit program for seniors, the tax rate on sports and online gambling, and the 'mansion tax' on home sales of over $1 million. Brent Johnson reports details of the budget deal. It won't include taxing 'fun' like bowling and laser tag, but will still hike rates for online gambling and real estate sales over $1 million. The Legislature is hoping to pass it through committee Wednesday and in both houses by Friday. But nothing has been scheduled yet. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — In Perth Amboy at 10:30 a.m. for a bridge replacement groundbreaking, then in Newark at 1 p.m. to speak at a NJ FAST event. Media: 'Ask Governor Murphy' on News 12 at 4 p.m. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'In fact, the Camden County Democratic Committee candidates were placed on the ballot in a disadvantageous position that the South Jersey Progressive Democrats often refer to as 'Ballot Siberia.'' — Attorney Bill Tambussi in a lawsuit filed by the Camden County Democratic Committee to stop a trio of progressives who won the committee election in Cherry Hill from filling 71 vacant seats. Here's what Tambussi claims is ballot Siberia, and here's a 2017 Camden City primary ballot on which non-machine candidates for mayor and council were in column 10. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Kristin Corrado, Sterley Stanley, Herb Klein, Bruce Land, Ed Traz WHAT TRENTON MADE BUDGET — Public-sector health savings at center of budget talks in final days, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman and Daniel Han: Gov. Phil Murphy and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin on Monday overcame an impasse over revenue in the $58 billion state budget that had threatened to delay its passage with a plan centered on public health benefits savings. According to three officials with knowledge of the negotiations, Murphy and Coughlin were about $150 million apart in revenues as of early Monday morning, but negotiations continued throughout the day. By the afternoon, the governor and Legislature had agreed to a plan to task the committees in charge with the state's public worker benefit plans with finding millions in savings. … According to the officials, the Murphy administration laid out a few options to the Assembly that they would accept in terms of making up the revenue: Enacting more aggressive cost savings measures in public workers' health plans, paring back Coughlin's signature StayNJ property tax relief program for seniors, or instituting a higher tax rate on internet sports betting and other forms of online gambling. One official familiar with the negotiations said a deal was in place that would require the committee overseeing plan design for the state-run public worker health insurance program to achieve a set amount of savings by a certain date. The committee is made up of equal representation from labor and government representatives. —'With state health benefits rising 'astronomically,' Murphy seeks $100M in cuts' IT'S GOOD TO BE THE CHAIR — 'Why does North Jersey town still get millions for a train station already paid for?' by The Record's Colleen Wilson: 'Buried in the hundreds of pages that make up New Jersey state budgets each year for the last five years has been a vague, inconspicuous line item: 'Repayment of Municipal Contribution to Mass Transit Facility.' But unlike most other grants in the budget pages for the Department of Community Affairs … this line item didn't name the project, program or municipality receiving the money. So far, a combined $47.5 million of state taxpayer dollars has been disbursed for this unidentified expense — and another $10 million is proposed in the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Documents filed with the Department of Community Affairs reveal that the applications for the 'Mass Transit Facility' grants were submitted by state Sen. Paul Sarlo, who is chairman of the powerful Senate budget committee and also the longtime mayor of Wood-Ridge.' [REDACTED] IS WHERE THE HEART IS — 'After Minnesota assassinations, N.J. lawmakers seek to shield their home addresses,' by New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: 'A New Jersey lawmaker wants to bar the disclosure of state legislators' home addresses after a gunman killed Minnesota's House speaker and left another lawmaker critically wounded earlier this month. Assemblyman Chris DePhillips' proposal would add legislators to the list of officials whose personal information is shielded under Daniel's Law, which currently prohibits the publication of home addresses of judges and law enforcement personnel. 