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Below is Insider NJ’s Morning Intelligence Briefing:
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I believe in the organization. I believe if you have good candidates, organization, you win. I’ve had organization since I’ve been in this and my results are strictly based on that. We just brand differently now and we move forward.” – NJDSC and Essex County Democratic Chairman Jones following Judge Quraishi’s ruling that the county line is unconstitutional
TOP STORY: The End of the Line
The Morning Intelligence Briefing will be off from Wednesday, April 3rd through Tuesday, April 9th and will return on Wednesday, April 10th.
In a decision described as a ‘political earthquake‘ that could massively upend the state’s political system, Judge Quraishi ruled the county line unconstitutional in a decision handed down on Friday in the lawsuit filed by Rep. Andy Kim and his co-plaintiffs. The judge noted the ‘magnitude of the decision‘, which grants emergency injunctive relief against the current ballot design process for the 2024 Democratic Senate primary, opting instead for a office block style ballot used by all other states. Quraishi said that ‘the integrity of the democratic process for a primary election is at stake and the remedy Plaintiffs are seeking is extraordinary’ and warrants the ‘rare instance’ of relief. The judge on Saturday clarified that the ruling is ‘limited to the 2024 Democratic primary election only, and this court declines to extend the scope of its decision beyond the limitations of the present litigation’, blunting the initial assumption that it would apply to both parties’ primaries. The judge did note that nothing in the order prevents Republicans from using the office block ballot design.
The ruling gives Rep. Kim his second victory of the week, following chief rival First Lady Tammy Murphy’s departure from the race. Kim hailed the ruling as a ‘victory for a fairer, more democratic politics’ in the state. Kim said he expects some county leaders to attempt to circumvent the ruling, saying that state politics is ‘changing and there’s nothing they can do to hold it back’.
Defense counsel for county clerks, who formally filed an appeal, noted that with ballot printing and Vote-By-Mail starting soon, there is ‘significant concerns about the feasibility of compliance’ with the court ruling. Hudson County Clerk Maldonado was the first to withdraw his name from the appeal, according to Hudson County View.
Legislative leaders said they are reviewing the ruling, and that ‘nothing will change’ their commitment to their own review of the ballot design system, adding that the Legislature is the ‘appropriate body’ to ‘remedy’ any constitutional issues. Senate President Scutari expressed concern, saying that ‘money will be more than important than ever’ for candidates as a result of the ruling – ‘if it stands’.
The ruling could upend ‘boss politics’ beyond the Senate primary, including congressional primaries in CD3, CD8, and CD9, as well as the 2025 gubernatorial primary, according to Politico NJ.
The line ruling is sending shockwaves through the political establishment, according to NJ.com.
New Jersey and Lyft are at odds over the employment status of drivers, according to NJ Monitor.
Car dealers are ready to sell more electric cars – there’s just no demand, according to NJ.com.
Erosion is affecting shore town beaches, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Cape May County officials have doubts about naming a Parkway rest stop for Bruce Willis, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
Hunterdon County commissioners called for school funding formula reform, according to TAPinto.
The House GOP opened a probe into ‘pervasive’ anti-Semitism at Rutgers, according to MyCentralJersey.
ICYMI: Following Murphy departure, frontrunner Kim refrained from spiking the football; Murphy Senate exit ends counterproductive feud; Menendez may pursue independent re-election; insiders assess line implications, insiders scramble to assess potential line ruling, as behind-the-scenes questions abound, legislative leaders pledged to begin a ‘public process on ballot design’; establishment chokes down potential ‘line’ ruling
Rep. Kim is happy to be the reformer of the state’s primary system, according to Politico NJ.
GOP Senate hopefuls have differing views on the fate of ballot lines, according to SaveJersey.
Hudson County leaders and activists reacted to the end of the county line ruling, according to NJ.com, with several elected officials applauding the ruling, according to Hudson County View.
Morris County Democrats celebrated the end of the ‘line’.
Former Cape May County GOP Chairman Donohue says the line injunction ‘tramples on the rights of Americans to associate’, according to SaveJersey.
In CD3, Democratic candidate Sarah Shcoengood launched a campaign ad.
