Latest news with #SeanSpiller
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
NJ governor election: Who is running for NJ governor 2025? Check out the list.
The 2025 primary is June 10 in New Jersey. Here are the ballot choices for governor that await Democratic and Republican voters who enter polling stations Tuesday. Hot topics: New Jersey farmers want to see these concerns tackled by a new governor Steve Sweeney, a former state Senate president. Sean Spiller, president of the New Jersey Education Association and former Montclair mayor. Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop. U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-NJ. U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-NJ. Issues: How GCL rail, other South Jersey public transit initiatives may hinge on governor's race Jack Ciattarelli, the GOP's 2021 gubernatorial nominee and a former state assemblyman. State Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union. Bill Spadea, a former conservative talk radio host. Justin Barbera, a contractor from Vincentown. Mario M. Kranjac, an attorney and former Englewood Cliffs mayor. Joe Smith is a N.E. Philly native transplanted to South Jersey 36 years ago, keeping an eye now on government in South Jersey. He is a former editor and current senior staff writer for The Daily Journal in Vineland, Courier-Post in Cherry Hill, and the Burlington County Times. Have a tip? Support local journalism with a subscription. This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: On Tuesday, Democrats Republicans pick their 2025 governor nominees
Politico
5 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Spiller super PAC spent $8.3M just on canvassing
Presented by Good Thursday morning! The super PAC that's unofficially running NJEA President Sean Spiller's campaign for governor has spent as much just on canvassing as his rival candidates' actual campaigns are allowed to spend, period. Yesterday, NJEA critic Mike Lilley's group pointed out an odd-seeming $8.3 million in expenditures on the financial disclosure of the super PAC, Working New Jersey, which is funded with $40 million entirely by the union. All that money went to AP Consulting Firm in Newark, which as far as I can tell is a tiny company run by former Newark Board of Education member Ariagna Perello that specializes in tax prep. That's actually payment for Working New Jersey's field operation, according to the super PAC's spokesperson Eddie Vale. He said it's run by James Souder, who was briefly Newark's director of neighborhood and recreational services but stepped down amid an alleged nude photo incident and general dissatisfaction with his job performance, and later served as a legislative director for the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, according to his LinkedIn page. Perello, he said, is administering it. Vale told me the canvassing operation is in all 21 counties. 'Working New Jersey's field program remains active in all of these counties as part of what is certainly the biggest GOTV operation, independent or otherwise, in the Democratic primary, especially now during early vote and the final six days of the campaign,' he said. 'Biggest GOTV operation' seems like an understatement. All five of Spiller's Democratic rivals are taking matching funds from the state, which basically limits them to spending $8.7 million. And while there are super PACs doing field work for some of Spiller's rivals, none of them approach $8.3 million. And that figure was with two weeks to go before the primary, so it will almost certainly be larger. By contrast, Ras Baraka's campaign has spent about $685,000 on canvassing through his brother Middy's consulting firm, and it broke down the expenses to include every person receiving the walking-around money. Or to make an even more stark comparison, Working New Jersey's field operation alone costs more than 24 times the roughly $342,058.84 Sean Spiller's campaign reported spending since he launched his campaign a year ago. Have I ever mentioned that our campaign finance system is absurd? FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — In Hoboken at 11 a.m. for a Unilever headquarters opening. In Newark at 1:15 p.m. for a 'ratepayer relief' announcement. And in Oceanport at 6:30 p.m. for a New Jersey Theatre Alliance gala. QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'The whole thing is looking like the three-way standoff in the movie Reservoir Dogs. And that shoot-out turned out poorly for everyone involved.' — Princeton's Sam Wang and FairVote's David Daley on the Democratic primary in a Philadelphia Inquirer op-ed advocating for ranked choice voting. