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Presented by Alibaba: Matt Friedman's must-read briefing on the Garden State's important news of the day | | | | |  | | By Matt Friedman | | | Good Wednesday morning! It was heartening that Alex Zdan, a former Statehouse reporter now seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, self-disclosed his 2020 DUI arrest — even though it surely would have come out once Zdan began winning some party endorsements. But Zdan didn’t go into details when he revealed his Hopewell Township arrest to New Jersey Globe. I believe the details are worth reporting because this doesn’t appear to have been a minor case of buzzed driving. According to the police reports from the incident, Zdan swerved into oncoming traffic and grazed another car, causing minor damage by knocking off its side mirror and scraping its side, and then left the scene. A cop eventually found him, the report says, sleeping in his Dodge Ram in a QuickChek parking up the road. The officer reported that he had “slurred speech, bloodshot and watery eyes, and a strong odor” of alcohol and found an open bottle of wine in his driver-side cup holder. The officer said Zdan failed the field sobriety tests; he blew a 0.25 — three times the legal limit. Zdan subsequently called then-girlfriend Lisa Coryell, a spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office, to pick him up. According to the report, Zdan told her “well it happened” and that he felt the arrest was “bound to happen.” (There is nothing in the report that indicates or suggests Coryell tried to pull any strings to help Zdan.) I think a couple points are worth noting. First, if the report is accurate, Zdan and the other driver were extraordinarily lucky. Had Zdan swerved just a little more into the other lane, it could have been a serious head-on collision with the possibility of serious injury, even death. The speed limit on that stretch of road is 45 miles per hour. What’s more, Zdan’s alleged statements on the phone raise the question of whether he had done this before. Zdan, who initially faced six charges and in a plea deal admitted two of them — driving under the influence and failing to report an accident — in a statement said it “was the first — and last — time I drove under the influence” and compared the “mistake I made one night, four years ago” to the sprawling corruption case against Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez. “I thank God no one was injured … but it should never have happened. I am not the same person I was that night. I have spent four years improving myself and striving to be a better man,” Zdan wrote. As far as his statements about it being “bound to happen,” Zdan explained it was a “a reference to the people who truly care about you and how they are a blessing in life. Someday, you will need their help.” “That's bound to happen. Always be grateful for those in your life who show up when you need them most. I know I am,” Zdan wrote. Zdan also suggested my scrutiny of his DUI is related to his endorsement of Donald Trump for president. It isn’t. I take no pleasure in revealing this stuff about a former colleague. But reporters should not engage in “professional courtesy.” You could argue whether this was newsworthy when Zdan was a reporter, but candidates’ driving records have always been part of basic press scrutiny. I’ve requested body camera and dash cam footage but have not yet received it. TIPS? FEEDBACK? Email me at mfriedman@politico.com QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It will be the only capital city in the country without a Starbucks.” — Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora on the pending closure of the Warren Street Starbucks, which opened in 2017. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Pablo Fonseca, Davon McCurry, Ed Waters, Mike DeLamater, Dock Russell WHERE’S MURPHY? — WOND at 12:45 p.m., then “Ask Governor Murphy” at 7 p.m. on your local NPR affiliate
| | A message from Alibaba: U.S. companies sold $66 billion worth of goods through Alibaba in one year, supporting American jobs and wages. Phyto-C, a small business based in New Jersey, grew revenue 600% after launching on Alibaba. Now, the company is expanding locally. In New Jersey alone, U.S. sales on Alibaba added $1.3B to the state's GDP while supporting over 10 thousand full-time jobs. Learn more about Alibaba’s impact. | | | |  | WHAT TRENTON MADE | |
PLANDEMIC — “N.J. had a plan to fight a pandemic, but state leaders didn’t know it existed when COVID hit,” by NJ Advance Media’s Karin Price Mueller, Susan K. Livio and Ted Sherman: “They had a strategy. Years before people in New Jersey started dying from COVID-19, the state Department of Health had a plan in place on how to respond to the next big pandemic. But according to a new report on how the state handled the outbreak, released on Monday, it did not appear that anyone was aware that the 2015 plan even existed when they needed it most. Paul Zoubek, a former assistant state attorney general who led the years-long $9 million report of the state’s COVID response through his law firm of Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, working with Boston Consulting Group, said it would have been helpful for more senior leadership to be familiar with it. ‘It projected and anticipated some of the things that happened,’ Zoubek remarked, although downplaying its impact somewhat, blaming the lack of information about the pandemic and how it spread as the bigger problem.”