'We need to do something on our end to protect public officials who have made the step to serve the public,' DePhillips (R-Bergen) told the New Jersey Monitor. … The assemblyman's effort to bar the disclosure of lawmakers' addresses isn't the first.' FRUSTRATION WITH TRENTON CAN BRING ANYONE TOGETHER — 'Last-minute cancellation of anti-Semitism definition vote sparks anger,' by New Jersey Globe's Zach Blackburn: 'Democratic Assembly leaders quietly decided last week that there would be no committee vote on a divisive bill to define anti-Semitism, angering the advocates and legislators who weren't informed before Monday morning and potentially pushing off an already-tense political issue for even longer. When the announcement was made late last week that the Assembly Community Development and Women's Affairs Committee would hold a hearing on legislation that would codify a controversial definition of anti-Semitism, advocates around the state jumped into action, expecting a vote. By the time Monday morning rolled around, dozens of members of the public had arrived in Trenton to testify (many of whom rearranged work schedules to attend), demonstrators protested outside the statehouse in remarkable heat, and the bill's sponsors were ready to finally see a vote after more than a year of inaction. Instead, committee chair Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon) surprised the audience when she announced there would not be a vote on the legislation, further driving a wedge between Democratic lawmakers and some Jewish communities that could prove consequential in an election year. … While opponents of the bill were relieved not to see the legislation pass, some still felt miffed by the decision not to hold a vote. Selaedin Maksut, the executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-New Jersey, the Garden State's chapter of the country's largest Islamic advocacy group, said he hoped to see the committee vote down the bill instead of delaying it.' —'Murphy 'will not give up' on offshore wind, blasts Van Drew for opposing it' —Stile: 'Jack Ciattarelli and Mikie Sherrill both face headwinds. Can they push through?' —'2 N.J. senators, a Dem and Republican, on the rise of political violence: Be passionate, never dangerous' —'Bergen Assembly candidate down by 137 votes seeks recount' TRUMP ERA CD2 — 'He worked at USAID before Trump dismantled it. Now he's running for Congress in New Jersey,' by New Jersey Globe's Joey Fox: 'In the year and a half before Donald Trump retook control of the White House, Bayly Winder worked at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the arm of the U.S. government responsible for distributing foreign aid around the world. Shortly after he left the agency at the beginning of this year, President Donald Trump took a hatchet to USAID, and the work Winder and his colleagues did became the first casualty of the Trump administration's 'government efficiency' efforts. Now Winder, a New Jersey native, is back in his home state and running for Congress. A Democrat, Winder is announcing a campaign today against Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis), who represents the Republican-leaning southern reaches of the state where Winder once spent his summers; the conservative congressman, Winder says, has lost touch with the voters of the 2nd congressional district. 'People across this district are really sick and tired of partisan games, political theater, and establishment politicians,' Winder told the New Jersey Globe.' SUMMER CUTTIN', HAD ME A FAST — 'Do federal cuts imperil summer meals programs for children?' by NJ Spotlight News' Hannah Gross: 'One in seven children in New Jersey suffers from food insecurity, a significant increase from before the pandemic. Many of these 270,000 children count on their schools for two meals, five days a week. Now with schools closing for the summer, these families can turn to summer food benefit cards, free meal sites and local food banks for healthy meals. But potential cuts to federal programs key to helping with food insecurity, along with increased demand, present growing challenges to these food relief efforts.' — 'Delaware estuary now under pressure from Trump administration' —''It's great to be alive today': Donald Norcross returns to congress after near-death illness' LOCAL A BOSS'S HOME COUNTY IS HIS KASSEL — Camden County Democrats sue to stop progressives from filling committee seats, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: A judge has temporarily barred a trio of Cherry Hill Democrats from choosing 71 Democratic committee members following their slate's landslide victory in the June 10 primary. The Camden County Democratic Committee sued Monday, arguing that the three-member slate of the South Jersey Progressive Democrats doesn't have the right to fill the vacant seats with anybody but members of the losing slate. … Judge Michael Kassel, who sits in Camden County, set oral arguments for July 11 and then restrained the winning trio from conducting an organizational meeting, adopting bylaws and attempting to fill the seats. 