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Kevin Peng, Shereef Elnahal, Dan Harris, Charles Rosen. WHAT TRENTON MADE HE'S LITERALLY PHONING IT IN — 'Even Offstage, Trump Is Everywhere in New Jersey's Governor's Race,' by The New York Times' Tracey Tully: 'President Trump has played a starring role throughout the race for governor of New Jersey, thanks to his stronger-than-expected showing last November in the Democrat-led state. But his influence on the Republican and Democratic primaries, set for Tuesday, was impossible to miss this week. On Monday night, just hours before the start of early voting, Trump held a dial-in telephone rally for the candidate he endorsed last month, a Republican former assemblyman named Jack Ciattarelli, who is making his third run for governor. Ciattarelli was at the front of a five-candidate G.O.P. pack long before he earned Trump's backing. Still, if Ciattarelli wins Tuesday's primary and beats the Democratic nominee in November, the president will rightly be able to claim some credit. Only New Jersey and Virginia are holding races for governor this year, and the contests will offer an early gauge of voter attitudes toward Trump, five months into his second term as president. He seemed to allude to that looming scorecard on the call, reminding listeners that the race was 'being watched, actually, all over the world.'' — 'New Jersey primary sets up the first major fight for the Democratic Party's future' EVERYBODY'S GONE SURVEYING. SURVEYUSA — It doesn't really tell us anything about the primary, but a new poll conducted by SurveyUSA for the advocacy group Education Reform Now has some numbers worth looking at considering the dearth of polling. The poll of 576 likely voters shows Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer with the highest net favorability ratings of seven candidates for governor: All six Democrats and Republican Jack Ciattarelli (it did not ask about Bill Spadea). Sherrill is at +12 and Gottheimer at +13. Ciattarelli is at +4, Ras Baraka +3 and Sean Spiller +3. The two Steves, Sweeney and Fulop, are just barely in the negative, at -2 and -1, respectively. The poll also asked voters' attitudes towards President Trump. He's 44 percent approve to 53 percent disapprove, a -9 net favorability rating. It's not apples to apples, but that's worse than the 47-47 approval rating split in a recent Emerson poll, but significantly better than the -21 approval rating he had in a May 2017 Quinnipiac poll. See the poll questions and results here. The poll's credibility interval is +/- 6.1 percentage points. POWER — 'Utilities plan to delay (but not decrease) electric rate hikes for New Jersey customers,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Wayne Parry: 'New Jersey's main utility companies plan to delay steep increases in the price of electricity until the fall, but customers will still pay every penny of the higher rates, just spread out over time. Three utility companies say they have requested permission from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to defer the significantly higher rates brought on by the most recent supplier auction held by PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator … The steps proposed by the power companies, in response to a request by Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, will be but a reprieve for customers; unless they qualify for financial assistance, they will still pay the full amount of the increases, but the cost could be spread out over as many as six months.' SKINT TAG — 'Murphy plans to axe summer tuition aid for college students,' by NJ Spotlight News' Hannah Gross: 'For a growing number of low-income college students, summer does not necessarily mean time off from school. The expansion of the Tuition Aid Grant program to include summer classes has allowed students to continue toward their degree at a lower cost — but this could be the last summer the financial aid is available. Gov. Phil Murphy's proposed budget does not include funding for Summer TAG, which has helped around 24,000 students in its first two years. At budget hearings, college presidents called for the Legislature to add $30 million for summer tuition aid to the budget for next year so the program can continue in summer 2026. This is one of several requests from higher education leaders, who are raising alarm about potential cuts at the state and federal levels. 'It's a perfect storm of disinvestment,' said Eric Friedman, president of Bergen Community College.' GOTTHEIMER — 'Former Gaza hostage Edan Alexander and his family support Democrat in tight N.J. governor race,' by NJ Advance Media's Brent Johnson: 'Edan Alexander, the New Jersey native who was recently released after being held hostage for 19 months in Gaza, and his family wrote a letter supporting U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer as he runs in the state's tight Democratic primary for governor, now in its closing days, NJ Advance Media has learned. Alexander, a soldier for the Israeli army, on May 11 became the last living American hostage set free by Hamas. … The family wrote the letter a week after Alexander's release ... They said they were in Israel, 'embracing every moment of Edan's return to our lives.'' — 'Eleven towns that tell the story of New Jersey's Democratic brawl for governor' — Kean Sr.: 'We all lose without local news' — 'Goal of NJ school segregation suit is not to revoke home rule law, attorney says' — 'In school segregation case, New Jersey opposes