Sherrill to Biden: Time to go
Is the dam breaking in New Jersey?
While several New Jersey members have backed President Joe Biden’s reelection even after that notorious debate, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill became the first and so far only member to call for him to forgo reelection.
“I know that President Biden and his team have been true public servants and have put the country and the best interests of democracy first and foremost in their considerations. And because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he won’t run for reelection and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee,” Sherrill said at the end of a lengthy statement.
Biden’s fellow octogenarian Bill Pascrell, probably New Jersey’s most quotable congressman and one who’s also faced some pressure to step aside, had the hardest pushback, and suggested it was related to Sherrill’s 2025 gubernatorial hopes.
“The ones that are speaking out against [Biden] are running for other offices in New Jersey” Pascrell said to reporters when asked about Rep. Andy Kim and Sherrill publicly voicing their concerns. Pascrell said that he was at the White House on Tuesday morning to meet with the president, after being invited on Monday. He didn’t share much, but said they talked about their “personal relationship” since 1981.
Sherrill is one of just a handful of Democratic House members who have publicly urged Biden to get out. Kim hinted he might be leaning that way, which seems to be backtracking from a more supportive statement of Biden the day after the debate in which he said Biden “is our nominee and it’s critical that he, and not Donald Trump, is our next president.”
“I don’t think it’s a problem for us to think through this and be absolutely thorough in terms of what this last stretch of the campaign could look like. … There’s enough time that if there needs to be a switch, I think that could be done,” he told Joey Fox.
—With help from Mia McCarthy
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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “He’s not a puppet having his strings pulled by someone he summons with a bell.” — Prosecutor Paul Monteleoni during his closing statement in the case against Sen. Menendez, pushing back on the defense argument that Menendez’s wife, Nadine, was taking bribes behind his back.
WHERE’S MURPHY? — Leaving for Utah tonight for a National Governors Association meeting, then headed to Germany with Choose New Jersey. Returning to New Jersey on Tuesday.
MENENDEZ CORRUPTION TRIAL
WHO AMONG US HAS NOT BEEN GIFTED GOLD BARS FOR NO REASON IN PARTICULAR? — Menendez attorney casts doubt on prosecution’s case in closing arguments, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard and Danel Han: Sen. Bob Menendez’s defense team argued Tuesday that a jury is all that stands between the New Jersey Democrat and a “lifetime of shame.” In the defense’s closing arguments, Menendez attorney Adam Fee said federal prosecutors had used every manner of “lawyer stuff” to fill in gaps in their case. Prosecutors, who wrapped up their first set of closing arguments earlier on Tuesday, allege the senator is part of numerous schemes to disrupt criminal cases against New Jersey business people and aid the government of Egypt in exchange for bribes. Fee said prosecutors had used “every version of misdirection” and told a “one-sided story” by “riffing,” “fudging,” “misleading” and using “shifty” inferences.” Throughout his two-hour argument, Fee tried to cast doubt on prosecutors’ case with descriptions of it being filled with “half-truths,” “fantasy,” “conjecture,” “speculation” and “games.” “You’re being asked to imagine, in the gaps of evidence, the criminal stuff,” Fee told jurors, who are expected to begin deliberations in coming days … Fee suggested the government could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the gold was a bribe to Menendez, which is one of the prosecutors’ theories in the case.
— Bob Menendez helped a friend land a dream job. Then he landed on the witness stand,, by POLITICO’s Ry Rivard: When Sen. Bob Menendez was facing a federal corruption investigation a decade ago, Philip Sellinger stepped in to help his friend, donating generously to the New Jersey Democrat’s legal defense fund — $10,000 a year, every year, until Menendez beat the charges. Menendez, amid all that, also wanted to help his friend. So they talked about how Menendez could recommend him to become the state’s top federal prosecutor, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, once a Democrat became president. Sellinger did get the job once Joe Biden won in 2020 — but not before being involved in a series of events that are now at the center of Menendez’s second federal corruption trial. Sellinger, still the sitting U.S. attorney in New Jersey, spent days last month testifying to all of this in federal court, appearing in a case brought by his counterpart in Manhattan. The extraordinary moment — one of many in a trial featuring allegations of bribes in the form of cash and gold bars — was revealing for what it said about how Menendez has wielded power in New Jersey and Washington, and how willing others have been to do business the same way.