AMERICA'S FAVORITE BUS TERMINAL — “Here's how New York City has agreed to help fund a new Port Authority bus terminal,” by The Record’s Colleen Wilson: “New York City has agreed to a financial arrangement with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to help pay for the new $10 billion Port Authority Bus Terminal. A payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, plan will send up to $2 billion to the Port Authority — depending on how many commercial developments are built — over 40 years to help finance the reconstruction plans of the world's busiest terminal that is badly in need of a makeover, according to an announcement from the Port Authority, New York City and New York State.” —“Spending by Trenton lobbyists stayed level in 2023 at $96.2M” —“Report: Administration’s patchy COVID-19 response led to needless deaths, suffering” —Mulshine: “Do as I say, not as I do: Report on Gov. Murphy’s COVID response overlooks his hypocrisy” —“Conservative GOP local leader endorses Bramnick for governor”
| | | | A message from Alibaba:   | | | | | BIDEN TIME | |
CHECK IF THE HARVARD BRIEF IS PLAGIARIZED FROM ACLU’S — ACLU and Harvard join Kim lawsuit against the ‘line’, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: The American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey is supporting Rep. Andy Kim’s lawsuit seeking to abolish New Jersey’s unique primary ballot structure known as the party line. The civil rights organization, along with Harvard Law School’s Election Law Clinic, filed amicus curiae briefs Tuesday, arguing that the ballot design used in 19 of the state’s 21 counties is unconstitutional. The groups are also supporting Kim’s preliminary injunction request seeking to not use the party line ballot structure in the June primary. “Through the county line, the government manipulates election outcomes by giving preferential treatment to candidates who have won the endorsement of county committees of state-recognized political parties,” the ACLU of New Jersey said in legal filings
THEY KNOW WHERE ALL THE SKELOSONS IN THE CLOSET ARE — “Convicting Politicians As a bribery case against a U.S. senator moves forward, a look at why corruption charges are so hard to prove,” by The New York Times’ Alan Feur: “In the last decade, it has proved surprisingly hard to put politicians accused of corruption behind bars. … Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey, who was arraigned [Monday] in a federal bribery case, is both an example of the conundrum and a test of whether federal prosecutors now know how to overcome it .. The McDonnell case had an immediate impact. The following year, a federal appeals court in New York tossed out the convictions of two top state officials: Sheldon Silver, former Democratic speaker of the State Assembly, and Dean Skelos, a Republican who once ran the State Senate. … But prosecutors quickly learned their lesson. At retrials, they convicted both Silver and Skelos using much of the same evidence. … They focused on the specific exchange of services for payments and made sure the juries understood the new definition imposed by the McDonnell ruling. … The trick for prosecutors this time is making sure the Menendez charges fall on the right side of the narrow line that the Supreme Court drew in the McDonnell case.” —“GOP U.S. Senate candidates will debate on April 3”
| | A message from Alibaba: New Jersey businesses such as Phyto-C are among the thousands of American brands with access to over one billion global consumers on Alibaba’s online marketplace — generating $66 billion in sales in 2022.
Phyto-C grew revenue 600% after launching on Alibaba. “Partnering with Alibaba was an important business strategy for our family-owned business,” said Dr. Eddie Omar, CEO of Phyto-C. “They opened the door to the world’s largest and fastest growing skincare market.” Now, the company is expanding production in Hawthorne and hiring more employees.
The result: American brands selling on Alibaba benefits communities across the U.S. In New Jersey, sales on Alibaba added $1.3B to the state GDP and supported over 10 thousand full-time jobs in one year.
Explore Alibaba’s local impact. | | | | | LOCAL | |
CLINK BISHOP — “‘Bling Bishop’ who boasted of ties to Eric Adams is convicted of fraud,” by The New York Times’ Karen Zraick and Olivia Bensimon: “Lamor Whitehead, a Brooklyn preacher known as the ‘bling bishop’ for his flashy luxury possessions, was convicted in Manhattan federal court on Monday of defrauding a parishioner and trying to extort a businessman while boasting about his ties to Mayor Eric Adams.Mr. Whitehead, 45, was pronounced guilty on five counts. … ‘He was lying about the access, he was lying about the influence, he was lying about all of it,” Derek Wikstrom, a prosecutor, said in his closing argument. The government said that Mr. Whitehead had persuaded the parishioner, Pauline Anderson, to invest about $90,000 of her retirement savings with him — and had then spent the money on car payments and goods from Louis Vuitton and Foot Locker. … A superseding indictment in 2023 … said that Mr. Whitehead had also used falsified bank statements to purchase his spacious home in Paramus, N.J.”
GUNNERVILLE — “Judge paves way for gun shop to open in Somerville,” by MyCentralJersery’s Mike Deak: “A Superior Court judge has dismissed a legal effort to keep a gun shop from opening at the corner of Gaston and Union avenues not far from Van Derveer School. Judge Kevin Shanahan dismissed the lawsuit seeking to stop High Caliber Ordnance from opening in the strip mall between Primo Pizza and Hairitage Hair Lounge. … At a January Borough Council meeting, Mayor Brian Gallagher said the borough cannot stop the gun shop from opening because a ‘sporting goods’ store, under which the shop is classified, is allowed in the zone.” SOUTH ORANGE-MAPLEWOOD — “New Jersey school district apologizes for ‘inflammatory’ Ramadan note accusing Israel of genocide,” By NBC New York’s Adam Harding: “A New Jersey school district is apologizing after an assistant high school principal shared a flyer with anti-Semitic undertones to inform staff about Ramadan. ... The flyer was sent Monday, the start of Ramadan, by the assistant principal of Columbia High School in Maplewood. … A paragraph at the bottom, though, accuses the U.S. of ‘co-conspiring’ with Israel to prevent ‘Muslim Palestinians from partaking in Ramadan, as the Israeli Zionist occupation enacts a genocide against them.’ … Backlash was swift, with the superintendent putting out a written apology hours later as some parents demanded the state take over the beleaguered school district. … Earlier in the day, the school’s principal had surrendered to Essex County prosecutors on an assault charge for allegedly attacking a student.”
