By Matt Friedman

Presented by OxyChem

Good Wednesday morning!

New Jersey Democrats, confronted with a culture war issue, appear to have finally united around a message. It’s just not one generally shared by their base.

The Biden administration floated the Atlantic City International Airport as one of around 10 sites that could potentially take some of the 60,000 migrants housed in New York City. Predictably, Republicans rose up in opposition. But so far, so have Democrats.

“I don’t see any scenario where we’re going to be able to take in a program in Atlantic City or frankly elsewhere in the state,” Gov. Phil Murphy said in News 12 last week.

That’s the same Murphy who during his reelection campaign said he wanted to make New Jersey a “sanctuary state,” talking about “the goodness of America” and setting the “nation’s moral compass.”

Murphy’s argument is on the surface all about New Jersey not having resources. But if the third richest state in the country doesn’t, who does?

This is clearly a political problem for Democrats. But already I’m seeing signs of their unease, both with the idea of taking migrants as well as who they’ll alienate in opposing it. Just yesterday, a press release for Atlantic City Councilmember Kaleem Shabazz denounced “the tone and substance” of some of the speakers at a press conference opposing the relocation of migrants to the airport that he attended. “The bi-partisan consensus and agreement was breached by some speakers restored to ‘speaking points’ that targeted immigrants, used extreme rhetoric, and gave a distorted view of all immigrants,” Shabazz said, without pointing a finger at anyone in particular. Meanwhile, pro-migrant groups held their own rally Tuesday.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Transparency is the bulwark of democracy. If an ordinary citizen cannot get evidence against someone they know is acting above the law, then we don’t have a democracy anymore.” — Retired professor Anne Mabry, whose public records requests helped expose New Jersey City University's financial mismanagement

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Chris Christie, Ari Rosmarin, Brittany Bramell Punaro

WHERE’S MURPHY?  In Long Branch at 11 a.m. for a transit announcement

A message from OxyChem:

OxyChem opposes the EPA’s Passaic River Superfund settlement. Over 100 companies released 8 chemicals into the river, but EPA may settle with most of them for only $150 million total. That leaves handful of other companies and NJ taxpayers to cover the rest of the $1.82 billion clean-up cost. OxyChem is the sole company offering to do the clean-up work. Tell the EPA to make all companies pay their fair share. Learn more at PassaicRiverCleanup.com

IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CRISIS — How the state Senate spent its summer vacation: Not addressing judge shortage 'crisis', by POLITICO’s Dustin Racioppi: Senate President Nick Scutari had a busy summer: He spent several days running the state as an emergency fill-in, signed a law making cranberry the state juice and gave a pep talk to the Rutgers football team. Calling his chamber to Trenton to confirm judges, as he said was possible, wasn't part of the action. So New Jersey's years-long "crisis" of judicial vacancies enters another fall with no end in sight as lawmakers appear focused on their elections rather than convening in Trenton before then. Solving the problem does not fall solely on Scutari, but the Senate's failure to meet this summer is the latest indication that New Jersey's leaders are not taking the shortage seriously, said the current and former leaders of the New Jersey State Bar Association. "The governor is vetting people at a reasonable rate. Obviously we think it should be a little bit more because of the crisis. But the Senate just needs to do their job, and apparently they do not see the urgency in it," association President Timothy McGoughran said in an interview.

HIRING OUTLAWS IS EXACTLY WHAT THE WATERFRONT COMMISSION WARNED US ABOUT  — “Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw resigns after turbulent three years at the helm,” by The AP’s Maryclaire Dale and Claudia Lauer: “Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw will step down this month to help lead a New York-area transit system, the Mayor said Tuesday, ending a turbulent three years in which she guided one of the country’s largest police forces through pandemic lockdowns, Black Lives Matter protests and frequent turmoil over race and policing. … Her resignation comes just a few months before the end of Mayor Jim Kenney’s tenure and as the rates of homicides and other crimes have become a major issue in the race to replace him. She will soon start a top security position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. … At the port authority, Outlaw will be the deputy chief security officer. The agency also announced the creation of a new security and technology department that will oversee safety at facilities throughout the agency.”

ARE THINGS ACTUALLY SLOWING DOWN OR DOES IT JUST FEEL THAT WAY? — “NJ legal weed sales growth: Inside the 'tug of war' over cannabis,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Mike Deak: “Now matter how you look at it, New Jersey is selling a lot of legal weed – more and more every quarter. According to statistics from the Cannabis Regulatory Commission, more than $635 million of legal weed was sold to recreational customers between April 2022 and June 2023, along with nearly $238 million in medical marijuana sales. More than $160.2 million of recreational cannabis was sold in the second quarter of 2023, nearly double the sales in the second quarter of 2022. Sales have increased 37% over the last four quarters. At least partially contributing to that growth is the — relatively — skyrocketing number of locations opening every month. … While cannabis sales have continued to increase, the rate of growth has slowed – from 46% to 14% to under 10% the last quarter, according to the Cannabis Regulatory Commission’s statistics.”

