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Fight for zoning change in Cranford touches race for U.S. Senate
Union County GOP Chairman Phil Morin and U.S. Senate candidate Anne Evans Estabrook stand in the middle of a controversial real estate development deal in Cranford that has become an issue in the race for Township Committee.
The County Chairman can’t give money to help at least one GOP candidate, because if he did, the candidate says he believes the money would leave him open to an attack of being a sell out -- and crush him politically.
That’s because Morin also serves as the attorney for Woodmont Properties, LLC. Woodmont wants to alter the zoning for two properties on Birchwood Avenue from low density office to residential, so that the Parsippany developer can buy nearly 16 acres from Elberon Development, which is owned by Estabrook, a Republican who wants to run against Frank R. Lautenberg next year.
Morin serves on Estabrook’s campaign exploratory committee – his early support surprised some Republicans because Union County Assemblyman Jon Bramnick is mulling a U.S. Senate bid -- but the fledgling candidate said Morin’s presence as the applicant’s attorney does not constitute a conflict.
Thompson revisits Louisiana
Assemblyman Sam ThompsonVeteran District 13 Assemblyman Sam Thompson comes to New Jersey by way of Louisiana.
Civil rights activists last week descended on Jena, La., to protest charges of attempted murder initially brought against six young African-Americans, who allegedly beat up a white youth they said was part of an anti-black element in the mostly white town.
Read More >Republicans get to hear from both Estabrook and Pennacchio
Anne Evans Estabrook and Assemblyman Joseph Pennacchio Today's Middlesex County Republican fundraiser in Woodbridge was not a large event, with only about 40 donors attending. But the interesting thing about it was who showed up -- all three potential Republican U. S. Senate candidates.
Invited to speak at the fundraiser were Assemblyman (and State Senate candidate Joseph Pennacchio, who just formed an exploratory committee this month, and Spring Lake businesswoman Anne Evans Estabrook, the first candidate to show signs of interest in Frank Lautenberg’s seat. Also in attendance -- not speaking but listening from the other side of the relatively small room -- was Assembly Minority Whip Jon Bramnick, who is mulling a U.S. Senate bid but has not yet formally declared any intentions.
Read More >Pennacchio wins informal straw poll
Assemblyman Joseph Pennacchio defeated businesswoman Anne Evans Estabrook in a U.S. Senate ’08 straw poll conducted by PoliticsNJ.com at a Middlesex County Republican breakfast on Sunday. It was the first joint speaking appearance for the two candidates seeking the GOP nod to challenge incumbent Frank Lautenberg.
Pennacchio received 14 votes (74%), while four votes (21%) went for Estabrook. One Republican cast a write-in vote for Assemblyman Jon Bramnick, who is also mulling a Senate bid.
Read More >Hornik intent on making Scannapieco an issue for Kleinberg
In Marlboro, Democratic Mayoral candidate Jon Hornik is demanding that Republican Mayor Robert Kleinberg give back money he took from former Mayor Matthew Scannapieco, who admitted to taking $245,000 from developers.
"Mayor Kleinberg has taken money from felons and given Marlboro the highest property taxes in New Jersey and overdevelopment," Hornik said.
Read More >Pou promises to work with Milgram on labor standards
Assemblywoman Nellie PouPicked on by her Republican opponent as the existing weak link of a 35th District ticket riven by scandal, Assemblywoman Nellie Pou today stood in the rain at the head of 100 workers outside the Majestic Restaurant in Wayne and promised to get state Attorney General Anne Milgram to enforce New Jersey’s labor laws.
Restaurant workers have already bound together here with union backing to force several area restaurants to pay fair wages, but places like the Majestic are dragging their heels, according to Tony Tsai, a former employee. Charging a slave labor situation, Tsai says Majestic’s management doesn’t pay workers a base wage and demands kickbacks of $15 per day from the buffet restaurant staff. On weekends, they demand $20 per day.
Read More >Who will challenge LoBiondo? Van Drew says it won't be him
Democrats say they can beat Frank LoBiondo, who won re-election last year with 62% and has a $1.5 million warchest.Two competitive races for the U.S. House of Representatives are shaping up in New Jersey, where State Sen. John Adler is challenging 12-term Rep. Jim Saxton, and Assemblywoman Linda Stender is seeking a rematch against Rep. Mike Fergsuon in a contest that was decided by just one percentage point last year.
That’s two out of the three races that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says they plan to target in New Jersey. But in the second district, where Democrats keep saying Rep. Frank LoBiondo is vulnerable, no clear candidate has emerged to take him on.
The most prominent name in the running has been Assemblyman Jeff Van Drew, who’s currently enmeshed in a tight state Senate campaign GOP Republican incumbent Nicholas Asselta. Democrats insist that a Van Drew victory for state Senate in district one, along with a win by Jim Whelan in the neighboring second district, would be a bad omen for LoBiondo. It could even give the Democrats the momentum they need to move Van Drew up to Congress, they say.
Read More >The Back Room
The origins of Lonegan versus Sabrin
The rift between Steve Lonegan and Murray Sabrin goes back to 2008.
Read More >Wake-Up Call
Morning Digest: June 19, 2013
Hudson freeholder board: Rivera out Hudson County Freeholder Eliu Rivera of Jersey City has submitted his resignation papers and is expected to be gone July 1st. PolitickerNJ http://www.politickernj.com/66559/hudson-freeholder-board-rivera-out-maldonado Eck withstands Lonegan’s challenge An administrative law judge this evening ruled that U.S. Senate candidate Alieta Eck can remain...
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Op-Ed
Bowser's Farewell
BY BOB BOWSER To the citizens of the great city of East Orange, I am eternally grateful that you have allowed me to serve as your Mayor for the past sixteen years. As a community of concerned citizens, you have been willing participants in... Read More >
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