WHAT TRENTON MADE
SOCKLESS GEORGE NORCROSS — NJ Dem power broker Norcross, co-defendants plead not guilty to sprawling corruption allegations, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: George Norcross, the massively influential New Jersey Democratic political boss, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a 13-count indictment accusing him of leading a “criminal enterprise” that took advantage of a state tax incentive program he and his close allies helped design. “My client emphatically states he is not guilty,” Norcross attorney Michael Critchley told Judge Peter Warshaw in a Trenton courtroom as Norcross looked on. Four of Norcross’ co-defendants also pleaded not guilty. … Norcross — who has accused Platkin of pursuing him out of political ambition and using years-old evidence other prosecutors passed over — has credited the tax incentive program with development in Camden, long New Jersey’s most beleaguered city. Critchley, his attorney, said in a statement Tuesday morning that “everything he and his co-defendants did was for the benefit of the city of Camden and Cooper University Health Care,” where Norcross chairs the board of trustees. “Anyone reviewing the indictment will see these are charges in search of a crime,” Critchley said.
GET THAT PENSION BACK — Murphy chief of staff stepping down, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, Gov. Phil Murphy’s chief of staff for just 10 months, is leaving that post to become a “senior advisor” to the governor, Murphy’s office announced Tuesday. Murphy Deputy Chief of Staff Tim Hillman, who’s worked for the administration since 2019, will take over the top staff position “later this summer,” according to a press release. “Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti has done an outstanding job as my Chief of Staff over the past year,” Murphy said in a statement. “From negotiating a reauthorization of the Transportation Trust Fund to successfully enacting a Fiscal Year 2025 budget with our partners in the Legislature, Diane has brought a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise to our team.” … Prior to taking the chief of staff role, Gutierrez-Scaccetti collected a $5,794 monthly pension from her Turnpike Authority job, which she was able to keep during her time as transportation commissioner. But she had to put that pension on hold when she became chief of staff. In January, during the lame duck legislative session, lawmakers made last-minute amendments to a bill that appeared designed to allow Gutierrez-Scaccetti to once again collect that pension. But the governor’s office ultimately told lawmakers they would veto the legislation. … [Murphy’s] office did not say what her new salary would be, or whether she’ll be able to resume collecting her pension.
BOOKMARK THIS ARTICLE FOR JUNE 30, 2026 — “2025 gubernatorial candidates want changes to state budget process,” by New Jersey Monitor’s Nikita Biryukov: “The men who want to be New Jersey’s next governor want a range of changes to the state’s budget approval process following another breakneck budgeting cycle that saw lawmakers approve the annual spending bill just days ahead of a deadline that would have forced a state government shutdown. They say New Jersey should forecast its revenue and expenses further into the future, denude the governor’s sole authority to certify the state’s revenue, and adopt mandatory waiting periods for the budget that would guarantee residents have a chance to review it in advance of a vote. ‘Trenton politicians introduce a state budget packed with billions of dollars of last-minute spending barely 48 hours before passing it,’ Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, a Democrat, said in an interview. … Numerous would-be governors — including Fulop and Union County Republican state Sen. Jon Bramnick — have backed proposals that would require legislators to take a cool-off period after introducing the spending bill to allow residents time to review how their tax dollars are to be used.”
POMPIDOU AND POLITICAL CIRCUMSTANCE — “GOP lawmaker wants Pompidou money spent on school funding,” by New Jersey Globe’s Zach Blackburn: “Tens of millions of dollars for a planned Jersey City art museum were withdrawn from the state budget last month. Now there’s a new debate: where to send the money. … State Sen. Jim Holzapfel (R-Toms River) on Tuesday called for Gov. Phil Murphy to redirect the funding to New Jersey public schools. Holzapfel pointed to the Toms River Regional School District’s lawsuit against the state of New Jersey over the district’s $27 million budget shortfall. The Republican attacked ‘pork projects’ in the state budget, which Murphy signed late last month. ‘Now that the $58 million French arts museum sham has been killed, I am calling for a clear plan to appropriate the money to our public schools. It simply can’t be redirected to some of the hundreds of millions of dollars in unexplained pork projects in the 2025 budget,’ Holzapfel said in a statement.”
THERE IS SUCH A THING —“New rules for free and reduced-price meals in New Jersey expand eligibility to 60,000 more students,” by NJ Spotlight News’ John Hurdle: “When New Jersey’s 1.4 million K-12 students return for the new public school year in September, 60,000 more of them will qualify for free or reduced-price meals as a new state law kicks in, representing a new front in the state’s efforts to curb food insecurity. The Working Class Families Anti-Hunger Act, signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy in January, raised the upper limit on household income that triggers help with meals at school to 224% of the federal poverty line, from the previous 200% for New Jersey students.”
