After too many years covering New Jersey politics, I have come to believe that more decisions are made at diner tables than in the Statehouse.

I don’t have data to back this up. It’s just a hunch. But consider how many iconic moments in Jersey politics have taken place in diners. To name a few:

• Hoboken Mayor Peter Cammarano telling federal informant Solomon Dwek he’ll grind his enemies “into powder.”
  
• Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy surreptitiously taped, also by Dwek, putting an obscene amount of pepper on his coleslaw.
  
• Democratic operative Sean Caddle paying Michael Galdieri’s alleged killers in a diner parking lot.
  
• Gov. Phil Murphy and Democratic bosses finalizing who would be the next senate president.
  
• That time a diner owner said during a press conference with the governor, senate president and speaker that the minimum wage increase they visited the diner promote would drive him out of business.

This is a long way of me saying that George Gilmore is once again an extremely influential person in New Jersey politics. Because in the fall, a few months after winning back the chairmanship, Gilmore shared a table at the Red Bank Diner with Murphy, his chief of staff, George Helmy, and state Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth).

We don’t know the details of what was said at that table, and Gopal insists there was no political intrigue despite the interesting cast. But the fact that Gilmore got a seat at the confab shows that he’s once again at the table — pun only somewhat intended. And this meeting provided a good jumping off point for me to explore Gilmore’s political rise and fall and rise again for an audience that may be less familiar with him than those well-versed in New Jersey politics.

Read my article here. 

DAYS SINCE MURPHY REFUSED TO SAY WHETHER HIS WIFE’S NON-PROFIT SHOULD DISCLOSE DONORS: 367*

*Since we crossed the 365 day mark over the weekend (my counter may not be quite exact, but let’s not dwell on that), I’ve decided to shut down this feature. It looks like Murphy World's dark money is going to stay dark. I do not make this decision lightly, and I reserve the right going forward to make frequent snarky references to the Stronger Fairer Forward 501(c)(4).

TIPS? FEEDBACK? HATE MAIL? Email me at [email protected].

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “We are just waiting for them to tell us something.” — Prince Dwumfour, father of slain Sayreville Councilmember Eunice Dwumfour, on the investigation of her shooting death.

WHERE’S MURPHY? Nothing public

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Bonnie Watson Coleman, Loretta Weinberg, Brian Hackett, Cedric Hunter, Erin Rice, Chris Slevin

BIG 10, LITTLE RETURN — “Rutgers athletics now outspends many Big Ten schools. But the public covers a bigger tab,” by The Record’s Jean Rimbach and Abbott Koloff: “Rutgers University athletics is now outspending many of its Big Ten counterparts, new financial reports show, but it continues to bring in less cash and rack up higher deficits than any other public school in the conference. New Jersey taxpayers and students are picking up a greater share of athletic expenses for Rutgers than the public does at any other Big Ten state university, an analysis of available NCAA reports for the 2021-2022 fiscal year shows. Rutgers spent more than $138 million on athletics — that’s more than six other conference schools — while losing nearly $53 million in the last fiscal year. That shortfall is the largest among Big Ten public schools. It was the sixth consecutive year athletics posted a deficit of more than $50 million — despite getting its largest amount yet of Big Ten conference revenue. Rutgers received its first full conference share in fiscal 2021, when the payout was reduced because of COVID and it had a $73.3 million athletic deficit.”

IN MICKEY, SOME REPUBLICANS THINK THEY HAVE A FINE CANDIDATE — “Salem County Commissioner might challenge Durr in GOP primary,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “Popular two-term Salem County Commissioner Mickey Ostrum is mulling a challenge to State Sen. Ed Durr (R-Logan) in the Republican primary. Ostrum told the New Jersey Globe that he would make a final decision ‘over the next week to ten days.’ ‘I’m giving some thought to it,’ Ostrum said. ‘I haven’t made a decision for sure. It’s not an easy decision. If he decides to run, a possible ticket might include Assemblywoman Beth Sawyer (R-Woolwich) and Harrison Township Committeeman Adam Wingate in the 3rd legislative district.’”

—“Democrats Want Ron Jaworski To Run For State Senate In South Jersey”

—“Donlon, Peterpaul defeat Houghtaling for Assembly nod In 11th District “ 

FERMENTING CONTROVERSY — Debate in New Jersey over Kimchi Day gets spicy, by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: When the Assembly took up a resolution last week designating Nov. 22 as Kimchi Day in New Jersey, few expected a debate. It was just one of dozens if not hundreds of symbolic, easily forgotten pieces of legislation the Legislature passes every year. One lawmaker, however, took exception … Nov. 22 is also the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. But more on that later. Assemblymember Ellen Park (D-Bergen), who sponsored the resolution, had seen similar measures passed in New York, California and Virginia, but a controversy was fermenting in the Garden State with at least one legislator. “With all due respect to the dish kimchi, the State of New Jersey has no days that are named after a food,” Assemblymember Brian Bergen (R-Morris) said on the Assembly floor.