appeal as think tank urges court to consider remedy' — 'New Jersey teachers bankroll the $40 million man' — 'New Jersey has given $37.5M in matching funds to governor hopefuls' — Pizarro: 'Critical Context on 'the Establishment' Candidacy of Mikie Sherrill' TRUMP ERA AN ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED TO FREE SPEECH — 'Surveilled, detained: Feds pursue Paterson woman a year after Gaza protest,' by The Record's Hannan Adely: 'Leqaa Kordia of Paterson said she soon found that the Department of Homeland Security was investigating nearly every aspect of her life. They interrogated her mother, uncle, a clothing store owner and tenants of an apartment that she briefly rented. … The scrutiny, described in a federal lawsuit, came nearly a year after her participation at a demonstration on April 30, 2024, outside the gates of Columbia University. New York City police arrested 119 protesters on and off campus that day, including Kordia, a Palestinian who had been in the United States since 2016. Although charges were dropped, the arrest put her on federal authorities' radar, the lawsuit shows. In March, the Department of Homeland Security announced Kordia had been arrested for overstaying her student visa. Kordia's mother had filed a family-based petition for her to become a permanent resident that she mistakenly thought gave her temporary legal status, her attorneys said. Today, she remains in Texas at the Prairieland Detention Facility, 1,500 miles away from her family, held in what her attorneys describe as 'inhumane conditions.'' — Testa: 'Don't let NJ Democrats distract you with their epic failures. Medicaid is safe' — 'CBO: Nearly 11 million people will be uninsured if GOP megabill becomes law' LOCAL FROM RENAISSANCE SCHOOLS TO A DARK AGE — 'Camden students bring concerns about budget cuts to New Jersey Department of Education,' by WHYY's P. Kenneth Burns: 'At least two dozen Camden students traveled Wednesday to Trenton to protest looming budget cuts being made to the state-run school district, voicing frustration and fear over what the reductions could mean for their education. And they didn't come alone. Community members and representatives from the Camden Education Association, New Jersey Education Association, NAACP New Jersey State Conference Youth and College Division and New Jersey Working Families Party also showed up to support the student-led rally outside of the New Jersey Department of Education building. … Several students spoke of their hurt that more than 100 people, including teachers and a cast of support staff, will be laid off to cover a $91 million budget deficit. The deficit was announced by state District Superintendent Katrina T. McCombs on April 30, along with a series of moves to balance the budget, including the layoffs. 'I am devastated,' said Kevin Duncan, a Camden High School student. 'There is no emotions and words that can describe this feeling that I'm feeling today.'' PATERSON — 'Paterson shootings down from 31 in 2024 to 20 this year,' by the Paterson Press' Joe Malinconico: 'As summer approaches, Paterson has seen a significant decrease in gun violence in 2025, according to data released by the city police department on June 3. The city had 20 shooting incidents during the first five months of this year, compared to 31 over the same time period in 2024, a 35.5% reduction, the police department said. Meanwhile, the number of shooting victims in Paterson from January through May dropped by about 50% compared to the first five months of last year, when 41 people were killed or injured by gunfire in the city, officials said. The 2025 drop in gun violence has been unmatched over the past decade … Paterson PBA President Angel Jimenez attributed the drop in shootings to the violent crime suppression initiative, which uses overtime to assign extra officers to notorious trouble spots … As part of the state takeover, Gov. Phil Murphy's administration has allocated an extra $20 million for Paterson police operations, including millions spent on overtime to increase police presence on the streets.' 500-PERSON TOWN HAS ITS OWN POLICE FORCE, SCHOOL BOARD — 'West Wildwood could look to supplement cops, not disband,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Bill Barlow: 'The Board of Commissioners will consider contracting with an outside police department to cover overnight shifts for its understaffed and overstressed police … On Monday, a report from the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police on West Wildwood became public, outlining multiple problems with the department. They included serious staffing woes, along with raising concerns about procedure for handling evidence, training officers for leadership and responsibilities for investigation … But the conclusion of the report was that the department should be disbanded, contracting with Wildwood for police service. A group of West Wildwood residents does not want to see that happen. More than 200, out of a year-round population of about 540, are part of a Facebook group called 'Save the West Wildwood Police Department.'' MR. GUYBACHEV, PUT UP THIS WALL BETWEEN UNION CITY AND NORTH BERGEN — 'Hudson County officials celebrate a piece of the Berlin Wall coming to Secaucus park,' by Hudson County View's Daniel Ulloa: 'Hudson County officials celebrated a piece of the Berlin Wall that separated West Berlin from East Germany during the Cold War was installed in Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus yesterday. 