Morning News Digest: June 5, 2009

By Editor | June 5th, 2009 - 6:59am
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Murphy: Battle over Passaic GOP leadership will continue

Republican power broker Peter Murphy ended his silence Thursday to blast Scott Rumana, threatening endless war within the Passaic County GOP unless Rumana steps down as chairman "The party was split on primary night, and if Scott doesn't step down it's going to remain split," Murphy warned during an interview at a diner in Little Falls, where he met with a reporter for the first time since his release from prison nine years ago. "And if the party is split, then we don't win in November - again." (Cowan, The Record)

 

http://www.northjersey.com/news/njpolitics/Murp...

Corzine and Christie begin with attacks

Yesterday I wrote hereabout an editorial's appeal for a clean general election campaign. Within hours of that post, Democrats and Republicans went for each others' throats with arguments that basically went: elect our man, because the other guy is terrible.(Tamari, Inquirer)

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/nj_politics/...

State GOP says they won't play in 3rd district race

With the upset victory of Robert Villare and possibly his running mate, Lee Lucas, in the 3rd Legislative District's Republican primary for state Assembly, state Republicans have largely given up hope of competing there. (Friedman, PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/30330...

Codey endorses Cammarano in Hoboken runoff

Senate President Richard Codey (D-Roseland) endorsed At-Large Councilman Peter Cammarano for mayor this morning at the Marion Towers senior citizen building. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/max/30340/codey-end...

Obama formally names River Edge native as US Attorney
President Obama formally nominated Paul J. Fishman of Montclair to be New Jersey's next United States Attorney on Thursday. (Jackson, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/crimeandcourts/...

Corzine says N.J. municipalities only have to return half of $40M mistakenly given out

The collective sigh of relief could be felt from Plainfield to Pemberton. (Juri, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/corzin...

Bon Jovi to headline Gov. Corzine campaign fundraiser in Newark

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi is headlining a splashy post-primary campaign fundraiser for Gov. Jon S. Corzine. (AP)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/bon_jo...

N.J. attorney general seeking to strengthen ticket scalping laws

Testifying before an Assembly committee today, Attorney General Anne Milgram said the state needs to change its anti-scalping laws in order to create a level playing field for consumers. (McGlone, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/nj_att...

Assemblyman Mike Doherty was only bright spot for New Jersey's Republican right

The voters have decided: Mike Doherty does not want to surrender in Iraq. And he is likely to put up quite a fight in New Jersey as well. (Mulshine, The Star-Ledger)

http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2009/06/re...

Report: Majority of NJ police departments violate law in handling misconduct complaints

The majority of New Jersey's local police departments routinely violate state law when handling civilian complaints about police misconduct, according to an American Civil Liberties Union report that will be released today. (Megerian, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/politics/Report_Majo...

Democrats look to mend fences in Pompton Lakes

Having handily defeated their Democratic Party rivals, incumbent Borough Council members Ed Meakem and Lisa Riggiola can count on their party's support as they face two Republicans in the fall elections. (D'Aurizio, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/passaicpolitics... 

State committee approves medical marijuana legislation

An Assembly Committee today approved legislation that would make New Jersey the 14th state to permit severely ill patients to acquire "medical marijuana. " But the proposal is dramatically different than one a state Senate version and would put stricter limits on who may grow, distribute and obtain the illegal drug. (Livio, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/politics/State_commi...

Talk of Elk-South Harrison police merger decried

A contingent of residents of South Harrison Township supporting the local police force in their town fired the first shot in a preemptive strike here Thursday night to keep the department intact. (Murray, Gloucester County Times)

http://www.nj.com/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/ne...

County to receive additional stimulus

Six Gloucester County towns will be receiving close to $350,000 in additional federal stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, county officials announced Thursday. (Gloucester County Times)

http://www.nj.com/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/ne...

N.J. among five states uniting to protect coast

The governors of New Jersey and four other states promised yesterday to work together to protect the Atlantic coast and develop offshore wind farms for renewable energy. (Virtanen, Inquirer)

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20...

Haledon official implicated in drug probe

A Borough Council member is under investigation for using cocaine, a visibly infuriated Police Chief Lou Mercuro announced to a stunned council tonight. Mercuro would not name the council member because, he said, no criminal complaint had yet been filed. But he told The Record that the council member was someone absent from the meeting. Council members not present were Marc Battle, Heather Kilminster and Reynaldo Martinez. (Shresta, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/passaicpolitics...

Tighter medical-marijuana bill clears panel

A bill to allow the medicinal use of marijuana for seriously ill patients has been tightened to address concerns the drug could become too widely available. (Lu, Inquirer)

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20...

Lawsuit accuses Freehold priest of sex abuse

A Roman Catholic priest, most recently the pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in Freehold, has been accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing a boy in the 1980s, when the clergyman was assigned to St. Veronica's Church in Howell. (Hopkins, Asbury Park Press)

http://app.com/article/20090605/NEWS/90605003

Casinos add 600 jobs in May, ending nine-month decline

The "Help Wanted" sign is finally back at the casinos. (Wittkowski, Press of Atlantic City)

http://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/top_three/a...