—“Newark mayor says ‘NO’ to the planned Newark Bay Hudson County Extension | Opinion”
—“Fulop doubles down on his New Jersey reform plan during virtual Town Hall”
—“N.J. gets millions to help put more electric buses on the street”
BIDEN TIME
—Stile: “NJ Democrats are itchy about Joe Biden’s future as their nominee. Here’s why”
LOCAL
THEY CAN DO QUALITY TIME TOGETHER — “NJ father, son arrested in shrapnel-flying explosive fail at holiday party,” by NBC New York: “A New Jersey father and son are facing assault and other charges after an explosive mishap at a party over the holiday weekend spewed shrapnel through their neighborhood, authorities say. Police arrested Thomas Kaiser, 60, and his 28-year-old son Erich at a party in Manville Saturday night after getting a call about an explosion in the Valley section of the borough -- and at least one serious injury. First responders treated a 34-year-old man for lower torso injuries at the scene and airlifted him to a trauma hospital. Investigators say the Kaisers had allegedly tried to set off a signal cannon, a device designed to create a large boom and smoke cloud when ignited. Instead, it exploded, spewing shrapnel, authorities say. … It’s not Thomas Kaiser’s first step into fire. He was arrested in 2019 after bringing a cooler of fireworks to a Jersey Shore bar, forcing a scheduled Labor Day parade to be canceled.”
PATERSON FALLS.. APART — “Paterson shuts health offices because of broken AC for 5th day in July,” by The Paterson Press’ Joe Malinconico: “The city had to shut down its municipal health offices on Tuesday because a broken air conditioning system resulted in high temperatures that rendered the building unhealthy, officials said. Among the programs affected by the shutdown were the vital statistics office as well as clinics for sexually transmitted diseases, pediatric health, and tuberculosis testing. Employees said Tuesday’s shutdown marked the fifth time in the past six business days that Paterson’s health offices were closed because of excessive heat.”
SPILLEROVER FROM THE LAST ADMINISTRATION — “Internal complaints against Montclair whistleblowers could bring new round of lawsuits,” by The Record’s Nicholas Katzban: “Two days after Montclair officiated a brand new township council ― a purported fresh start after years of legal tumult under the previous administration ― an attorney submitted a motion to quash newly filed internal complaints against two whistleblowing employees, compounding ongoing legal turmoil for the township. Roosevelt Nesmith, attorney to a pair of firefighters currently suing the municipality and its fire department for what they describe as a “racism-tainted” promotional exam, has asked that the courts compel Montclair to cease its investigation into his clients. Moreover, Nesmith has requested all information regarding a similar probe launched against another whistleblowing employee, CFO Padmaja Rao, whose 2022 lawsuit triggered the ongoing scrutiny of then-Mayor Sean Spiller’s leadership.”
—“Jersey City council to vote on $734 million municipal budget with small tax hike”
—“Sparked by fireworks, New Jersey forest fire is 90% contained, authorities say”
—“Madison mosque finally under construction, 3 years after contentious hearings”
—“Hudson County Exec. Guy’s deputy chief of staff resigns, new HCDO ED incoming”
EVERYTHING ELSE
UNITED TAN LINES — “New Jersey is one of America’s fastest-warming states, data shows,” by The New York Times’ Hilary Howard: “New Jersey is heating up faster than any other state in the Northeast, pacing a region with rapidly rising temperatures, according to data gathered by a nonprofit research organization. The cause of New Jersey’s dubious distinction is most likely a combination of factors, including the warming of the ocean bordering the coastal state and overdevelopment in some areas, experts say. But what is certain, they added, is that the state — and the Northeast in general — will continue to see more heat waves like the one last month, as well as worsening storms and floods. ‘New Jersey is ground zero for some of the worst impacts of climate change, including extreme heat and considerable increases in flood risk,’ said Shawn M. LaTourette, the commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection.”
THE HOAGIE HERO — “Now serving 0-999 — Barnegat man completes Wawa receipt challenge,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Joe Mason: “ Tyler Gyurisin … might be one of the most famous Wawa customers ever and he has 1,000 reasons to be celebrated. It took the better part of four years, but Gyurisin recently announced on X that he has an order reciept from 0 to 999, every number Wawa orders go up to. Once he posted about it, his life changed forever. ‘It has three million views since I posted it,’ said Gyurisin, a 2020 graduate of Barnegat High School.”
—“Costco to pay pharmacist $2M for wrongful termination based on age”
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