'It's a powerful symbol of a world once divided: It marked the triumph of the human spirit, that moment changed the world,' Hudson County Cultural and Heritage Affairs Director Gina Hulings said at the ceremony. ... Hudson County Executive Craig Guy also expressed enthusiasm about the unveiling. 'This is an historic event, right? We have a piece of the Berlin Wall that comes all the way across the pond, all the way to Hudson County … It finds itself in one of the best parks,' he stated.' MANALAPOLOGY — 'Mayor's wife wrote apology letter after stealing $5K at housekeeping job, police say,' by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino: 'The wife of a mayor in Monmouth County wrote a letter of apology to a friend she worked for as a housekeeper after the friend allegedly caught her on a security camera stealing cash, according to police. Jennifer Nelson, 52, of Manalapan, was charged with third-degree theft on May 22 for an incident that allegedly occurred a week earlier at a home in Freehold, according to police. The victim is identified in court records as Nelson's friend, and someone whose home Nelson cleaned for eight years.' — 'New Jersey primary 2025: Here's what to know about Camden Mayor Vic Carstarphen's reelection bid and City Council races' — 'Turnout so far: 9% for Demcorats, 5% for GOP' — 'Ex-[Mount Arlington] councilman who took an envelope of cash from a secret hotel meeting will avoid jail' — 'Democrat running for Wayne mayor: My primary opponent is a 'lifelong Republican'' — 'Jersey Shore firefighter wins court battle over growing beard on religious grounds' — '[Salem City] man says he's fighting for justice after beloved bulldog dies in animal control custody' — 'N.J. suspends license of [Penns Grove] department's top cop over licensing dispute involving other cops' — 'Jersey City Police Officer Freeman is 6th candidate to formally declare for mayor' EVERYTHING ELSE THE CRUCIFIX IS IN — Lawmakers threaten Seton Hall funding amid new scandal, by POLITICO's Dustin Racioppi: Seton Hall University could lose $1 million in state funding over its handling of sexual abuse scandals. Two influential state senators said in a statement that they are 'no longer confident that Seton Hall deserves funding from NJ taxpayers,' following new allegations of sexual abuse and hazing in the school's baseball program. Those claims, detailed in a new lawsuit, follow POLITICO's reporting that the university hired its new president despite recommendations he not hold leadership positions because he didn't properly report sexual abuse allegations as a seminary leader. And even though the Catholic university's church leader ordered an investigation into how the new president was hired, Seton Hall has blocked a key witness from testifying, setting up a power clash at the country's oldest diocesan university. State Sens. Joseph Vitale and Andrew Zwicker said they are 'particularly disturbed' by that decision and are now 'confronted with allegations that go to the heart of the university's culture and failure of leadership.' — 'Sailor returned from combat to find his beloved dog was given away; he wants Archie back' — 'Decorative helicopter mishap cost American Dream over $20M, developer says' — 'Cliffside Cube? A new style duplex is rising in northern NJ. And it's everywhere'
Politico
7 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Super PAC spending smashes records
Presented by Good Tuesday morning! An obscene amount of money is being thrown around in the primary by super PACs and mostly backing the Democratic candidates. I counted $70 million spent this year by super PACs on the gubernatorial candidates as of May 27, and that's being conservative. Several super PACs have spent more than the actual candidates are allowed to spend in the gubernatorial public financing program. To put this in perspective, during the 2021 race for governor, independent expenditure groups spent $58 million — on the primary and the general, and for both gubernatorial and legislative candidates. This year we went way over that with two weeks left in the primary. No one has spent anywhere near what the NJEA has to boost its president Sean Spiller's candidacy. The union has poured $40 million into Working New Jersey, the Spiller super PAC that has blanketed the state with mailers and ads. It's kept Spiller in the running, but didn't get him out of the pack. His candidacy never appeared to surge. But a May Emerson poll puts him well within the margin of error of every candidate except Mikie Sherrill. The Spiller spend is eye-popping, but I want to highlight something that risks being lost in the glut of data. One of the two super PACs backing