One of my favorite stories of the past month or so has been the auction to push the button to blow up Trump Plaza.

We know that it won’t happen. But would you believe the idea actually originated with a Republican former elected official, who then passed it onto a state senator who passed it on to another Republican state senator who passed it on to Mayor Marty Small?

That, anyway, is what Mike Fitzgerald, a former Republican elected official in Colts Neck and Wall Township, tells me. Fitzgerald, who’s also Monmouth County counsel, runs a business aimed at just this sort of thing. He said he first reached out to Small about it through state Sens. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) and Chris Brown (R-Atlantic) in the summer.

Small insists the idea was his.

It’s a fun and very Jersey story. Read it here.

WHERE’S MURPHY? In Moorestown for a vaccine site visit event at 10 a.m. Then Trenton for a 1 p.m. coronavirus press conference.

CORONAVIRUS TRACKER: 4,095 newly-reported positive PCR tests for a total of 580,688. 98 more deaths for a total of 18,639 (and 2,121 probable deaths). 3,395 hospitalized, 626 in intensive care. 455,965 vaccine shots administered of 923,300 distributed, or 49.4 percent.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Assembly Clerk Dana Burley, Murphy bodyman Brady O’Connor, Hunterdon Dem Chair Arlene Quinones Perez, Former U.S. Rep. Jim Saxton, Laborers’ Amber Lee. Saturday for MWWPR's Rich Levesque. Sunday for Nassau Consulting’s Matthew Dikovics, Tonio Burgos' Jim Kehoe

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “I’ve heard this loud and clear from you and your colleagues and counterparts in the region, and look forward to working with you on this to move forward.” — Pete Buttigieg on Gateway, at his confirmation hearing for transportation secretary

IF NY DOESN’T LEGALIZE SOON, SO MUCH MARIJUANA IS GOING TO PASS THROUGH THAT BUILDING — Amid tough time for transit, Port Authority plots massive bus terminal overhaul, by POLITICO’s Danielle Muoio: After years of contentious planning, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has unveiled a plan to revitalize its much-derided Midtown bus terminal: Tear it down and start over. The ambitious proposal, first reported by POLITICO, comes as the Port Authority continues to reel from the Covid-19 pandemic, which has decimated mass transit ridership across the nation. Port officials are still pushing for federal assistance to make up a $3 billion deficit from the pandemic’s fallout, and on Thursday continued to warn that capital projects may be cut without aid. And the authority has so far declined to say how much the project will cost. But Port officials characterized the new bus terminal as long-overdue, with Executive Director Rick Cotton saying he understood why it was the source of such “scorn.” The dilapidated bus terminal was over capacity before the pandemic, with 260,000 riders passing through it every day. Gov. Andrew Cuomo made it a focus of his State of the State infrastructure address.

BILLY DON’T YOU LOSE MY NUMBER — Stripped-down, Cooper-backed trauma center bill quickly approved amid legislative flurry, by POLITICO’s Sam Sutton: The new bill, NJ A5103 (20R), would require acute care hospitals in New Jersey to sign transfer agreements with trauma centers. It also would codify triage standards for emergency medical service providers. While the policies advanced by the new bill appear relatively innocuous, the speed with which it was introduced and brought to the floor left health policy experts scratching their heads over its intent, according to more than a half-dozen lawmakers, policy analysts and lobbyists interviewed by POLITICO. Its swift passage also underscored the strength of powerful interests within the Statehouse. Assemblyman William Spearman, the bill’s primary sponsor, had an uneven understanding of the measure when contacted by POLITICO shortly after its Dec. 17 passage. “This bill was put together by knowledgeable people who are focused on doing just that.” Pressed on the identity of those “knowledgeable people,” Spearman asked how POLITICO had obtained his cell phone number.” Two sources with direct knowledge of the bill’s origins say the measure was being pushed by Cooper University Health Care, a Camden hospital and Level 1 trauma center whose chairman — insurance executive George Norcross III — sits at the head of South Jersey’s Democratic machine and is widely considered the most powerful non-elected political figure in the state.

IF THAT’S THEIR IDEA OF ‘ON TIME’ THEN WHAT DOES ‘ON BUDGET’ MEAN? — “NJ Statehouse rehab deadline now 2023, Murphy admin says,” by The AP’s Michael Catalini: “The $300 million refurbishment that began soon after it was announced by former Gov. Chris Christie in late 2016 was supposed to take four years. In 2018, the completion date was expected to be 2022, and now Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration says it’ll be January 2023 before the renovation is done. ‘At present it is still within budget and on time, with construction slated for completion in January 2023 and building occupancy expected for mid-year after installation of furniture, IT equipment, and other components,’ Treasury spokesperson Jennifer Sciortino said. How can it be on time, if it’s later than initially thought? The Murphy administration penciled in 36 months for completing the general contracting phase, which started in December 2019, and that work is on track, according to Sciortino.”