'The South Jersey Progressive Democrats received the greatest number of votes. However, that group was only able to field 3 candidates. The remaining 71 seats, by operation of New Jersey law and the Bylaws of the County Committee, are awarded to the next highest vote getter. In this case, because of unique and unprecedented ballot design issues, it was not possible for voters to select individually from the 74 Camden County Democratic Committee candidates, who all therefore tied for the next highest vote total,' attorney Bill Tambussi wrote in the lawsuit. —'Norcross machine Democrats file suit against Cherry Hill progressives over their election loss' PATERSON — 'Officials shut down Paterson graduation as 16 hospitalized, 160 seek heat relief,' by The Patereson Press' Joe Malinconico: 'After declaring 'a mass casualty event,' emergency management officials shut down Paterson's high school commencement ceremony on June 23 as 166 attendees — including graduates and family members — were overcome by the heat. Even though dozens of people needed medical treatment during the morning ceremony, Paterson Schools Superintendent Laurie Newell made the decision to go ahead with the afternoon portion of the commencement at Hinchliffe Stadium, officials said. Graduates in gowns sat in folding chairs on the heat-radiating artificial turf, while their family members looked down from the grandstands made of hot concrete. None of them were in the shade. Dignitaries, including Board of Education members and school district officials, were given seats under tents. As temperatures climbed closer to 100 degrees, emergency medical technicians scrambled to respond to people in the crowd suffering from heat exhaustion. City officials intervened about an hour into the afternoon ceremony and ordered an end to the commencement as school administrators were in the middle of announcing the names of graduates from Eastside High School.' PASSAICKY — 'Major Paterson developer buys home from city official for $500,000,' by The Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: 'Charles Florio, the city's most prominent housing developer, spent $500,000 in May to buy a one-family home from Mayor Andre Sayegh's public works director, William Rodriguez. Florio — a longtime supporter of Sayegh — has made his mark in Paterson by buying properties in the city's most troubled neighborhoods and constructing apartment buildings there. But the house Florio bought from Rodriguez is on Lenox Avenue in the Hillcrest neighborhood, a suburb-like enclave with lawns and low crime. 'I saw an opportunity to buy a good asset at a good price,' Florio said. 'There were other bidders. I was the highest, and I will renovate and flip the property.' … The price Florio paid seems within market value, said several people familiar with Paterson real estate.' — 'Cranbury unveils affordable housing plan for 175-year-old family farm' —'Tenants advocacy organization pushes for Passaic referendum on limiting rent hikes' R.I.P. — 'Trenton officer dies in off-duty car crash Sunday in Westampton' EVERYTHING ELSE SCATTERED OUTAGES — About 13,000 New Jersey customers lost power on Monday, according to Most of those, which are likely due to heat-related strain on distribution system infrastructure, were in the PSE&G service territory. An extended heat wave could be bad politically for New Jersey Democrats. Power bills are already set to skyrocket because of a long-term supply-demand crunch. Republicans who are trying to get a foothold in the Legislature and retake the governor's office have blamed Democrats for energy policies that have driven up prices. A hot summer forcing people to keep their air conditioners running will only make those price spikes more dramatic. Demand was also straining but not breaking the 13-state regional grid. Though supply still exceeded demand, PJM issued an emergency alert over the weekend saying it may require all generators to operate at maximum output. — Ry Rivard TEACHER LOSES SECOND BITE AT APPLE — 'Teacher's $77M lawsuit over refusal to take LGBTQ+ training thrown out by judge,' by NJ Advance Media's Colleen Murphy: 'A federal appeals court has shut down a lawsuit filed by a former New Jersey teacher who claimed he was fired for refusing to support LGBTQ+ inclusive policies, citing religious objections. Gregory J. Janicki, who taught music at Washington Township High School in Gloucester County for nearly 20 years, said he was terminated in 2020 after refusing to participate in LGBTQ-related training and events. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld a lower court's dismissal earlier this month, concluding the case had no merit for further review. The court also ordered the former teacher to cover court costs, effectively closing the door on a legal battle that had stretched over two years. … U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams ruled that Janicki's claims were already resolved through a formal arbitration process. … According to court records, the arbitrator cited a pattern of behavior that showed intolerance toward LGBTQ+ students and staff. This included distributing controversial materials and refusing to attend mandatory training sessions, according to the ruling.' BRIDE TO BRIE — 'Cheesy proposal. Man pops the question with ring hidden inside mozzarella ball,' by The Record's Matt Fagan: 'Popping the question via a fortune cookie or Jumbotron may seem cheesy, but those pale to John Russo's proposal, who literally hid the engagement ring inside a ball of cheese. More specifically, the ring and its box were hidden inside a fresh mozzarella ball made by North Jersey's king of mozzarella, Vinnie Morelli of Vinnie's Mootz in Lyndhurst. Fortunately, the bride-to-be, Hannah Jang, shares her fiancée's humor and loved the cheesy proposal. She said yes. The couple, who met during the COVID pandemic lockdown, had already agreed to marry on July 27 in Tarrytown, New York, however, there had never been a ring or a formal proposal.' —'Cocaine pipeline from Puerto Rico to N.J. severed in record-setting drug bust, prosecutor says'
Politico
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Cherry Hill Dem committee fight may head to court
Good Wednesday morning! It does not appear Camden County Democrats are just going to lay down and let a ragtag trio of challengers take over the county committee in their biggest town. Cherry Hill Democrats congratulated 'the members of the progressive party who have gained three seats on the Cherry Hill Democratic Committee' in a Friday on Facebook post. That looks like a cheeky way of claiming their rivals, the South Jersey Progressive Democrats, who they don't call Democrats, didn't win the other 71 seats. 'At this juncture, we will be reserving further comment about the future of the committee until the election has been certified,' read the statement. (The page administrator turned off unapproved replies.) Camden County voters chose just one oval for county committee in last week's primary — be it for the three 'South Jersey Progressive Democrats' who won, or the 74 candidates who ran under the 'Camden County Democratic Committee' slogan. The ballot was designed by County Clerk Pam Lampitt, a member of the Camden County Democratic machine. And if Camden County Democrats elected committee members by voting district instead of at-large, this wouldn't have been an issue. Instead, the three South Jersey Progressive Democrats got the top ballot spot and won by a landslide. Naturally, the three South Jersey Progressive Democrats who won hope that they can fill the 71 vacancies. They cite both state law and the Camden County Democratic bylaws that say that vacancies, including those for 'failure to elect,' 'shall be filled for the unexpired term by the municipal committee of the municipality wherein the vacancy occurs.' Since the Cherry Hill Democratic Committee isn't commenting, I can only speculate what their argument will be. My guess is it will be that three committee members can't form a quorum, leaving it up to the county chair to appoint the rest. The election is set to be certified next week, after which the progressives are girding for a lawsuit from the Camden County Democrats. 'With a lawsuit, the machine will be saying to the Democratic voters of Cherry Hill: 'Heads we win, tails we go to court, employing our considerable financial muscle to overturn your decision to throw us out,'' Rena Margulis, one of the three successful committee candidates, said in a statement. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — In Atlantic City at 9:30 a.m. to speak at the state AFL-CIO's endorsement conference. Media: 'Ask Governor Murphy' at 7 p.m. on your local NPR affiliate QUOTE OF THE DAY: ''My priority for the next few months, and that of every Democrat, must be to help Mikie Sherrill our next governor, and to make sure Trump doesn't get a win in New Jersey this November. Once that's done, my response to everyone who has been reaching out is that, of course, I would be interested in running to fill the vacancy in the 11th district, so that it continues to have the strongest and most experienced representation at this difficult moment for our country.' — Hunterdon County Democratic Chair and former 7th District Rep. Tom Malinowski PROGRAMMING NOTE — NJ Playbook will be off Thursday for Juneteenth. See you Friday HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Brian Boyell, James Corti, Matthew Frankel, George Geist, John McCarthy, Carmen Rodriguez. Thursday for Stephanie Albanese WHAT TRENTON MADE A LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES OF THEIR OWN — Female Assembly candidates see strength in primaries, by POLITICO's Madison Fernandez: Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the only female candidate in the primary for governor, overwhelmingly won last week's election — around 13 points over her closest opponent. Female candidates saw successes down-ballot, as well. In contested Assembly races, female candidates in many cases saw higher vote shares compared to male contenders — even those running on the same slate. While many of these victories have to do more with party dynamics and institutional support than gender, the results demonstrate strength among a demographic that is in the minority in the Assembly. CAMPAIGN BUSINESS — Nominees for governor make their pitches to business community. by POLITICO's Madison Fernandez: As New Jersey faces rising costs and the economy is poised to be a top issue in the campaign, Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill gave their first pitches of the general election to the business community. Sherrill and Ciattarelli separately took the stage at an event hosted by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association event on Tuesday in Somerset. Both took the time to give their backgrounds — common parts of their stump speech — and discussed their legislative priorities, while largely avoiding any jabs at each other. It was the first large-scale appearance by the candidates since last week's primary, though both have hit the campaign trail in recent days: Ciattarelli has made a number of stops at local businesses, and Sherrill attended 'No Kings' protests over the weekend. SORRY, CHARLIE — 'Press not exempt from law limiting publication of officials' addresses, court rules,' by New Jersey Monitor's Nikita Biryukov: 'A state law that shields from public disclosure the addresses and phone numbers of police, prosecutors, and judges can be used to bar press from publishing that information, the New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously ruled Tuesday. The high court found that New Brunswick could invoke the threat of civil and criminal sanctions against Charlie Kratovil, editor of New Brunswick Today, under a statute known as Daniel's Law to bar him from publishing the address of the city's police director. Kratovil discovered through public records in 2023 that Anthony Caputo, then the city's police director, lived more than two hours south of New Brunswick and seldom attended public meetings. 'As applied to Kratovil, Daniel's Law as written is narrowly tailored to achieve the state interest of the highest order: protection of certain public officials from harm and the threat of harm so that they can perform their public duties without fear of reprisal,' Justice Anne Patterson wrote for the court. … The high court ruled the law was narrowly tailored enough to pass constitutional muster.' BRING ON THE SASS — 'Who were the real losers in the 2025 NJ primary? County machines and bosses,' by Julia Sass Rubin for The Record: 'In 10 counties — seven in the Democratic primary and three in the Republican primary — the gubernatorial candidate endorsed by the local party organization lost. These counties include some with very strong Democratic political machines like Camden, Essex and Union, and very strong Republican political machines like Ocean. To put that in context, no Democratic gubernatorial nominee on the county line has lost a county in this century. Only three Republican gubernatorial nominees on the county line have lost in the last 20 years and all three losses were in Democratically controlled counties with weak Republican parties. There were substantial upsets in the Assembly races as well. … The ability to use the county line ballot to select the winners of primaries, combined with our state's largely non-competitive general elections, has enabled county political bosses to control our state for many decades. This has led to a Legislature that is accountable to those