Josh Gottheimer's gubernatorial bid, No Surrender, has raised $1.9 million from a few donors. The biggest donor, Maryland developer Andrew Schwartzberg, gave $1 million. The second biggest donor, No Surrender Action Fund, gave $750,000. But No Surrender Action Fund is a nonprofit that's not required to disclose donors. And it doesn't appear to be doing so voluntarily. It's fairly common practice, but antithetical to transparency, for political insiders to use nonprofits to hide the identities of donors. Sean Caddle used to do it quite a bit. A group of donors did the same thing with a $400,000 donation in the early days of Steve Fulop's super PAC, Coalition for Progress. (Bloomberg reported a year later that $100,000 of that money came from Charles and Jared Kushner and their development company.) I reached out to the attorney whose name is on paperwork for both the No Surrender PAC and No Surrender Action Fund, but I didn't hear back. All I can find about its funding is a $4,804 grant from Opportunity for All Action Fund, a dark money group that in 2022 spent more than $1 million to help a handful of House Democratic candidates, including Gottheimer, Tom Malinowski and Donald Payne Jr. I can't help but wonder why the origin of that money is obscured. But I suppose I'm biased in favor of transparency. FEEDBACK? Reach me at mfriedman@ WHERE'S MURPHY — No public schedule QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'You know what they need to do for crowd control on the Seaside boardwalk? They need to have another Bill Spadea rally. That kept the crowds away.' — Reporter Brian Donohue, who worked with Spadea on Chasing News, on The Jersey Angle podcast HAPPY BIRTHDAY — John McKeon, Terence Grado WHAT TRENTON MADE VOTE — As a reader of this daily newsletter on New Jersey politics and government, I probably don't need you to remind you to vote. But anyway, early in-person voting starts today. Find your early voting polling location here. SMELLS LIKE MEAN SPIRIT — 'Elon Musk claims 'corruption' as Tesla chargers kicked off the New Jersey Turnpike,' by NJ Advance Media's Stephanie Loder: 'Tesla CEO Elon Musk is crying foul about the move away from Tesla chargers on the New Jersey Turnpike. The New Jersey Turnpike Authority said on Friday it was parting ways with Tesla, ordering 64 Superchargers to be removed from the super highway connecting northern and southern New Jersey. 'Sounds like corruption' Musk posted May 30 on social media. Tom Feeney, a spokesperson for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, disputed Musk's 'corruption' comment in an email on Monday. Applegreen has an agreement with the Turnpike Authority to operate the service areas on the Turnpike and Garden State Parkway, he said. Feeney said the agreement was amended in 2023 to include EV chargers. Applegreen agreed in that amendment to install 240 universal open-access EV chargers on the Turnpike and Parkway.' SLAPP DOWN — 'Case closed? Not so fast. N.J. law could hit those who file lawsuits with legal costs,' by NJ Advance Media's Colleen Murphy: 'Several people and organizations can pursue a claim for reimbursement of attorney's fees, even after a case against them was dropped, a New Jersey appeals court has ruled in a precedent setting decision. The case began in October 2023, when Allen J. Satz filed a lawsuit over a flyer circulated in a Jewish community in Bergen County. According to court documents, the flyer urged him to give his wife a religious divorce, known as a get. Satz claimed it included an unflattering photo of him and the flyer called for a protest outside his parents' home. He sued for emotional distress and demanded $30 million in damages … After court proceedings began, Satz voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit. But the targets of the lawsuit asked the court to continue the case, not to challenge the claims, but to seek reimbursement for their legal fees. They based their request on New Jersey's new Uniform Public Expression Protection Act, a law passed in 2023 to prevent people from using lawsuits to silence others who speak out on public issues. Known as an anti-SLAPP law, or Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, it allows courts to quickly dismiss meritless lawsuits. The law also permits courts to award legal fees to those unfairly targeted. A Bergen County Superior Court judge denied the request, saying that because the lawsuit had been dropped, the defendants couldn't pursue legal fees. But the appeals court disagreed.' TEENS BEHAVING BADLY — 'Cops can now charge people for inciting a brawl under new N.J. law aimed at pop-up parties,' by NJ Advance Media's Eric Conklin: 'Authorities in New Jersey will be able to charge anyone who starts or provokes a brawl after Gov. Phil Murphy signed bipartisan-backed legislation law Monday to address disorderly crowds and 'pop-up parties.' The governor signed the bill about a month after conditionally vetoing the legislation, which establishes fourth-degree penalties for inciting a public brawl. Violators could face fines and potential jail time … The