Gov. Chris Christie couldn’t get himself a job in the Trump Administration, but he’s apparently helping others get posts in the federal government.
Christie is working a deal to get his former colleague and Bridgegate attorney Craig Carpenito the job of U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, according to The Inquirer. The complex deal would give Democrats some district court judgeships in exchange, and Christie would see another ally, Paul Matey, get a seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia.
Christie convinced Trump to declare a national emergency to combat the opioid crisis. Trump announced Thursday that he’d make the emergency declaration, adopting the chief recommendation of a drug addiction panel led by Christie. The announcement was somewhat of a surprise since Trump’s top health official said two days earlier that a national emergency wasn’t needed to address the issue.
And Phil Murphy promised more money for Planned Parenthood if elected governor, claiming women had died because of Christie’s funding cuts to the women’s health provider. That comment drew a sharp rebuke from state health officials, who said the Democratic gubernatorial nominee’s comments were “flat out untrue.”
Quote of the Day: “Women are dying in this state thanks to the cuts that the governor and the lieutenant governor have endorsed now for seven and a half years. – Phil Murphy claiming Christie’s cuts to Planed Parenthood had cost lives.
Trump to Declare National Health Emergency on Opioid Addiction
President Trump on Thursday said he will declare a public health emergency to combat the opioid addiction crisis, adopting the chief recommendation from a special commission led by Gov. Chris Christie.
Christian Hetrick, Observer Read more
Murphy Promises More Money for Planned Parenthood
Phil Murphy picked up an endorsement from Planned Parenthood on Thursday, pledging not only to restore reproductive health care funding cut by Gov. Chris Christie but to increase it.
Christian Hetrick, Observer Read more
Murphy’s Comments on Women Dying Are False, NJ Health Officials Say
New Jersey health officials fired back at Phil Murphy on Thursday after the Democratic gubernatorial nominee said “women are dying” because of Gov. Chris Christie’s cuts to Planned Parenthood.
Christian Hetrick, Observer Read more
Guadagno Praises NJ’s Diversity; Oliver Pledges ‘Sanctuary’ Status
Both Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Assemblywoman Sheila Oliver praised New Jersey’s immigrant communities on Thursday during a celebration of Ecuadorian Independence Day at Elizabeth’s City Hall.
Alyana Alfaro, Observer Read more
Trump poised to nominate Christie ally for U.S. attorney in complex political deal
Gov. Christie’s former colleague and Bridgegate attorney has emerged as the leading contender to be New Jersey’s next U.S. attorney, five people familiar with the matter said, underscoring how the Republican governor still wields considerable influence with the Trump administration despite the public’s strong disapproval of his performance at home.
Inquirer Read more
Sentencing postponed for Menendez co-defendant
Prosecutors and defense lawyers have agreed to postpone the health care fraud sentencing of a Florida eye doctor who could be facing decades in prison and is also set for a separate trial next month in a corruption case with Sen. Bob Menendez.
Politico Read more
State lawmakers get a wake-up call on climate change
With President Trump announcing the U.S. will exit the Paris Climate Agreement, state and local government leaders are scrambling. A joint legislative committee met Thursday to map out New Jersey’s next steps.
NJTV Watch
Why was this Jersey Democrat having lunch with Mike Pence?
As Vice President Mike Pence prepared to travel to Latin America, he reached out to members of Congress for advice. One of them was Democratic Rep. Albio Sires, who had a chicken salad lunch with the Republican veep.
NJ.com Read more
Guadagno reveals the odds of she and Trump hanging out at Bedminster while he’s in town
He’s the leader of the Republican Party and she’s New Jersey’s GOP gubernatorial nominee. So what are the chances President Donald Trump and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno will meet at Bedminster while the president is in town? “None,” Guadagno told NJ Advance Media.
NJ.com Read more
Healthcare premiums for NJ teachers to increase in 2018
Remember last week’s good news for taxpayers about healthcare premiums for active and retired workers staying level or going down in 2018? It’s a different story this week when it comes to teachers and school spending.
NJ101.5 Read more
NJ Education Plan One of Few States to Win Fed Approval
New Jersey this week became one of the first states to win federal approval of its latest accountability and monitoring plans — with districts next required to submit their own extensive plans for following the law by the start of the school year.
NJSpotlight Read more
Will Affordable Housing Ruling be Derailed by Judge’s Ties to Developer?
New Jersey’s only municipality to receive its affordable-housing obligation from a judge’s order is continuing to appeal that number, even as construction is underway on the first new developments since the Supreme Court got back in the middle of the Mount Laurel housing controversy. The township is claiming the Superior Court judge was compromised by a relationship with the developer.
NJSpotlight Read more
CWA Goes to Court to Block Changes to Cybersecurity
A powerful labor union is seeking to block the state from implementing a series of changes to the government’s technology infrastructure — changes the government says it needs to prevent hackers from posing a threat.
NJSpotlight Read more
Court changes rules for divorced parent who wants to leave N.J. with child
The state Supreme Court reversed nearly two decades of law in a landmark decision on Tuesday by setting a new standard when it comes to the relocation of children in divorce cases.
NJ.com Read more
Judge: Dune work can resume in Margate, with conditions
A federal judge has lifted the order halting dune work on Margate’s beaches, allowing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to resume the dune work that has left lake-like ponding on beaches under certain conditions, including fencing, pumping when needed and continued investigation to solve the issue long term.
Inquirer Read more