Small says State Police harassing campaign workers

Failed mayoral candidate Marty Small publicly criticized state authorities Thursday, accusing State Police of harassing his campaign workers. (Clark, Press of Atlantic City)

http://pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlan...

Milltown Navy veteran remembers D-Day, the wounds that won't heal

Sixty-five years ago Richard Ehlert was eyewitness to one of the most eventful days of the 20th century when Allied troops landed in the Normandy section of France on what would become known as D-Day. (Malwitz, Courier News)

http://mycentraljersey.com/article/20090604/NEW...

Elizabethtown Gas customers across Central Jersey to see drop in heating bills

Customers of Elizabethtown Gas Company are about to see a savings on their bills. (Courier News)

http://mycentraljersey.com/article/20090604/NEW...

Protesters tell state cops to 'shape up or ship out'

iting complaints of abuse of power, about 30 protesters called for state police in Camden to respect city residents Thursday afternoon. (Mast, Courier-Post)

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/200906...

Muslims in S.J. welcome words, want solid action

South Jersey Muslims praised President Obama's speech to the Muslim world Thursday, and expressed hope his words will be followed by concrete actions. (Mulford, Courier-Post)

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/200906...

Doblin: Number 40 would keep the 11th in the 40th

On Wednesday, a seven-foot tall, bronze statue of Ronald Reagan was unveiled ON in the Rotunda of the Capitol. Our 40th president is smiling. That's because he is not facing the 40th District in New Jersey.  Reagan declared the 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not speak ill of any other Republican. Americans have differing views of the Reagan years. The 1980s were good times for some, but not all, Americans. But they were good years for Republicans. Not so much anymore.  (Doblin, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/opinion/doblin_06050...

News 12 Gaffe

Was anyone else appalled by the question asked by one of the channel 12 reporters on election night who asked Senator Baroni, "Have you been drinking"?

Where are the media watchdogs?

Wake-Up Call

Morning News Digest: February 9, 2010

Garden State Equality fires new broadside at Dems Smarting over the state Senate's refusal to pass marriage equality and disillusioned at the moment with the Democratic Party majority, Garden State Equality’s 85-member Board of Directors unanimously decided against giving financial contributions to political parties and their affiliated committees. ...

Wally Edge

As the new administration looks to reorganize the embattled Passaic Valley Sewerage Authority (PVSA), watch for at least two part-time $53,420-a-year lawyers to be on the termination short list: James Piro, a former Essex County GOP Chairman and...
The brother of U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone has announced his candidacy for the Long Branch City Council.  John Pallone, who served as a Councilman from 1990 to 1994, said today that he would run with David Brown, the former Roselle Business...
A handwritten note left behind during a Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee meeting indicates that Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Metuchen) would support a plan to require all current public employees to contribute at least 1.5% of...
As New Jersey braces for another snowstorm, noteworthy is Hamilton Mayor John Bencivengo’s website, where residents can use “Snow Plow Sal” to monitor the movements of snow plows to determine when their street will be plowed.  Hamilton also has...
Just before leaving the Senate Presidency, Richard Codey (D-Roseland) appointed Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins to the Congressional Redistricting Commission.  Now his successor, Stephen Sweeney (D-West Deptford) is considering making his own...

Contributors

Everybody needs to start a new job with a list of priorities and Chris Christie is no exception. There might be a thousand things that need to get done... more »
A new Governor and Legislature offer the perfect opportunity to re-think the Trenton status quo and for experienced observers and practitioners to offer their best ideas on improving the... more »
 I grew up in a neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey where gambling was part of every day life.  Many of my relatives gambled.  The guys gambled on games, and... more »
Due to a highly inappropriate breach of etiquette by President Barack Obama in his State of the Union Address, the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United... more »
When life is bad---natural disasters, families losing homes or jobs, an attack on our country, health crises--people come together and do things that are inspiringly good.  After the... more »
Our new Governor suffers from no lack of advice.  Much of it, contained in the transition reports, deserves prompt attention.  Obviously, economic prosperity benefits everyone, and – as... more »
The agenda has been ambitious.Jobs.  Homeland security.  Iraq.  Afghanistan.  Healthcare.  Energy.  Banking.   Taken together, the Obama Presidency has all the makings of a compelling story -- action, adventure, emotion,... more »
The new regime pushes the only conservative off the Budget Committee.   This is a direct result of pressure from a certain Republican County Chairperson who was hired by Garden... more »
Now that  the dust has finally settled after the grueling campaign for governor, there are a number of lessons that we can draw from this election. First and... more »
A  few years ago, my brother Paul gave me a birthday present of Tim Russert’s book, The Wisdom of Our Fathers. Great book. Read it cover to cover. Or skim... more »
New Jersey's spending and borrowing spree over the past three decades is coming home to roost.  State debt has increased 700% under both Republican and Democratic administrations, and spending... more »
On January 11th New Jersey’s 213th Legislature ended its session, followed the next day by the commencement of the 214th Legislature, with newly elected officials being sworn into office,... more »
On January 6, 2010, several newspapers published articles with titles like “no more aid for struggling cities”, “Christie will cut state aid” and the like; furthermore, in the body... more »
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, you target teachers. That’s not a positive note to start your tenure. You forget that the Teachers’ Union makes decisions on its own, such... more »