law, which carries up to 18 months jail time and a $10,000 fine, takes effect immediately … Murphy, in vetoing the bill last month, asked for the legislation to be clarified so it could not be unintentionally applied to those gathering for peaceful protests and demonstrations.' PAID FAMILY LEAVE, BUT FOR BRAWLING AT WRESTLING MATCHES — 'Polistina bill would reimburse businesses for letting workers attend kids' school events,' by The Press of Atlantic City's Wayne Parry: 'Hoping to encourage businesses to give workers paid time off to attend their children's school events, New Jersey lawmakers are considering reimbursing companies for the time workers are away from the job for this purpose. A bill by state Sen. Vince Polistina, R-Atlantic, would establish an incentive program under which companies that provide full family leave benefits for their workers would get tax credits to reimburse them for the time their workers were off the job while attending their children's school events, including parent-teacher conferences, meetings, plays, graduations or other similar events. 'We've been looking for ways to get parents more involved in their kids' school activities, and talking with teachers and educators, this seemed like a good way to do it,' Polistina said.' NO KINGS — 'Sports icon endorses Democrat in tight N.J. governor race,' by NJ Advance Media's Brent Johnson: 'Tennis legend Billie Jean King, an icon of women's sports — and sports in general — will endorse U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill for New Jersey governor as the state's fierce Democratic primary enters its final stretch, NJ Advance Media has learned. King is set to announce her support Monday for Sherrill, who's vying to become only the second female governor in state history. Sherrill is one of six candidates running in the primary for the Democratic nomination to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.' — Stile: 'How will New Jersey Democrats shape the party's future in the June 10 primary?' — 'In the age of Trump, national politics dominate a Republican primary' — 'As housing prices rise, Murphy wants a tax increase' — Snowflack: 'LD-33 and the center of the Hudson political universe' — 'New Jersey asks appellate court to deny school desegregation case appeal' — 'N.J. adds 9k voters in May as unaffiliateds lead the way' — 'New law goes into effect requiring companies to be transparent about salary' — 'Jersey First means our families, our communities, our freedoms. I'm Bill Spadea, running for N.J. governor' — 'An unapologetic progressive, standing up for freedom: I'm Ras Baraka, running for N.J. governor' — 'Lower costs. Lower taxes. The promise of Jersey is at stake. I'm Josh Gottheimer, running for N.J. governor' — 'The system is broken. Let's fix it, build a future that works: I'm Steven Fulop, running for N.J. governor' TRUMP ERA TELERELLI — Trump reemphasizes support for Ciattarelli in telerally, by POLITICO's Madison Fernandez: President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for Jack Ciattarelli ahead of next week's Republican gubernatorial primary in New Jersey — even as his opponent portrays himself as the most MAGA. 'Other people are going around saying I endorsed them,' Trump said during a telephone town hall on the eve of early in-person voting. 'That's not true. Jack Ciattarelli has my complete and total endorsement. With your help, Jack will have an incredible victory in November and make New Jersey great again.' ... [Rival Bill] Spadea has downplayed the endorsement as the president backing a 'poll, not a plan.' In advertisements, he has continued to use a clip of Trump praising Spadea from his radio show last year and a photo of them together. OOOH, IT'S A LITTLE RUNWAY — 'Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to announce the reopening of a runway at Newark airport,' by News 12's Joti Rekhi: 'With summer vacation near, a runway at Newark Liberty International Airport is set to reopen today. The announcement is 13 days ahead of schedule … There was pressure to get the runway completed as quickly as possible because of all the recent issues causing delays and cancellations at the airport.' INSUFFRAGEABLE — 'Menendez has voted. It may be his last vote for a while,' by New Jersey Globe's David Wildstein: 'Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez returned his mail-in ballot on April 28, and unless President Donald Trump pardons him, this could be the last time he votes for the next decade as he prepares to begin his eleven-year prison sentence on June 17. When Menendez cast his vote-by-mail ballot, he expected to report to a federal prison on June 6, four days before the June 10 Democratic primary. Under state law, incarcerated individuals may not vote. Since county election officials may separate VBM ballots as early as June 5, Menendez might have been able to vote from prison illegally.' — 'MAGA erupts over Booker's gesture, which they saw as 'Nazi' salute. Just a wave, he said" LOCAL WHITE FLIGHT TO OCEAN COUNTY — 'Florida's white ibis are thriving in NJ and nesting in Ocean County for 1st time,' by the Asbury Park Press' Amanda Oglesby: 'A species of bird common in southern, coastal states is beginning to thrive in New Jersey's marshes as their population moves northward, according to a biologist with the state Department of Environmental Protection. For the first time, pairs of white ibis were recently recorded nesting in Ocean County, said Christina Davis, the principal zoologist for the endangered and nongame species program in the state department's division of Fish and Wildlife. 