The Morning Briefing - June 3, 2016
TRENTON – Gov. Chris Christie’s love affair with the Statehouse press corps seems as steamy as ever, as he slammed them for daring to ask what he was doing in Washington D.C. last week. Enjoy this Christie gem: “I went to Washington for some meetings, which I am more than permitted to do, without either your permission or giving you notification." And another one: “I think even as governor, I still have the ability to have a private life. And to be able to go where I feel I need to go, as long as I can still perform my duties. So, no, I don't think the public has a right to know where I am every minute of the day." Meanwhile, state taxpayers are on the hook for his out-of-state travel. N.J. Advance Media notes taxpayers spent $170,000 in just the first three months of 2016. But, apparently Christie’s whereabouts are none of our business. Reporters should be ashamed for even asking.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy sees some red meat here, saying that New Jerseyans are unknowingly making in-kind contributions to the “Trump for President” campaign every time our governor vanishes with his security detail to run the Presidential transition team. Murphy puts a glaring spotlight on Christie’s new job – the impossible task of recruiting and vetting candidates to staff a Presidential cabinet and some 4,000 federal appointments for a guy convinced he is the smartest man who ever lived on the planet.
HACKETTSTOWN — We won’t know exactly why a local guy went absolutely nuts over some dispute over his cell phone. But, N.J. Advance Media reports, the 50-year-old man is looking at plenty of charges for ripping a door off its hinges, entering an apartment, slamming a chair over a victim and then punching the individual in the face. The suspect was found with blood on his hands, literally. We can only assume the victim borrowed the phone and recklessly used the data without a hot spot. It is the only reasonable alibi.
PERTH AMBOY – Mayor Wilda Diaz must wear Kevlar body armor under her business suits; she’s gearing up for another uphill battle for re-election. Diaz is seeking a third-term with Councilman Fernando Irizarry and school employee Jelmin Caba on her ticket; Councilman Joel Pabon badly wants her job. Now, three council members are swinging at Diaz, telling Politickernj they're lined up behind Pabon. Just two short years ago, Diaz was the driving force behind Pabon's council re-election, and Caba was an opponent. Loyalty in Perth Amboy is about as fleeting as a Snapchat photo.
ATLANTIC CITY – If voters allow casino gambling in northern New Jersey, half the casinos in Atlantic City could be run out of business. At least that is the doom-and-gloom scenario provided by a Wall Street analyst, Fitch Ratings. The analyst has a death watch list, which includes Trump Taj Mahal, Resorts and the Golden Nugget, followed by Bally’s. Meanwhile, a Monmouth University poll released yesterday shows voters are split on the proposal to build two new casinos near NYC. There’s no win-win for an industry that always plays with the odds.
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL – Jim Keady – the “sit-down-and-shut-up” guy – is running again, this time for Congress to unseat Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3rd Dist.). Keady, a tavern owner and former Asbury Park councilman, unsuccessfully ran for Assembly in 2015. You may remember when Gov. Chris Christie publicly berated Keady, after he heckled the governor about Superstorm Sandy federal aid. Keady has raised $45,200 and must defeat Democrat Frederick John LaVergne in next week's primary to win the party’s nod, Philly.com reports. MacArthur is already attacking him as “Seedy Jim Keady,” and calling his Waretown tavern a “dive bar” and a “stain on the community.” Since when has seediness prevented someone from being elected to Congress?
ASBURY PARK – Sunday's 25th Annual Jersey Pride parade and festival here marks the LGBT community's 1992 victory to amend the state's anti-discrimination laws. Changes, signed by then-Gov. Jim Florio, made it illegal for employers to discriminate based on sexual orientation, or to discriminate over housing, public accommodations or contracts. The parade, still organized by its founders Karen CyBulsk and Laura Pople, both of Perth Amboy, starts at noon from Asbury Park City Hall. The Pride festival runs until 7 p.m. at Bradley Park at 5th and Ocean avenues. More information is at Jersey Pride.
IN OTHER IMPORTANT NEWS
HOPLAND, Calif. – No, wildlife is not yours to scoop up and sell online. Just ask the Northern California woman who was busted for grabbing a fawn off the side of a rural road and tried to sell it on Craigslist. The San Francisco Chronicle says the 28-year-old woman posted the ad and photo Tuesday, asking for $300 for the baby deer. State game wardens set up a sting to meet her and buy the deer. Warning to other wildlife: she’s now out on bail and has an eBay account.
BOSTON – Burlesque dancer “Maggie McMuffin” wants JetBlue to apologize for making her put on more clothing before boarding a May 18 flight from Logan International to her Seattle home. Miss McMuffin, who goes by only her stage name, told the Boston Globe she wasn't indecent; her high-waist shorts, sweater and thigh-high socks covered “90 percent of her body.” However, JetBlue employees believed her risqué attire could “offend families on the flight.” Not to lose her seat, the 26-year-old bought bigger shorts at a terminal store. Feeling stripped of her dignity, Ms. McMuffin has vowed never to fly JetBlue again and trashed the airline on Twitter and her website. She also earned a ton of publicity mileage.
Happy National Repeat Day. Happy National Repeat Day. Happy National Repeat Day.
THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Is there any surprise that France decided to release “Pee Wee’s Great Adventure” and “Little Shop of Horrors” on the same day, this day, in 1987?
WORD OF THE DAY
Milquetoast – noun
Definition: A timid or meek person
Example: I am such a milquetoast; why did I say I would work all weekend?
WEATHER IN A WORLD
Raindrops.