Former Passaic County Sheriff Speziale and his running mates urged the county clerk to drop the pending appeal of the county line lawsuit.
ICYMI: In CD5, battle underway; Quraishi instructed on line lawsuit; Zdan says unity beckons for Republicans; Kim’s delicate balancing act as he forges forward w/ line suit; GOP interest in toppling Sherrill waned; Insider NJ’s Who’s Up And Who’s Down; Murphy-Kim had all the drama of a food fight; GOP Senate hopefuls celebrated Menendez independent candidacy; Gottheimer wasted no time attacking Guinchard; Campos Medina’s defining image; Stack, Sacco unleash with renewed vigor; Baraka says ballot reform is ‘long overdue’; insiders absorbed contributions of Platkin, Fulop; BurlCo GOP endorsed candidates; in CD7, Kean v. Altman showcases a stark contrast in style; Devine indicted; Fulop rescinded Murphy endorsement; Campos-Medina blistered Camden Dems; in CD9, Pascrell fundraised amid party drama
In Atlantic City, most of the council was quiet after a search of the mayor’s home, according to the Press of Atlantic City. The mayor said he’ll address the search this morning, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Belmar, the battle is heating up over cell towers, according to NJ.com.
In Bernards, Asay and McNally got the GOP nod, according to NJ Hills.
In Camden, community center rentals may be doubled or tripled, according to TAPinto.
In Cape May, the city is considering digital beach tags, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Edison, an ordinance was introduced to regulate off-premises billboards, according to TAPinto.
In Greenwich, voters rejected a school referendum, according to TAPinto.
In Hanover, residents turned out in force to express frustration with speeders, according to NJ Hills.
In Madison, cops voiced displeasure after the borough filed arbitration, according to NJ Hills.
In Morristown, the ‘Green Crossing’ condos faced headwinds at the planning board, according to Morristown Green.
In Phillipsburg, the budget was introduced, according to Lehigh Valley Live.
In Roxbury, being towed may soon cost more, according to TAPinto.
In Saddle River, future options are being explored for middle school students, according to the Bergen Record.
In South Orange, recycling changed drastically, and other towns could follow, according to NJ.com.
In Toms River, the mayor dismissed a petition against police funding changes, according to NJ101.5.
In Upper Township, the GOP primary extends to party seats, according to the Press of Atlantic City.
In Warren, two GOP committeemembers pledged neutrality in the primary, according to NJ Hills.
In Willingboro, the court is slowing the pace of an official’s fraud trial, according to Burlington County Times.
ICYMI: In Jefferson, AFP, Jersey 1st held an event; in Hoboken, Dems endorsed Kim and Bhalla, Chair Hodes resigned; in Trenton, officials hoping for Starbucks change of heart
AROUND THE WEB:
Here’s how Andy Kim’s bombshell court win will remake Jersey politics | Moran
Tom Moran, Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- New Jersey politics will be turned on its head by Friday’s ruling from a federal judge that guts the power of the county bosses, all sides agree. But what exactly will the demolition of the infamous county line change? Let’s take a look.
Tammy Murphy, my brain thanks you | Opinion
Nancy Colasurdo
- I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I felt such relief at seeing Tammy Murphy’s announcement suspending her campaign to run for Senate on Sunday. Up to this point, I was only lightly invested in that race, dipping in and out of the news to keep up.
Look for life preservers as N.J. offshore wind hangs on | Editorial
South Jersey Times Editorial Board
- After the collapse of plans for Ørsted’s massive offshore wind projects off New Jersey’s Atlantic coast last fall, the outlook for two South Jersey ports being designed or repurposed for the projects became cloudy.
McGreevey: Twenty years later, my mistakes made me a better person | Opinion
Jim McGreevey
- In 2004, I resigned as Governor of the State of New Jersey as a result of poor decisions I made, and my life has been undoubtedly and irrevocably changed as a result of them. I am not sure what my life would be like if I did not make those decisions, or if I were born during a time when being gay was not viewed so disdainfully.
