By Matt Friedman ([email protected]; @mattfriedmannj)

Good Monday morning!

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QUOTE OF THE DAY: “CHUCK TODD: Kellyanne Conway, Joel Benenson, you are correct, neither one of you yelled at each other, which is very respectful and very good. KELLYANNE CONWAY: This is called the full Jersey. We're Jersey guys and gals-- CHUCK TODD: A couple of Jersey people. Fair enough, all right. JOEL BENENSON: New York, Kellyanne, New York.” — From Meet the Press http://nbcnews.to/2h8Zvod

WHERE’S CHRISTIE? — At Atlantic City Electric in Mays Landing for a “South Jersey energy announcement.” As usual, he does not plan to take questions and will likely ignore shouted ones.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Former Star-Ledger reporter Jessica Calefati, Rocco Riccio (remember him?)

NEWS

GARDEN STATE OF CONFUSION — “Confusion reigns after promised state boost for local transportation doesn't arrive,” by POLITICO’s Ryan Hutchins and Katherine Landergan: “Despite explicit language in the new law that says local aid under the Transportation Trust Fund would increase from about $190 million to $400 million ‘for each fiscal year commencing July 1, 2016,’ the additional funds can't be distributed to local governments. Counties across the state, which operate on calendar-year budgets that start Jan. 1, received 2017 aid letters recently that included either flat or reduced funding from the Department of Transportation. Many were left bewildered. John Donnadio, the executive director of the Association for Counties, said members called him, demanding to know ‘what the hell was going on.’ ‘It doesn’t make any sense,’ he said in a phone interview.” http://politi.co/2h9BKMV

COME FLY THE FRIENDLY SKIES (IF YOU KNOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE) — “United Airlines settles with SEC for millions over 'chairman's flight'” by NJ Advance Media’s Ted Sherman: “The "chairman's flight’ will cost United Airlines another $2.4 million. The airline, in an agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission announced Friday, settled charges in connection with a money-losing direct flight between Newark Liberty International Airport and South Carolina launched to curry favor with then-Port Authority Chairman David Samson--who wanted a quicker way to get to his vacation home. The airline has already paid more than $2.2 million in fines as part of the criminal investigation into the special flight.” http://bit.ly/2gVnqEO

TURF WAR — “The 100-yard deception,” by NJ Advance Media’s Christopher Baxter and Matthew Stanmyre: “Late in 2006, the CEO and co-founder of FieldTurf — the leading maker of artificial sports fields — urgently emailed a supplier about a new turf being marketed and sold to the public as the best money could buy. The issue was so pressing, some of the messages went out on New Year’s Eve. The subject was so troubling, it could cripple both companies. And the problem was so basic, anyone could understand it: Fields were falling apart before they should … All told, from 2005 until Duraspine was discontinued in 2012, records show FieldTurf sold 1,428 of the fields throughout the U.S. — including 164 in New Jersey — for an estimated $570 million in revenue. Most were paid for with tax dollars. Many were defective, as company officials have acknowledged; others simply failed to live up to marketing and advertising claims. And to this day, few people know their neighborhood field, the supposed gold standard of artificial turf, might have been built on a lie.” http://bit.ly/2gVnDrv

** A message from Access to Care Coalition: While insurance companies are slashing costs, benefits and physician networks -- while increasing their profits – surprise, out-of-network medical bills are hurting both patients and doctors. Transparency is sorely needed. Learn why the Access to Care Coalition, comprised of 10,000+ physicians and other providers, opposes bill A-1952 and supports bill A-4228. Learn more at accesstocarecoalition.com **

BRIDGEGATE — “Judge denies request for Christie special prosecutor,” by POLITICO’s Matt Friedman: “A judge has rejected a New Jersey activist’s request to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate official misconduct against Gov. Chris Christie. In a decision published Friday morning, Bergen County Judge Bonnie Mizdol ruled that the activist, Bill Brennan, lacked standing to seek the appointment of a special prosecutor. ‘The complainant’s role is that of a victim, concerned citizen, or witness. Brennan has fulfilled his role as a concerned citizen. He has reported his knowledge of alleged criminal activity to a proper law enforcement authority,’ Mizdol wrote. ‘As a civilian complainant he has no right pursuant to our constitution, statutes, case law, court rules, to prosecute criminal charges; that role is exclusively restricted to prosecutors as defined in our court rules.’” http://politi.co/2gVr55H