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED GIULIANI’S TRIAL BY COMBAT SUGGESTION? — “NJ Supreme Court considers temporary release of county inmates awaiting trial,” by The Record’s Tom Nobile: “With New Jersey courts enduring indefinite delays to hold jury trials, the state’s top court is considering temporarily releasing up to 1,100 county jail inmates awaiting trial, despite prosecutors protesting that the move would be dangerous and illegal. In a virtual hearing on Wednesday, the state Supreme Court heard arguments to free all but the most serious offenders, whose cases have wallowed for longer than six months due to the pandemic. Out of fairness to the accused, attorneys for the state Office of the Public Defender and American Civil Liberties Union asked that the high court to develop new criteria to re-weigh the risks the inmates pose to society in order to release as many as possible.”

A LONG DECEMBER AND THERE’S REASON TO BELIEVE MAYBE NEXT YEAR WILL BE BETTER THAN THE LAST — “December’s surge in NJ tax collections probably just a temporary boost,” by NJ Spotlight’s John Reitmeyer: “Amid a new wave of COVID-19 infections in a state where the economy was nearly crippled by pandemic restrictions, New Jersey tax collections surged in December. But Department of Treasury officials are warning that much of the fiscal boost may be temporary. Major revenues collected through the halfway mark of the state fiscal year were up by nearly $800 million year-over-year, thanks to an increase of more than 40% recorded during December, according to figures released by Treasury on Wednesday. But Treasury officials said the December collections were largely buoyed by a recent change in the way that many owners of businesses known as ‘pass throughs’ — which include many small businesses — are paying their state taxes. Much of the December revenue increase will likely be offset before the current fiscal year ends, the officials said.”

IS THAT SOW? — “Help may be on the way for New Jersey’s suffering pigs,” by Raymond Lesniak for The Star-Ledger: “In 2014, I sponsored legislation banning the use of gestation crates that passed both houses, but which Gov. Chris Christie vetoed. The bill came to Christie’s desk while he was running for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination. The first contest of the presidential nomination season took place at the caucuses in Iowa, home of the Pork Industry Council and lots of pig farmers … Help is on the way for the suffering pigs. Legislation to ban gestation crates (A-4439/S-1971) has been introduced by Senator Vin Gopal and Assemblyman Raj Mukherji. With Christie gone and Phil Murphy as governor, this new effort to ban the use of gestation crates in New Jersey has a good chance of being successful.”

—“Health department’s predictive modeling shows NJ about to turn COVID-19 corner”

—Senate Budget Committee clears nursing home reforms for final vote

—“Budget Committee passes ‘Laura Wooten’s Law’ out of committee: InsiderNJ’s Interview with Sponsor Senator Turner”

—Bill to ban sale of new cosmetic products tested on animals advances

—“N.J. unemployment rate falls in December as new claims drop for first time in 4 weeks”

—“Patrick Giblin mulls bid for 21st District Assembly seat”

IMMIGRATION — Activist groups push for support of ‘most progressive’ immigration bill, by POLITICO’s Daniel Han: Activist groups are calling on New Jersey’s congressional delegation to support a sweeping immigration bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, lauding the measure as the “most progressive” proposal to date. “The day one bill was the most progressive … I was so excited to see it,” Deya Aldana, an organizer with Make the Road New Jersey, an immigrant rights group, said Thursday during a press conference outside the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Newark. “When this fight starts and when this fight continues, we are counting on [our representatives] in Washington, D.C., to represent the immigrant communities here in New Jersey,” Aldana said.

PICK-UP ARTIST PICKED UP — “Feds: Haddonfield man accused of taking part in Capitol riot,” by The Courier-Post’s Jim Walsh: “A Haddonfield man allegedly took part in the Capitol riot and predicted the event would one day be celebrated as a national holiday, federal authorities say. Patrick Stedman, 32, was arrested Thursday for his alleged role in the effort to overturn election results, said the U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey. According to a criminal complaint, Stedman recruited people to attend a Jan. 6 rally challenging the election loss of former President Donald Trump, then allegedly joined in an invasion of the Capitol … The complaint identifies Stedman as a ‘dating and relationship strategist’ who regularly posts about politics on a Twitter page with more than 24,000 followers.”

DON’T BE FOOLED: IT’S JUST ANDY WITH AN R IN FRONT OF HIS NAME — “NFL coach and ex-mayor hints at congressional run against Andy Kim,” by New Jersey Globe’s David Wildstein: “An NFL coach who also served three terms as mayor of a New Jersey refused to rule out a challenge to Rep. Andy Kim (D-Moorestown) in New Jersey’s 3rd district in 2022, saying he wants to help Republicans regain the House seat next year. Randy Brown, the former three-term mayor of Evesham, has spent fourteen years as a special teams coach with the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles. ‘I’m a full-time coach in the NFL. I absolutely love my job,’ Brown told the New Jersey Globe in a telephone interview. ‘We’ll see what the future holds.’ Still, he said ousting Kim is a priority for him.”