BRIAN BERGEN CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE THEM CRY — “South Jersey fourth graders pick up charge to make cranberry juice a state symbol,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Melanie Burney: “There must be something special in the water (or juice?) in Erin Zarzycki’s fourth grade. For the second time, a group of her students is trying to persuade New Jersey lawmakers to make cranberry juice a state symbol. Their project began in 2020 when students at Eleanor Rush Intermediate School in Cinnaminson became lobbyists — writing letters, visiting the Statehouse to learn how a bill becomes a law, and eventually persuading two lawmakers to sponsor their proposal. But the legislative session ended without a vote on the bill, dashing their hopes … Now, the legislation has been reintroduced by Assemblywoman Carol Murphy (D., Burlington) with a new cosponsor”

FORMER GOP AG: DON’T BAIL ON IT — “Bail Reform: New York’s mistakes must not jeopardize New Jersey’s success,” by Christopher Porrino for The Star-Ledger: “There is no statistical correlation between bail reform, which became effective in 2017, and the more recent increase in criminal activity. In light of this unmistakable reality, I am writing to urge that our political leaders exercise restraint before seeking to roll back a reform measure that was enacted with the support of leaders in both parties in all three branches of government, and has proven to be a national model in targeting the right people for detention and releasing on conditions those who pose no true threat to society … New Jersey experienced steady declines in violent crime in the years after bail reform became effective. Indeed, in the first two years after New Jersey reformed its bail system, violent crime decreased by over 30%. The recent issue involving car thefts is just that — recent — coming years after the reform became effective, and in the midst of a nationwide spike in violent crime coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Even so, New Jersey today has the fifth lowest violent crime rate in the nation.”

—Report: New Jersey could have saved $2B in hospital payments if it matched Medicare rates

—Moran: “The real reasons Murphy flipped on charter schools” 

—“Salem County commissioner might challenge Durr In GOP primary” 

—Steinberg: “DeSantis 2024 would create a political nightmare for Ciattarelli” 

—“We must enforce NJ, federal laws intended to prevent kids from vaping | Opinion” 

TRUCK DANGER — “Tracy Morgan crash revealed dangers of truck driver fatigue. 9 years later, little has changed,” by NJ Advance Media’s Jonathan D. Salant:  “The driver of the tractor-trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike that smashed into a limo bus in the early morning of June 7, 2014, seriously injuring Tracy Morgan and killing a fellow comedian, hadn’t slept in 28 hours. The National Transportation Safety Board blamed the crash on driver fatigue and then added the issue to its list of most-wanted safety improvements. Congress demanded a study of truckers driving for hours before they even picked up their loads. But nearly nine years later, addressing driver fatigue no longer appears on the safety board’s most-wanted list and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration responded to the congressional directive with a four-page report saying there was no data and it wasn’t going to do the research to get it. And when the U.S. Department of Transportation issued its new safety strategy, it didn’t mention driver fatigue at all.”

—“Booker ‘sobered’ about chances for major policing bill, but hopes something can get passed”

EUNICE DWUMFOUR — “Man thinks he saw person who killed Sayreville councilwoman: ‘He was going over the fence’,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Jim Beckerman: “Immediately after a Sayreville councilwoman was shot and killed in her car, one of her neighbors thinks he saw the shooter fleeing down an alley and hopping over a brick wall to escape … Law enforcement officials have been particularly tight-lipped about the case, declining to answer questions. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, for example, issued a press release Friday saying there would be no press conferences and they would answer no questions while the investigation was ongoing … Even Dwumfour’s family is waiting for answers. Prince Dwumfour, Eunice’s father, said Friday that his family was doing well. ‘We are just waiting for them to tell us something,’ he said, adding that he couldn’t talk because everything was under investigation.”