party bosses rather than to the voters.' — 'Could federal budget chaos upend StayNJ property tax program for NJ seniors?' —'Casino smoking ban potentially a big issue in New Jersey governor race' —'N.J. officials challenge cost of I-80 Delaware Water Gap projects' TRUMP ERA MISSED OPPORTUNITY TO ARRIVE BY PRIVATE JET — Former Sen. Bob Menendez reports to prison for 11-year sentence, by POLITICO's Ry Rivard: Former Sen. Bob Menendez began his 11-year prison sentence Tuesday morning, the Federal Bureau of Prisons said. The New Jersey Democrat, 71, was at the height of his power in 2023, as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, when federal prosecutors in New York revealed allegations based on a yearslong investigation that he'd sold his office for piles of cash and bars of gold. Now, he's at Federal Correctional Institution Schuylkill in Minersville, Pennsylvania. SISTER TOLDYA MOMENT — 'N.J. mayor wanted ICE detention center inspected before 4 detainees escaped. 'I told you so...',' by NJ Advance Media's Steve Strunsky and Jelani Gibson: 'Newark sued GEO in April seeking to prevent the facility's opening after learning it was intended to house immigration detainees without a new certificate of occupancy specifically for its use as a detention center. Filed in state Superior Court, the matter was quickly moved on the same day to federal court after the company argued that the civil action involved substantial questions of federal law. ICE said Delaney Hall began housing detainees on May 1. In its own filings, GEO denied the city's allegations and has sought dismissal of the city's lawsuit. … However Baraka, in the wake of growing complaints by detainees regarding conditions inside the building said had inspections been allowed, things might have been different. 'This is evidence that we need to have done a certificate of occupancy application inspection,' he argued. 'I really don't want to say I told you so, but yeah, I think so. I mean, obviously they have to follow these laws in place for a reason.' —'Amtrak proposes slashing funding to fix the aging Northeast Corridor' —'Seeking to break out in NJ-7 primary, vartan accuses opponents of 'moving here to run'' —'FBI: Third of four escaped detainees from Newark ICE facility captured' —'Four escapees from Newark ICE facility charged by U.S. Attorney; one remains at large' LOCAL BOGGED DOWN — The controversy over Cranbury Township's vote to seize a family farm for an affordable housing development became a cause celebre on the right and has now caught the attention of the Trump administration. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins took to Twitter where she posted a photo of herself on the phone with farm owner Andrew Hendry. 'The Biden-style government takeover of our family farms is over. While this particular case is a city eminent domain issue, we @usda are exploring every legal option to help.' FREQUENT RUNNER-UP IN THE MISS CONDUCT PAGEANT— 'Clifton council deals with blowback over 'backward' hiring of city manager,' by The Record's Matt Fagan: 'Newly hired City Manager Gary DeMarzo has a checkered history that includes three indictments for official misconduct ― though no convictions ― 10 lawsuits, a judgment and a recent termination from his role as a business administrator in South Jersey, a background check obtained by shows. DeMarzo, hired on an interim basis to replace former city manager Nick Villano who abruptly resigned on April 1, was made permanent just weeks later ― before a proper background check was conducted, said the city's personnel director Doug Johnson. The 'hiring was done backward,' Johnson said, adding that a background check was not conducted until after the Council took its May 6 vote to hire DeMarzo. … The moves disregarded a long-standing policy on background checks and leaves the city vulnerable to potential lawsuits, Johnson said.' GET DOVER IT — 'Dover councilman refuses deal on misconduct charge, declaring 'I did nothing wrong',' by The Daily Record's William Westhoven: 'Embattled Dover Councilman Sergio Rodriguez lost his bid for re-election last week in the Democratic primary. On Monday, he mounted a new campaign to fight what he defiantly labeled as 'politically motivated' criminal charges. Rodriguez, 30, was back in state Superior Court for the June 16 hearing. He declined a pretrial intervention deal offered by prosecutors that could have led to clearing his record of the assault and official misconduct charges he has accumulated since taking office in January 2023. In February, Rodriguez had expressed an interest in the deal. Now, he says he is rejecting he PTI offer due to one provision: He would have to resign from his public office. 