Tony Teixeira pleads guilty: Does this go any further?

From: POLITICO New Jersey Playbook - Tuesday Nov 22,2022 11:56 am

Nov 22, 2022

Good Tuesday morning!

Tony Teixeira, the longtime Union County Democratic operative who was most recently chief of staff to Senate President Nick Scutari, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion.

Is this all there is?

Teixeira’s guilty plea appears to be a product of Sean Caddle’s cooperation with the feds, as Caddle sits in home confinement awaiting sentencing for hiring hit men to kill his former associate, Michael Galdieri. Teixeira’s unreported income came from a network of super PACs and dark money groups Caddle formed, as well as some campaigns. Texeira and Caddle inflated expenses, according to prosecutors, and split the difference.

Almost everyone I talk to assumes Caddle’s cooperation will result in more than this. After all, he admitted hiring hit men. Would the feds really offer him home confinement for such a serious crime in order to take down one political operative?

But I’m not sure this prosecution is going to go much further. While state authorities subpoenaed entities related to Caddle’s finance network, that was three years ago . I haven’t heard of much else. And state Sen. Ray Lesniak told me he received a call from the feds following Teixeira’s guilty plea notifying him he was “a victim of fraud in both my Senate campaign and my gubernatorial campaign.”

Let’s look at the big picture. Teixeira admitted to skimming money from groups that were set up to influence elections around the state while hiding where the money came from. We got an inside peek into one of these groups and found the money came from firms that stood to benefit from contracts awarded by the people they helped elect.

I’m not suggesting anyone else committed a crime. But I don’t think this question is unreasonable: What’s the more serious problem?

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE’S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 289

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Dan Benson, Joe Libutti, Alan Steinberg

WHERE’S MURPHY? — In Newark for the city’s turkey giveaway at 1 p.m.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “God, he’s such an asshole.” — Assemblymember Brian Bergen (R-Morris) under his breath during a tense back-and-forth with Assemblymember Joe Danielsen on the concealed carry bill

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WHAT TRENTON MADE

PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE ARC TUNNEL WAS PROJECTED TO COST —“ Turnpike expansion price tag doubles to nearly $10.7B, intensifying criticism ,” by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: The price tag for a controversial expansion of the New Jersey Turnpike near the mouth of the Holland Tunnel has ballooned, deepening criticism of the project among environmentalists and mass transit advocates. The project, which was already one of the most expensive road projects in recent memory, is now expected to cost nearly $10.7 billion, more than double the previous $4.7 billion estimate.

LIFE INSURERS TURN DOWN GUN OWNER POLICIES, CITING COLD, DEAD HANDS — Assembly clears high-profile concealed carry bill after tense floor debate , by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The New Jersey General Assembly on Monday passed high-profile concealed carry legislation designed to mitigate the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling over the summer that drastically expanded who can carry firearms outside of the home. The bill, NJ A4769 (22R), passed, 42-29, with one abstention after more than 90 minutes of impassioned debate on the Assembly floor. The measure cleared entirely along party lines. The bill, which is still working its way through the state Senate, revamps the process for applying for a concealed carry permit and includes rigorous training requirements and increased fees. People allowed to carry guns would also be required to purchase liability insurance, the first statewide mandate of its kind should the measure become law. Perhaps most importantly, the bill lists 25 “sensitive places'' where guns would be prohibited, such as government buildings, day care and health care facilities.

ABORTION — “ NJ Democrats abandon drive for abortion constitutional amendment in 2023. Here's why ,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “Following the surprising strength of the abortion issue during the midterm contests, New Jersey Democratic leaders seized on what seems to be a slam-dunk issue for the 2023 elections, when all 120 seats of the Legislature will be up for grabs. The plan: ask voters next November to approve a constitutional guarantee of reproductive rights in New Jersey. It was an advantage that the Democrats could not ignore, an instant vote-magnet in a blue, pro-choice state like New Jersey … But Democratic leaders, facing surprising and unified pressure from abortion rights advocates and a limited window for the necessary legislative approval by the end of this year, canceled the effort Sunday … In an interview Friday, Cornell also expressed concerns that a political battle over a constitutional amendment would be costly and divert resources that could be better spent on delivering health care services to New Jersey clients. Some $57 million poured into Michigan this fall over an abortion referendum. The bulk of the money came from progressive advocacy groups. ‘Let's say, ballpark, it's $20 million,'’ she said, estimating what it would cost to drum up public support in New Jersey for the initiative. ‘How many health centers can I open with that much money?’”