Find an alternative to Murphy’s brutal NJ Transit fare hike | Editorial
Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- Phil Murphy would like you to believe that he has solved NJ Transit’s annual budget burlesque with his new Corporate Transit Fee, but here’s the whole truth: While everyone applauds having a stable funding source for bus and rail operations after six years of fiscal shell games, it’s the governor’s job to make the lives of commuters better, and jacking up fares by 15% in June doesn’t exactly cohere with his grinning platitudes about affordability.
Two Mayors Separated by 7,586 Miles Find Common Ground in Somerville
Rod Hirsch, TAPinto.net
- Two elected officials a world apart spent an hour comparing their careers, responsibilities and challenges as public servants in New Jersey and Nepal and discovered that they had much in common, despite their cultural differences.
Two Princeton Residents Help Bring Down New Jersey’s Party Bosses
Richard K. Rein, TAPinto.net
- Two Princeton residents and academicians – Julia Sass Rubin of Rutgers and Princeton University’s Sam Wang – were among the experts quoted in the landmark decision regarding the “county line” ballot design handed down March 29 by U.S. District Court Judge Zahid Quraishi.
Column started in August resonates with current Trenton politics
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- Yazminelly Gonzalez held her annual back-to-school bash inside a Lamberton St. park named after her dad — Juan Martinez. Several hundred guests received much sought-after book bags, dined on summer party favorites of hot dogs and hamburgers, and listened to music that challenged ear drums.
Political disconnect ignores realities of human trafficking in New Jersey
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala) in her State of the Union rebuttal may have misrepresented facts about a female victim of sex trafficking but her misinformation paralleled reality for a City of Trenton victim. Britt experienced intense scrutiny for this lambast of President Joe Biden.
7 top-tier New Jersey towns for retirees, according to World Atlas
Tamara Walker, Asbury Park Press
- Are you sliding into the Golden years? World Atlas, a website publishing content about resources and entertainment on geography, has unmasked 7 Top-Ranked Towns In New Jersey that are perfect for retirees. New Jersey has small towns with excellent public transportation to ample recreational activities that provide escapes from urban hustle and bustle, providing seniors with a relaxing environment to enjoy their golden years, says World Atlas.
Praise to those who helped deliver a near-fatal blow to New Jersey’s county line
Terrence T. McDonald, NJ Monitor
- New Jersey’s county boss system got hit right where it hurts this week and there are a lot of people to thank. I’m thinking of the progressive activists who have spent years shedding light on the design of our primary ballots, which give candidates backed by party bosses an unfair advantage.
Q&A: What court ruling on county line means for N.J. primary elections this year — and in the future
Tom Bergeron, roi-nj.com
- In a monumental decision that could forever alter primary elections in New Jersey, U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi on Friday struck down the county organizational line, a unique ballot design that puts enormous power in the hands of the county leaders of the party. What does that mean?
What you need to know about the federal court ruling against ‘the county line’ in N.J. elections
Sean Collins Walsh and Jeremy Roebuck, Phiadelphia Inquirer
- U.S. District Judge Zahid Quraishi on Friday issued a ruling that has sent shock waves through New Jersey politics, siding with critics of the system by which the state determines where candidates appear on electoral ballots — known as “the county line” — and ordering a redesign before the June 4 primary.
Friendly Fire: The end of the line, Bibi blinks, and Christie bows out (reprise)
Star-Ledger Editorial Board
- Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we prove it every week. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends. Here, they discuss the week’s events with editorial page editor Tom Moran.
‘There are people in jail who have done far less’ than Trump, Mueller prosecutor says at Drew Forum
Marion Filler
- Special Counsel Robert Hur, who declined to prosecute President Biden for his handling of classified documents, went too far when he opined about the state of the 81-year-old leader’s memory. That’s the opinion of the lead prosecutor from the Mueller investigation on Russian interference in the 2016 election.
Trenton Family Dollar store closures are being blamed, at least in part, on theft
LA Parker, The Trentonian
- Thieves closed the Family Dollar store on Chambers Street in Trenton, at least according to one employee headed for the unemployment line. “It got so bad that people would come in and take stuff and we knew that they were stealing. But with hardly any security, they were able to just walk away. This was a great store for the community but (thieves) closed this place,” she said.
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