'They know I lost my election and my term is up on Dec. 31, when I will have to leave office anyway,' Rodriguez said after the hearing at the Morris County Courthouse. 'But they just won't let up on the resignation.' … Rodriguez had previously been arrested for simple assault in February 2024. Both incidents allegedly took place in downtown Dover during confrontations with homeless men who the Ward 2 Democrat said were drinking alcohol and then urinating and defecating in public.' —'[Dover] police officer pleads guilty to child porn distribution' JAILERS TO FEED HIM ONLY BREAD AND SPARKLING WATER — 'Former Hoboken Health Director Pellegrini sentenced to 2 years for embezzlement,' by Hudson County View's John Heinis: 'Former Hoboken Department of Health and Human Services Director Leo Pellegrini received a two-year prison sentence for embezzling hundreds and thousands of dollars from the city, Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. … While working for the City of Hoboken, Pellegrini embezzled money from the City of Hoboken by diverting approximately $223,500 in payments intended for the City of Hoboken to bank accounts he controlled, according to court documents.' — 'Toms River mayor won't pay $10K for summer band concerts, so Ocean County steps in' —'Lawsuit possible after Toms River rejects church plan for homeless shelter' —'[Point Pleasant] dad screamed at his son's football coach. Now he's banned from son's graduation' —'What does Phil Murphy's budget contain for the state-run Paterson police?' —'Fisher files ELEC complaint against Russo as Hoboken mayoral race heats up' —'Ex-Montclair teacher rejects plea deal, opts for trial on charges of threatening principal' EVERYTHING ELSE YOUTH SPORTS — 'Prey to play Youth sports breed sexual predators in N.J. New look-up tool reveals staggering data,' by NJ Advance Media's Matthew Stanmyre and Keith Sargeant: 'Youth sports in New Jersey have become infested with a shockingly high number of sexual predators. Indeed, a first-of-its-kind database compiled by NJ Advance Media tracking sexual predation in youth and high school sports shows that, since 2015, at least 118 youth sports coaches, trainers or industry workers have been accused of sex crimes across the state. That includes at least 62 instances of alleged sexual misconduct since 2020 alone — and 10 since the beginning of this year. Experts caution there are likely more instances of abuse happening over the same time frame that are not publicly known. For instance, the U.S. Center for SafeSport, a nonprofit that aims to reduce sexual abuse of minors and athletes in sports, lists 23 additional coaches with New Jersey ties in its centralized disciplinary database, meaning they've been deemed ineligible or suspended after an investigation found them in violation of the organization's code. That brings the total number of state coaches accused of misconduct to 141 in 10 years. The disturbing data has compelled several experts to describe a sexual abuse crisis in athletics.' BLACKWOOD HORROR — 'They said she was home-schooled. She said she was locked in a dog crate,' by The New York Times' Sarah Maslin Nir: 'It was dark out when the barefoot teenage girl barreled through the door of Susan Lacey's cottage in Blackwood, N.J., and released a torrent of words. She said she had been locked in a dog crate for a year and handcuffed to a toilet and not allowed to eat and didn't go to school but she did get to take the dogs outside and her stepfather sometimes touched her but she got to listen to music and ate from a bucket but her little sister didn't have to and she was really, truly Freddie Mercury, from Queen. She giggled. Ms. Lacey sat her down on the couch and told her to breathe. It took a moment for Ms. Lacey to recognize her: It was her neighbor's daughter, and though the girl lived just feet away, she was rarely seen outdoors, and had been home-schooled for the past seven years. She was 18 years old, her hair was shaved close and uneven, and she smelled foul. … Now prosecutors say they believe the teenager's claims of captivity and abuse. Camden County prosecutors have leveled more than 30 criminal charges combined against the girl's mother, Brenda Spencer, 38, and stepfather, Branndon Mosley, 41, including aggravated assault, criminal restraint, kidnapping and weapons offenses. Mr. Mosley is also facing numerous counts of sexual assault. Both could face up to life in prison if convicted of some of the most serious charges.' —'Where experts say NJ should spend opioid settlement funds' —'Newly minted NJ college grads face tougher job prospects. Here's why'