— Scutari: 'We'll continue to consider' a constitutional amendment on abortion in the future

LABOR — Temp workers bill of rights bill pulled from Senate agenda at last minute , by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman and Carly Sitrin : A bill to provide better wages and protections for temporary workers stalled for a second time Monday, at least in part because of a recent rule change in the Senate to no longer allow members with Covid to vote remotely. At the last minute, the so-called "Temp Workers Bill of Rights" measure, NJ S511 (22R), which would enact job protections for temporary workers and set standards for the agencies that employ them, was pulled from the Senate’s agenda, Sen. Joe Cryan (D-Union) said. Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Essex), the bill’s co-sponsor, is home with Covid and could not participate in the vote. It’s not yet clear if her vote would have put the bill over the top, as the bill was pulled before the Senate session began. The bill would need 21 votes to pass.

GOOD NEWS IS NO NEWS — ” Good numbers for NJ show few signs of economic trouble ,” by NJ Spotlight News’ John Reitmeyer: “Amid growing concerns about a potential recession, the latest economic reports for New Jersey show continued low unemployment, robust state revenue collections and other signs of strength. … But while many of the topline figures remain promising heading into the end of the calendar year, there are some signs that growth, at least in some sectors of the state economy, may be slowing.”

—“ Name changes in N.J. no longer open to the public under Murphy order to benefit transgender residents ”

— New Jersey fills months-long vacancy on Waterfront Commission

—“ With NJ elections in rearview mirror, advocates focus on reforms down the road ”

—“ NJ is suing Big Oil for causing the climate crisis. What would it take to win? ”

—“ Businessman Barry Wilkes entering GOP State Assembly race in 38th district ”

—” Senator wants to force utilities to offer federal aid for residents behind on water bills ”

—Snowflack: “ Lonegan signals Republican free-for-all ”

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BIDEN TIME

FINALLY, A REASON FOR SCHEPISI AND AUTH TO DISAGREE — “ N.J. Republicans grappling with Trump’s influence as they aim to retake state Legislature ,” by NJ Advance Media’s Brent Johnson and Jonathan D. Salant: “All 120 seats will be on the ballot, and state Sen. Holly Schepisi said she has a ‘strong’ feeling about her party’s chances of dethroning the Democrats. That is, she noted, if Republicans reject former President Donald Trump. ’For the sake of the party, we’ve got to rebrand, refocus. It can no longer be about one person,’ said Schepisi, R-Bergen … But there is no broad agreement. State Assemblyman Robert Auth, R-Bergen, a longtime Trump supporter, said the former president put forth ‘ideas that resonated not only with Republicans but a lot of people’ and ‘they felt the alternative was dour.’ ‘Now it’s up to him to maybe tone down the rhetoric a little bit,’ Auth said. So will he back him again? ‘I think his policies are vastly superior to the policies we are living under,’ Auth said. ‘Right now, he’s my man.’”

—Steinberg: “ ‘Post – 2022 election: Ciattarelli’s continuing albatross: Trump’ ”

HOUSING — “ Where did all the affordable NJ middle-class homes go? Here is what needs to change ,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Michael L. Diamond: “ New Jerseyans are getting squeezed out of the housing market, a trend that intensified during the pandemic when demand for homes soared, while inventory shrank. It resulted in record-high prices that are increasingly outside the reach of even middle-class residents. It's a problem that in New Jersey can look intractable. The state has a history of home rule that allows towns and existing homeowners to fight back against development. But a growing chorus of lawmakers, economists, developers and advocates is urging towns to ease their zoning restrictions and help with the housing shortage. ‘Sometimes zoning decisions aren't always made in the best interest of all New Jersey residents,’ said state Sen. Troy Singleton … In Monmouth County, the median price of a single-family home increased from $450,000 at the start of the pandemic in February 2020 to $640,000 in September, or 42%.”