FRIENDS 4 EVA — Murphy headlines Norcross super PAC fundraiser, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Gov. Phil Murphy will attend a fundraiser for the super PAC of South Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross, a former political enemy. Murphy gets top billing as a “special guest” at the Sept. 28 event for the group, American Representative Majority. Tickets go for $3,500 per head at the reception at Caffe Aldo Lamberti in Cherry Hill, according to an invitation emailed by Norcross.

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— “The NJ governor's office has been an all-white affair. Here's how to break the trend”

—“Murphy appeals court ruling allowing last immigrant detention center in NJ to stay open” 

—“Tables turning on wind turbine issue In Monmouth Senate race” 

—“Interracial marriage is now protected in N.J. under law Murphy just signed” 

—“Finally made public: Details of NJ lawmakers’ last-minute budget add-ons” 

—Stile: “'We’re coming for you': Parental rights inflames the NJ fall races” 

—Golden: “Education, immigration and Biden could hype voter turnout this November” 

—NJ Transit union endorses Fulop

—“Future of NJ bear hunt under discussion at upcoming meeting” 

A message from OxyChem:

PROJECT PATHETICAS — “Project Veritas founder tries to trip up Signorello at Roselle Park Board of Ed meeting,” by New Jersey Globe’s Joey Fox: “At an August 29 meeting of the Roselle Park Board of Education, Roselle Park Mayor and Democratic congressional candidate Joe Signorello was confronted by James O’Keefe, a far-right activist who founded the ‘guerrilla journalist’ organization Project Veritas. On Sunday, O’Keefe … posted a heavily edited video of his interactions with Signorello to social media, where it has gotten several million views. … In the first section of the Roselle Park video, Signorello approaches O’Keefe and expresses his displeasure with O’Keefe’s presence, noting that O’Keefe doesn’t have any children in the Roselle Park school system. ‘I don’t think you belong here, I’m gonna tell you that,’ Signorello says. … The video ends with O’Keefe asking about a substitute teacher who was fired from the Roselle Park school district earlier this year; Signorello indicates he doesn’t know about the teacher in question and departs the interview. Even with O’Keefe’s obvious editing, at no point does Signorello say anything clearly objectionable. But that hasn’t stopped Signorello’s social media from being inundated with angry comments. … So far, the video has only gotten exposure in conservative circles – but given that Signorello is locked in a competitive three-way Democratic primary for the 7th congressional district, he could use it to his advantage among Democratic voters and donors who detest O’Keefe.”

—Snowflack: “Sherrill prioritizes the most vulnerable” 

—Christie knocks DeSantis for not meeting Biden during visit to survey hurricane damage

A message from OxyChem:

Since the 1890s, the tremendous industrial and economic growth on the Passaic River has come at a great environmental cost. For decades, companies regularly used disposal practices on the Passaic’s shoreline that are no longer acceptable. The EPA declared a 17-mile stretch of the Passaic part of a federal Superfund site, selected a remedy, and identified more than 100 companies as potentially responsible for the clean-up. OxyChem, which EPA acknowledges did not pollute the river, is leading the clean-up.

The EPA identified eight chemicals of concern in the river – Lead, DDT, Dioxin, Mercury, PCBs, Copper, Dieldrin, and PAHs – six of which are not associated with OxyChem or its predecessors. Nevertheless, OxyChem is dedicated to cleaning up the Passaic. But if the other responsible companies don’t step up, New Jersey taxpayers could end up footing the bill. Tell the EPA to hold all 100+ polluting companies accountable.

Learn more at PassaicRiverCleanup.com

CAMDEN SETTLING — “Court fight settled, but war of words continue between Camden mayor and developer,” by The Courier-Post’s Jim Walsh: “The City of Camden and developer Carl Dranoff have agreed to end a five-year court fight, but that doesn’t mean they’ve buried their differences. The two sides exchanged insults and allegations in announcing the planned settlement of a lawsuit over two downtown landmarks — the redeveloped Victor Building and the long-vacant Radio Lofts Building. In declaring victory, Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen claimed Dranoff had “masqueraded around our city as a do-gooder pretending to be part of our revitalization efforts, when in fact, he was lining his own pockets and depriving the city of badly needed funds.’ … But Dranoff called the mayor’s statement ‘false, misleading, and defamatory.’ He blamed city officials for the failure to revive the Radio Lofts site and said Camden’s elected leaders were ‘under the thumb’ of Democratic power broker George Norcross III. … ’After five years, I was tired of fighting Camden’s corruption.

"Under the settlement, Dranoff is to pay $3.3 million to the city in various amounts by June 2026. He also is to cede redevelopment rights to the 10-story Radio Lofts Building and convey title of an adjacent parking lot to the city for one dollar. In turn, the city will assure that property tax assessments on the Victor Building 'will be fair and in accordance with New Jersey law,' the agreement says. It also will 'not unreasonably' block the sale of the Victor Building.”