‘WE SAID ‘F**K YOUR FEELINGS’ NOT ‘F**K OUR FEELINGS’! — “NJ GOP's posture toward Biden's call for unity at inauguration? 'It rings hollow',” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “Less than an hour before President Joseph R. Biden Jr. made his plain-spoken plea for political foes to approach each other not as ‘adversaries but as neighbors,' New Jersey Republican State Chairman Michael Lavery had already made up his mind. ‘While we applaud President-elect Joe Biden's call for healing and unity, it rings hollow as he slowly reveals a very liberal agenda for his presidency,' Lavery said in a statement. It's worth noting that Lavery exhibited some restraint. He ditched the pot-boiling 'radical, socialist' mantra of the 2020 campaign trail and replaced it with the less caustic 'liberal' tag. Perhaps it was a small sop of civility for the occasion. Still, it was just another predictable punch from the party's right wing.”

—“Who will be New Jersey's next US attorney? Here are five potential candidates”

—Murphy aide named to senior role at Biden’s DOT

—“Ex-N.J. Sen. Bill Bradley was appalled by Capitol riots | ‘I felt personally violated’”

—“Coronavirus took its financial toll on Trump’s N.J. golf clubs in 2020, disclosures show”

THE BIG COMEBACK — “After Trump pardon, will George Gilmore make a comeback?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Erik Laren and Jean Mikle: “That's the question many involved in county politics were pondering Wednesday, after learning that President Donald Trump granted a 'full pardon' to Gilmore, who was convicted in 2019 of filing a false loan application and for failure to remit payroll taxes at his now defunct law firm … Holman's term expires in June 2022, and political insiders are already speculating that Gilmore may try to return to the chairman's post. Called the 'SOC R PAC,' short for Southern Ocean Conservative Republican Political Action Committee (southern Ocean County is where Gilmore began his political career and rose to power), the group raised $28,200 in 17 days before the election, just two months after it was organized, according to state election records.”

NAA IT’S BECAUSE OF TRUMP — “Atlantic City’s former Trump Plaza will be imploded on Feb. 17, mayor says,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg: “Even if it were not the former Trump Plaza, with its pending implosion a tempting symbolic echo of the end of its namesake presidency, people would be interested, Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. insisted Thursday.”

—“DRPA chairman Ryan Boyer resigns unexpectedly”

—Snowflack: “More Morris GOP fun”

—“Former Atlantic City Mayor Langford mulls run against Small”

—“Former Morris freeholders offer to drop suit if county GOP meets demands”

—“Elmwood Park councilman lands job as Garfield recreation director”

—“Freehold Regional superintendent signs five-year, $1.2 million contract”

TWO JOHNSONS, ONE DOSE — “Potential 'game-changer': Hopes high for Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine if authorized,” by The Record’s Lindy Washburn: “A COVID vaccine being developed by New Jersey-based Johnson & Johnson could dramatically speed up the fight against the pandemic because, unlike the two vaccines already in use, this one would require only one dose and would not need to be stored at super-cold temperatures. Results from clinical trials of the new vaccine — developed and produced by Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen division — are expected by the end of this month. The vaccine would be the third authorized by the federal Food and Drug Administration.”

IN THE SCARLET — ‘The situation isn’t very bright’: College officials, students say Covid is devastating higher ed, by POLITICO’s Carly Sitrin: College students, faculty and university presidents in New Jersey are petitioning the state for more funding as the pandemic continues to devastate the higher education economy and leave many students hungry, isolated and fearful. “The university is rife with challenges” around student poverty and hunger, Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway told the state Senate Higher Education committee on Thursday. “It’s unsettling.” Holloway said Rutgers has been able to raise $7 million of its $10 million goal to fund grants for students in need, but "we are quite well aware that we could double that amount and still not meet all the need that's out there." Rowan University President Ali Houshmand said many students are opting out of college this spring semester, instead trying to find work or pursue other opportunities with the hope the fall semester will bring more in-person classes. “Suddenly we noticed a large number of students dropping out over the past one month,” Houshmand said.

YOU’D THINK A TEAM RUN BY A TRUMP SUPPORTER WOULD BE BETTER AT GETTING PAST DEFENSE — “NY Jets: Woody Johnson on way back to U.S., how his return will impact the team,” by The Record’s Andy Vasquez: “New York Jets owner Woody Johnson was on a flight back from England on Thursday, and will soon resume his day-to-day duties with the team, according to his brother Christopher Johnson. Woody was named the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom in 2017 and turned over day-to-day control of the team to Christopher then. But with the Biden Administration taking over on Wednesday, Woody's appointment came to an end clearing the way for his return. Christopher, who is currently serving as the active owner, chairman and CEO, said there's a process with the league to reinstate Woody as the Jets' top decision-maker and he's ‘not exactly sure’ how long it will take. ‘But he will be assuming his duties as principal owner,’ Christopher said. ‘Quite soon.’”

—“Lawsuit says Hudson waterfront high-rise developer lied to buyers about size, quality of condos”