—“Slain Sayreville councilwoman was also a pastor. Congregants celebrated her life in Newark” 

BIG DEBBIE — “NJ police chief accused of corruption retires with $177K yearly pension,” by NJ 101.5’s Rick Rickman: “The Union County police chief has retired in good standing with his full pension after a history of accusations of misconduct, including the latest lawsuit against him which claims he ordered a subordinate to tamper with evidence. The Union County Prosecutor's Office has declined to release the findings of an Internal Affairs investigation from last year into Union County police Chief James C. Debbie. Attorney Brian Schiller filed an appeal on Tuesday demanding the report's release. Schiller told New Jersey 101.5 that multiple sources have said the investigation found that Debbie, nicknamed by those in his own department as ‘False Facts,’ ordered a cop to alter a police report to protect a county employee accused of an illicit side hustle using county property. According to the lawsuit, two versions of the Mar. 19, 2022 police report exist — the initial report with the employee's name and the altered report where the name has been removed.“

TRENTON — “N.J. city’s killings are down. Community groups deserve credit, police director says,” by Kevin Shea for NJ.com: “During a recent interview with Trenton Police Director Steve Wilson, little of the conversation concerned typical police work. Wilson, discussing how the city suffered 22 homicides in 2022, versus 40 each of the prior two calendar years, credited the reduction partly to the work of ‘street teams,’community-led groups that offer a host of services, before or after police officers get involved. The teams are a vital part of the city’s plan to reduce crime and violence, Wilson said. They offer an assortment of programs, from on-scene assistance after acts of violence, to ongoing advocacy for victims and follow-up services, like referrals to mental health professionals. They also work to mediate or alleviate ongoing conflicts in neighborhoods. ‘They are turning lives around,’ he said.”

IF HE BEATS THE CHARGE HE’LL BE KNOWN AS ‘SCOTT-FREE PIPPIN’ — “Flemington councilman sold cocaine and meth to undercover cop, prosecutor alleges,” by MyCentralJersey’s Mike Deak: “Flemington Borough Councilman Malik Johnston has been charged by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office with selling cocaine and methamphetamine. Johnston, 46, also known as Pippin Folk according to the prosecutor's office, was charged with second-degree distribution of cocaine, second-degree distribution of methamphetamine, second-degree possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and second-degree possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson said Friday. Second-degree charges carry prison sentences of five to 10 years.”

GOOD CITIZENSHIP — “How mystery person spotted error that forced election recount in four Monmouth towns,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Dan Radel: “A person who made an Open Public Records Act request may have spotted the discrepancy in the votes in one Monmouth County town that led county officials to uncover a wider error that impacted the elections in four towns in November's general election. Now a judge has ordered a recount in the four towns, one of which could upend an election result. Monmouth County Superior Court Judge David F. Bauman has granted the recount in Belmar, Fair Haven, Ocean Township and Tinton Falls, which county officials said were affected by Election Systems and Software’s election software problem … According to the order, an Open Public Records Act was filed on Nov. 21, 2022, just hours after the race was certified, sought information on Belmar's vote totals. The order did not say who filed the OPRA request, but on Dec. 14 the requester advised the county that he found a discrepancy in the total number of votes in the documents that he received via the OPRA compared with what was listed on the county's website.”

CITIZENS ATTACKING EDUCATION — “N.J. public library trustees to hear request to remove LGBTQ+ themed books from shelves,” by NJ Advance Media’s Vashti Harris: “The Glen Ridge Public Library board of trustees is expected to hear an appeal on Feb. 8 from a borough-based group that is seeking to have six LGBTQ+ themed books removed from library shelves. Requests filed by Citizens Defending Education to have the books removed from shelves was turned down in November by Library Director Tina Marie Doody, who told NJ Advance Media, “It is my professional opinion that the items in question meet the Glen Ridge Public Library’s materials selection criteria and should remain on the shelves.” Doody said prior to the requests made in October, the library had not received any book removal requests in the last five years … The six books being challenged are All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson; Here and Queer by Rowan Ellis; This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson; It’s Not the Stork and It’s Perfectly Normal by Robie H. Harris; and, You Know, Sex by Cory Silverberg.”

—“At this school, rainbows are sentenced to prism time and sex ed sticks to the basics | Opinion” 

—“Essex County commissioner Johnson to retire” 

—“Cuozzo facing recall In Plumsted” 

—“In small Atlantic County borough, GOP appears to have stolen a Democratic seat” 

—“In [Salem] with only 4 supermarkets, farm gets $100K to help solve ‘food desert’ problem”

—”[Trenton] cops raided home in mistaken ID arrest that led to broken arm, suit says” 

—“Man sues Ocean City over Boardwalk collision with bicycle cop” 

—“Police rumors, harassment forced me out of job, caused family turmoil, [East Orange] cop says” 

—“Six Flags searched mom, daughter who were wearing hijabs, revoked their membership, suit says” 

—“From bulletproof glass to armed guards, N.J. houses of worship are beefing up security amid threats”