I GET HIGH WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY POLITICAL FRIENDS — “Lawsuit accuses N.J. mayor of helping cannabis retailer win approval in his own town,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jelani Gibson: “A cannabis company has filed a suit against Hopewell Borough, a municipality in Mercer County, over its cannabis licensing process, alleging a conflict of interest with its mayor, former municipal clerk and a cannabis business. The lawsuit brought by Sourland Provisions, which was denied a retail sales license, alleges the municipality’s mayor, Paul Anzano, served as another cannabis company’s legal advisor and that company ultimately got approval. According to the lawsuit, Anzano had started helping the company, Evolve Sky, even before Hopewell opted in to allow adult-use cannabis sales. In denying Sourland’s application, the municipality said the company‘s application was rejected because it turned in a fee late, according to local news organization MercerMe. Sourland Provisions … denies the claim. Anzano has denied the allegations in the lawsuit and said he had also supported Sourland’s application and helped push the municipality toward being more open to cannabis businesses."

LEVINE INTERVENTION — “Can this Democratic stronghold turn red this November?” by New Jersey Globe’s Ricky Suta: “In solidly Democratic Franklin Township, Republicans are betting that a former mayor can lead them into a local victory despite enormous demographic shifts over the last few decades. Brian D. Levine, a former mayor and Somerset County freeholder, is mounting a comeback bid against two-term Democratic Mayor Philip Kramer in a municipality that is much more Democratic than the one Levine used to carry when he sought local office in the late 1990s and early 2000s. … Levine is well-known in Franklin, but he hasn’t won there since winning his third term as mayor a dozen years ago. Local voters have not backed his bids for higher office."

JOIN US ON 9/12 FOR A TALK ON THE NEW AGE OF TRAVELING: In this new era of American travel, trending preferences like wellness tourism, alternative lodging and work-from-anywhere culture provide new but challenging opportunities for industry and policy leaders alike. Join POLITICO on Sept. 12 for an expert discussion examining how the resilience of the tourism and travel industries is driving post-pandemic recovery. REGISTER HERE.

—“Water shutoffs for delinquent property owners in [Salem City] spark opposition” 

—“Edison neighbors 'in an uproar' over residential warehouse expansion plan” 

—“Edison teacher charged with child porn secretly filmed dozens of students: prosecutor” 

—“Jersey Shore teacher starts new school year alive with her colleague's gift — his kidney” 

—“Hudson County settles late HCPO detective’s discrimination claims for $125k” 

—“[Mercer] Cops involved in hotel lobby fight plead guilty to disorderly conduct” 

—“Ocean County detective indicted over false gun sale report” 

—“Hoboken to declare city as a ‘sanctuary’ in response to nationwide book ban push” 

—“More than just retail: Developer hopes to make Newport Centre Mall an entertainment destination” 

CORRECTIONS — “NJ female prisoner says she was sexually assaulted by transgender inmate: lawsuit,” by MyCentralJersey’s Mike Deak: “A bisexual inmate at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women has filed a lawsuit alleging she was sexually assaulted by a transgender inmate who had male genitalia. In the lawsuit filed Aug. 29 in Superior Court in Hunterdon County, the inmate, identified only by initials, alleges the New Jersey Department of Corrections failed to take ‘corrective actions’ to safeguard female inmates despite complaints about the ‘sexually aggressive and harassing behavior of the transgenders’ who have ‘fully functioning male anatomy.’ The lawsuit charges the Department of Corrections failed to implement actions to protect inmates even after "two female inmates became pregnant from sexual interactions with transgenders.”

THE DRONE ALSO DROPPED MINOXIDIL ON GOV. MURPHY’S HEAD  — “What turned New Jersey’s pools Ggeen? A man and his drone, police say,” by The New York Times’ Claire Fahy: “Sandra Woolstion decided enough was enough. It was Friday, Sept. 1, the kickoff to Labor Day weekend, and when she walked out in the morning to open the pool at the Quality Inn in Absecon, N.J., it was covered in ‘blue stuff’ that was turning the water green. … The staff at the motel just outside Atlantic City drained the pool, washed it down and filled it back up. … But when Ms. Woolstion returned hours later to drop off supplies for the next morning’s breakfast service, the pool turned neon yellow before her eyes. She checked the security cameras: Nobody had driven by, there were no cars in sight and no one had walked past the pool or thrown something in. She called Jason Kiamos, a detective at the Galloway Township Police Department, a now-regular occurrence. ‘It has to be a drone,’ she told him. … That day, the Galloway police, in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration, the New Jersey State Police and the Absecon Police Department, tracked a drone as it flew from the Quality Inn to Comfort Solutions Heating and Cooling, a nearby business. There, they arrested the owner, Patrick J. Spina IV, 45, who has since been charged with multiple counts of criminal mischief and harassment, Detective Kiamos said.”

R.I.P.  — “Gary Wright, 'Dream Weaver' singer and a Cresskill native, dies at age 80” 

—“Even if it wasn't a blockbuster, summer 2023 met its mark, Jersey Shore tourism officials say”

—“Paterson man shares 'strange' experience at this year's muddy Burning Man festival” 

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