'They just naturally are shifting a little bit northward,' she said. In May, hobbyist photographer Shawn Wainwright of Toms River spotted an 11-bird white ibis flock at Island Beach State Park.' THE WILD WILD WEST WILDWOOD — 'Tiny N.J. boro considers future of its police department after report says disbanding it is an option,' by NJ Advance Media's Eric Conklin: 'A report released Monday by the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police says disbanding the West Wildwood police department is among the options the borough should explore. The department is short-staffed and disorganized, according to the report, and has not been following state-mandated policies. For example, it stores evidence in 'different spaces of the building' instead of one location. The report lists a number of changes be instituted within the department, including new recruiting efforts, training and audits.' — 'Hoboken council to follow Jersey City's lead to ban rent-setting algorithms' — 'Cash-only mystery landlord in Lakewood emerges after fire reveals illegal housing set up' — '[Jersey City] cops put a bag on his head, assaulted him outside of a bar, N.J. man claims in lawsuit' EVERYTHING ELSE XANADON'T — 'American Dream assessed value dropped by $800M in 2025 because of its vacancy rate,' by The Record's Daniel Munoz: 'The assessed property value at American Dream, the second-largest mall in the U.S., dropped by more than $800 million in 2025 — or 24% — as local officials took into account the vacancy rate at the mall, which has struggled to generate the revenue promised years ago. For the current 2025 tax year, the mall's land was assessed at $2.5 billion, down from over $3.3 billion in the previous year. The mall's construction was financed by over $1 billion in tax incentives, grants and bonds. As of Jan. 1, the mall was 87% leased, according to public filings. The mall's vacancy rate was one of the reasons the assessed property value was lowered, said East Rutherford's tax assessor, James Anzevino. American Dream has appealed its property tax value every year since opening in 2019, arguing in recent years that the megamall's revenue has taken a major blow from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic shocks.' — 'NJ suburban strip malls reinvent themselves to become 'Amazon-proof'' IT'S BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE AMY DEGISE TURNED 20 — 'New Jersey teen drivers ranked the best, but should avoid driving in Delaware; here's why,' by USA Today Network's Damon C. Williams: 'When your teen gets behind the wheel this summer to drive to summer getaways in and Jersey shore beach days you can feel a bit better about their safety. Consumer Affairs ranked teen drivers in New Jersey as the very best in the nation … Teens in New Jersey were far and away the best drivers according to Consumer Affairs' States With the Worst Teen Drivers, highlighted by New Jersey teen drivers' perfect score — 0.0% — of fatalities involving teens driving under the influence. Teen drivers in New Jersey scored well across all Consumer Affairs metrics.' — 'June FIFA Club World Cup will be first indication of what's ahead for NJ in 2026 World Cup'
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Teachers union PAC has given $40M to group backing union president's gubernatorial run
Teachers union president Sean Spiller has eschewed traditional campaign fundraising methods and relies instead on massive support from an outside group connected to his union. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor) A super PAC aligned with statewide teachers union the New Jersey Education Association has put at least $40 million into an independent expenditure group backing the gubernatorial candidacy of Democrat Sean Spiller, the union's president, according to new campaign filings. Working New Jersey, the independent expenditure group, reported spending nearly $37.5 million in a preelection report filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission and made public Monday. All its money came from Garden State Forward, the teachers union super PAC. The spending dwarfs Spiller's own. The union leader was the only one of the six Democrats vying on June 10 for the nomination to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy to miss fundraising and spending thresholds needed to qualify for matching public funds and debates organized by the commission. Spiller reported raising a cumulative $438,817 on his most recent campaign filing. He's spent just $342,059 over the course of the cycle — nearly 110 times less than Working New Jersey has spent boosting his campaign. Asked to comment, Spiller said in a statement from his campaign that his backing comes from 'working folks.' 