—“ After 'disappointing' call, Pascrell pressures FAA to address North Jersey helicopter noise ”

LOCAL

R.I.P. — “ Englewood superintendent dies, son injured in Yonkers car crash ,” by The Record’s Stephanie Noda and Nicholas Katzban: “The Englewood Public School District’s superintendent, who had just begun working for the district in August, died Sunday in a car crash. The Westchester County Police Department received a call about the crash that killed Superintendent Ronel Cook, 51, of Newburgh, N.Y., at 1:16 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Cook’s 2015 Nissan Altima went up an embankment after getting off the Cross County Parkway in Yonkers, hitting a stone wall connected to the Seminary Avenue overpass. An investigation is still ongoing into what caused Cook’s car to veer off the roadway, said Kieran O’Leary, a police spokesperson.”

JIMMY DAVIS WANTS TO BE BETTE DAVIS — “ Plot twist: Bayonne proposes $65 million in bonds as incentive for $900 million film studio ,” by The Jersey Journal’s Teri West: “The film studio touted as one of the biggest ever commercial investments in Bayonne history may also receive a rare incentive from the city: millions of dollars in city bonds. As a part of a negotiated deal with the developer Togus Urban Renewal, the city is considering issuing $65 million in bonds to the 1888 Studios project that would bring a film studio to the former Texaco property near the Bayonne Bridge. While the city frequently offers developers incentives in the form of payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreements, it hasn’t offered redevelopment area bonds for a commercial project since 2015. So why is Bayonne planning to do so this time around? In part, because of just how unusual, and in the administration’s eyes, exciting, the project is for the peninsula city.”

THEY DE-ESCALATED THEMSELVES — “ Why hasn't Paterson's police de-escalation task force had a public meeting in 18 months? ” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “The ‘de-escalation’ task force created by Mayor Andre Sayegh in May 2021 to prevent conflicts between police officers and community members has not yet conducted any public meetings. In launching the task force as a tribute to George Floyd a year after he was murdered by Minnesota police officers, Sayegh issued an executive order that said the panel would hold four public meetings per year. He also said the task force would produce recommendations for the Police Department that ‘might improve screening, training, reporting and any other actions or practices that enhance de-escalation.’ But after 18 months, none of that has happened.”

REQUEST FOR POTPOSAL — “ Vineland has novel approach to cannabis businesses. Will it work? ” by The Daily Journal’s Joseph P. Smith: “The city is stoked by an idea that using a routine purchasing procedure could allow it be a whole lot choosier over who gets a municipal license to open a cannabis business here. City Solicitor Richard Tonetta said the idea originated in discussions about the cannabis industry that Vineland easily could be less a spectator and more a player. The opportunity would come just by using an old government standby: its authority to issue a ‘request for proposal.’”

BLASTEIN TO MAR ATLANTIC CITY — “$3B new neighborhood proposed for abandoned Atlantic City’s Bader airfield ,” by NJ Advance Media’s Tim Hawk : “Bart Blatstein … announced Monday a joint proposal to develop a large-scale residential community project in Atlantic City … Blatstein along with his partners … announced their ideas for a $3 billion development of Bader Field, a city-owned abandoned airport that closed in 2006. The proposed new neighborhood would be called ‘Casa Mar,’ built on 140 acres and would include 10,000 residential units, 400,000 square feet of office and retail space and 20 acres of trails, parks and amenities that would be open to the public. It would draw inspiration from Amsterdam and Venice ‘embracing the water and creating a new neighborhood here in Atlantic City,’ said Blatstein.”

—“ For Atlantic County families living in poverty, little room for error ”

— “ High turnout gave Maplewood, Millburn and South Orange nearly the same number of votes as Newark ”

—“ Mercer says emergency, mail-in ballots now counted; results will be certified before state deadlines ”

—“ Off-duty D.C. police officer’s SUV carjacked in [Elizabeth] authorities say ”

—“ [Guttenberg] cops attacked lawyer who argued with Uber driver, lawsuit says ”

—“ Teaneck election: Rise4Teaneck slate women take top three Council seats ”

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