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Winners and Losers: Week of October 4th
This was the first week in a while when spillover from a corruption trial didn’t penetrate the winners and losers list, so without further… wait a minute, this just in… (Editor, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/42086/winners-and-losers-week-oct-4th
Chris Christie looms over White House plans
He isn’t on the guest list, but New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie will be on everyone’s mind Monday when President Barack Obama calls for a bipartisan commitment to quickly approve $50 billion in federal spending on roads, rails and airports. (Maggs, Politico)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43386.html
GOP Disputes Suggestion Foreign Funds Used in Campaign
Republicans and GOP allies are hitting back at suggestions by President Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee that they are using foreign money illegally in the campaign. (Williamson, The Wall Street Journal)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703358504575544583024180888.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Obama Says Secret Money for Attack-Ad Groups Imperil Democracy
Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) — President Barack Obama criticized tax-exempt Republican-leaning organizations that use undisclosed donations to fund “attack ads” less than a month before elections that will determine control of Congress. (Goldman and Jenson)
Obama Ratchets Up Tone Against G.O.P.
PHILADELPHIA – With his party facing losses in next month’s election, President Obama pressed his argument Sunday that the opposition is trying to steal the election with secret special-interest money, including possibly from foreign companies. (Baker, The New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/11/us/politics/11obama.html
N.J. Gov. Christie heads to Pennsylvania to campaign for GOP candidate Tom Corbett
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie heads to Pennsylvania this morning to campaign for Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Corbett. (Friedman, The Star-Ledger)
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/nj_gov_christie_heads_to_penns.html
Democrats’ independence is an issue in Gloucester County race
As Election Day nears, the race for two seats on the Gloucester County Freeholder Board is focusing on the independence of the candidates and their likelihood to bow to a Democratic Party organization that has run county government for more than a dozen years. (Hefler, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
ARC Hudson River rail tunnel lacked New York support
The decision by New Jersey officials to go it alone to build a landmark $8.7 billion second Hudson River rail tunnel and a station deep under 34th Street in Manhattan is seen by experts as one of the fatal flaws that brought the project to the brink of doom last week. (Higgs, Daily Record)
From the Back Room
Who? Where? When?
U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen, (D-Maryland) did his best Vinnie Barbarino impression on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday when asked about 3rd District candidate Peter DeStephano, who the Courier Post reported Friday is actually a plant by the campaign of U.S. Rep. John Adler. (Editor, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/who-where-when
Opinion
Forget motives, Christie’s ARC decision was correct
IN THE WORDS of Linda Loman, “I can’t cry.” Governor Christie’s decision to stop the Access to the Region’s Core project was smart.
Christie pulled the plug Thursday on the once-estimated $8.7 billion project because he believed cost overruns would bring the final total to anywhere between $11 billion to $14 billion. (Doblin, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/columnists/doblin/doblin_101110.html
Here’s a way Christie can save money
Pam Fischer is no longer the state’s highway safety director. You remember Fischer, she is the one who announces the big important crack downs like seat belt wearing and such. (Ingle, Asbury Park Press)
http://blogs.app.com/politicspatrol/2010/10/11/12401/
Are New Jersey public officials required to report a bribe?
Imagine this scene.
A mayor of a New Jersey town meets with a developer who wants to build an office complex. The developer asks for a hassle-free approval for the project and hands the mayor a bag of cash – a classic bribe. (Kelly, The Record)
http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/kelly/104688144_A_hole_in_our_laws_against_bribery.html
In case you missed it
A ‘political strategist’ and the confluences of power
TRENTON – The confluence of politics and business infamously suctioned the state’s most powerful lobbyists, politicians and laywers – and ultimately every New Jersey resident into Encap and its doomed before they started South Jersey partner projects – but a half-forgotten, unnamed operative had the job of greasing the deals in the early stages. (Pizarro, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/42072/political-strategist-and-confluences-power
Cook Report moved NJ-3 to “toss-up”
The Cook Report has moved New Jersey’s 3rd Congressional District race to a toss-up.
The election analysis newsletter that bills itself as non-partisan had rated the race “lean Democrat” as incumbent Democrat John Adler has been ahead in the polls throughout the race. (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/42099/cook-report-moves-nj-3-toss
How to kill, redux
Democratic insiders are not optimistic that the ARC tunnel will revive itself with today’s injunction from Washington. (Carroll, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/view-kill-redux
Report: Christie blinks
After meeting in Trenton this afternoon with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Gov. Chris Christie agreed to take a second look at the ARC tunnel, according to the Star-Ledger. (Editor, PolitickerNJ)
http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/report-christie-blinks
John Adler denies allegation he recruited third-party candidate DeStefano
U.S. Rep. John Adler denied allegations Friday that his campaign recruited a so-called sham candidate to siphon votes from Jon Runyan, his Republican challenger in the Third District. (Burton, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
Report: Adler supporters, former DCCC official recruited plant candidate in NJ-3
There have been questions about whether a tea party candidate, Peter DeStefano, in NJ-3, was a plant after he appeared to emerge from nowhere, and now the Courier-Post is reporting that he was indeed part of a plan to boost incumbent Democratic Rep. John Adler. (Haberman, Politico)