'I reject the premise that only corporations, Wall Street, and billionaires are allowed to back the candidates that represent their interests,' Spiller said. 'It's time working folks had a chance to speak too. I'm proud that my campaign is supported by tens of thousands of hard-working people all across the state who have made small-dollar donations to help us fight back against the insiders and wealthy interests who are trying to buy this election.' The Sunlight Policy Center, a frequent critic of the teachers union, characterized the news of Working New Jersey's new disclosures about its spending as New Jersey teachers 'being forced to fund Spiller's vanity run.' 'All of this money comes from teachers' highest-in-the-nation annual dues without their knowledge or consent. It's a scandal of the first order,' said the group's founder, Mike Lilley. The teachers union PAC has endorsed Spiller. The union had invited all other gubernatorial candidates to screen for its backing, but only Spiller did so, it said last August. Working New Jersey's role in Spiller's campaign is unusual. While candidates for high-profile offices like New Jersey's governorship often see independent expenditures boosting or dinging their candidacies, the degree to which Working New Jersey has supplanted traditional campaign infrastructure and spending stands out. The group has spent broadly. Its funds have paid for media buys across a range of platforms, a bevy of polls and research, and millions of dollars in consulting. The depth of its spending may well be unprecedented. Working New Jersey's $37.5 million in spending lags the combined spending of the race's five other Democrats by only $818,587, though some of those candidates are also receiving outside support, if at far lower levels. Independent spending in the 2017 governor's primary — that was the last year New Jersey had such a race with no incumbent on the ballot — totaled just $9.1 million, according to the Election Law Enforcement Commission. Garden State Forward, the PAC associated with the teachers union, gave a second independent expenditure group called Protecting Our Democracy $5 million between April 2022 and January 2024. Spiller appeared in ads crafted by Protecting Our Democracy to pledge to protect democracy and create affordable housing and conducted interviews on civic engagement for its social media channels. Protecting Our Democracy did not file a preelection report — its spending predates the start of the campaign and may not have to be reported — and it's not clear how much money it's put into the race. The group was last publicly active in May 2024, when it launched a 30-second ad with a voiceover from Spiller, who launched his gubernatorial campaign the following month. Candidates are barred by law from coordinating spending with independent expenditure groups. The race's other Democrats have also received outside support, though none at the level Spiller has enjoyed. Two independent expenditure groups backing Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-05) — Affordable New Jersey and No Surrender — have spent a combined $11.6 million boosting Gottheimer's candidacy. One Giant Leap PAC has put nearly $3.8 million behind Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11), while the Coalition for Progress has backed Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Assembly candidates he's recruited with $6.8 million. Former state Sen. Steve Sweeney received nearly $4.3 million in backing from the Building Bridges Voter Project. Early in-person voting for the primary begins Tuesday at 10 a.m., and residents have already returned more than 258,000 mail-in ballots. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Submit your question for the NJ gubernatorial forum on PIX11
NEW JERSEY (PIX11) – With the race for New Jersey's next governor heating up, Democratic candidates will address key issues at a forum on PIX11 News this Friday. Viewers can submit questions for the candidates by commenting on PIX11's social media accounts, including X, Facebook and Instagram. Submit your questions by Friday, May 23, to be included in this week's forum. More News: Politics Come June 10, New Jersey voters will weigh in on their party's nominee for governor. Democratic candidates participating in PIX11's debate Friday include: State Sen. Steve Sweeney, New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, Congressman Josh Gottheimer, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Stephen Fulop and Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. Recent exclusive polling by PIX11, Emerson College and The Hill revealed Sherrill is leading the Democratic field, while Republican voters are favoring former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli. Watch the forum by tuning in or streaming online starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 23. Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