| | | | Easily connect with the right N.Y. State influencers and foster the right relationships to champion your policy priorities. POLITICO Pro. Inside New York. Learn more. | | | | | UNDER THE BOARDWALK. WE’LL BE SPENDIN’ SOME FUNDS — “$26 million in Atlantic City Boardwalk work begins,” by The Press of Atlantic City’s Michelle Brunetti Post: “ The city has begun $26 million in restoration work on parts of the Boardwalk here and is seeking an additional $62 million to complete what's needed along its entirety. ‘Remember, the Boardwalk is a city street,’ Mayor Marty Small Sr. said Tuesday during a news conference at Bellevue Avenue and the Boardwalk. He said structural repairs will make it possible for the Boardwalk to last another 50 years.” MAYOR WONDERS IF HE CAN FIRE BEAST — “Here comes the Beast! Toms River finds fun way to beat post-COVID school absenteeism,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Jean Mikle: “A portable speaker blared Survivor's ‘Eye of the Tiger’ as Toms River Intermediate North Assistant Principal Dave Fanslau wheeled a cart topped with a big black and silver trophy through C wing. Principal Lynn Fronzak opened classroom doors so kids could get a glimpse of "The Beast," the three-tiered, chain-decorated attendance trophy fashioned this summer by Assistant Principal Brian Blake, who wanted to create a hulking metal reminder of the importance of getting to school each day. Topped with a menacing, muscle-bound silver figure, ‘The Beast’ is awarded each month to the classroom with the best attendance. It's part of a district-wide initiative aimed at increasing the number of kids who make it to class every day.” —“Appellate panel gives critics of Jersey City’s redrawn ward boundaries one more shot” —“Hoboken Planning Board cancels meeting with project at center of Union City suit” —“Shutdown of Paterson’s School 3 likely to continue well into 2025” —“[Matawan-Aberdeen] school district ending paid bus service, leaving some parents in ‘huge bind’” —“Despite record school funding, some [Atlantic and Cape May County] districts are seeing a reduction in state aid” —“Passaic GOP appears to settle on sheriff candidate”
| | | | JOIN US ON 3/21 FOR A TALK ON FINANCIAL LITERACY: Americans from all communities should be able to save, build wealth, and escape generational poverty, but doing so requires financial literacy. How can government and industry ensure access to digital financial tools to help all Americans achieve this? Join POLITICO on March 21 as we explore how Congress, regulators, financial institutions and nonprofits are working to improve financial literacy education for all. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | EVERYTHING ELSE | |
HARVARD ON THE BOULEVARD — “Cash-strapped NJCU must partner with another university to secure financial future: fiscal monitor,” by The Jersey Journal’s Joshua Rosario: “Cash-strapped New Jersey City University must partner with a fiscally sound institution to regain financial stability and it must begin reducing its $287 million debt, the school’s state-mandated fiscal monitor said in report on the school’s outlook. The report release Tuesday by ‘turnaround specialist’ Henry Amoroso also recommended a restructuring of the board of trustees to bring in more active participants and addressing the infrastructure projects that are estimated at $50 million.”
REGRETS, SHE’S HAD A FEW — “One word uttered by a juror overturns a man’s murder conviction,” by NJ Advance Media’s Kevin Shea: “A state appeals court has ordered a new murder trial for a Burlington County man because a juror added commentary to her answer about the verdict. After a jury convicted Douglas Lewis of murder in 2021, for the 2017 shooting death of Shaquille Williams in Pemberton Township, the trial judge polled the jury, asking each if they agreed or disagreed with the verdict. One, juror number seven, answered: ‘regrettably agree.’ The judge in the trial never found out why the juror added the commentary, and should have, because it left doubt that the verdict was, ‘unconditionally unanimous,’ the decision says. A spokesman for the Burlington County … said Monday the office will appeal the decision to the New Jersey Supreme Court.” YOU CAN USUALLY FIND THEM AT YOUR LOCAL DISPENSARY — “Northern lights may be seen as far south as NJ this month: Here's why,” by Patch’s Kara Seymour: “Holes in Earth’s magnetic field could cause more frequent aurora borealis, or northern lights, displays throughout this month. They may even be seen as far south as New Jersey and beyond, where the ethereal displays are uncommon, but not unheard of.” R.I.P. — “T.M. Stevens, bass giant from Long Branch who played with James Brown and more, has died”
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