LIKE A BRIDGE MEANT TROUBLE MAYORS, I WILL CLOSE IT DOWN — “Art Garfunkel to perform at Princeton University” http://bit.ly/2gVt9KR

GUADAG NO — “N.J.'s Lt. Governor starting to cut her own path,” by The Record’s Charles Stile: “Over the past seven years, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno stood at Governor Christie’s side at press conferences, a resolute and silent prop of solidarity. But she was nowhere to be found Tuesday in the State House rotunda when Christie unveiled plans to borrow $300 million to remodel the State House. If anything, Guadagno is mulling the possibility of publicly attacking the plans. If she decides to go rogue, she’ll give Christie a heads up. “I would text him and say, ‘I’m disagreeing with you on the renovations,’ and that’s it,’’ she said Wednesday outside a banquet hall in Monroe, where she had just finished addressing a group of independent gas station operators. ‘It’s not ‘mother, May I?' … As she sees it, Guadagno will have to navigate around Christie the ‘same way every lieutenant governor runs when the governor is hanging around.’ ‘You separate yourself out,’’ she continued. ‘You don’t ask permission. You just make the governor aware of what you are doing.’” http://bit.ly/2gVovMJ

NOW SIDAMON-ERISTOFF TELLS US — “Trump Carrier deal mimics NJ economic policy,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Bob Jordan: “Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff, who served as state treasurer under Christie from 2010 to 2015, said he considers the programs at best a necessary evil — one that fuels a never-ending cycle of the kind of bailouts deployed by Trump. ‘I am a career-long skeptic when it comes to corporate tax incentives,’ Sidamon-Eristoff said. ‘They foster or feed into a race-to-the-bottom culture of competition between jurisdictions that ultimately benefits only those interests with the political sophistication and or clout to access the benefits. To industry’s and consultants’ cynical delight, no one jurisdiction can afford to unilaterally disarm.’ ‘The trick is play smart and avoid getting ripped off too much,’ he said about such state-backed tax deals.” http://on.app.com/2gVnIeP

BORROWING — “A $300 million Taj Mahal for politicians? That's your decision, not Chris Christie's,” by The Star-Ledger’s Paul Mulshine: “It is commonly called ‘the Lance Amendment’ and it's named after Leonard Lance of Hunterdon County, then a state senator and now a Congressman - but always a crusader against public debt. When I got him on the phone last week, Lance said it appears that any effort by Christie to borrow that $300 million would have to go before the voters. ‘If I were still in the Legislature, I would respectfully ask of the state Treasurer why this doesn't have to go to the people for approval,’ Lance said. ‘There may be an answer to that, but the answer doesn't come to mind readily.’ No, it doesn't. When I asked Christie's office how the plan would be financed, I was told only that ‘Treasury is currently working with EDA and stakeholders to plan the financing for the project.’” http://bit.ly/2gVuS2O

—“Christie: Parts of State House unsafe, desperately need $300M renovation” http://bit.ly/2h9trAK

—“What's in Christie's $300M N.J. Statehouse renovation plan?” http://bit.ly/2h7HI0U

IT WORKED FOR CHRISTIE — “Does securing Democratic machine guarantee Murphy the spot?" by Carl Golden for NJ Spotlight: “Sanders caught lightning in a bottle. Wisniewski faces the far more difficult challenge of capturing yesterday. Primaries are party elections, controlled by organizations that bestow their favor on a pre-selected candidate by placing him or her at the head of the organization-supported ticket — the so-called county line, a much sought-after ballot position that is as close to a guarantee of victory as is possible to attain. Issues are secondary, relegated for the most part to rallies, speeches, debates, and mailers. At this relatively early stage, Murphy and Wisniewski share many of the same traditional left-of-center Democratic positions.” http://bit.ly/2h9JRJe

—“A conversation with Assemblyman John Wisniewski,” by The Star-Ledger’s Dave D’Alessandro: “Q. Speaking of Hudson crossings, you discovered the "time for traffic problems in Fort Lee" email. Are you satisfied that the Legislature has done its job on Bridgegate? A. There's more we can do, and I'm disappointed we're not doing it. Based on the trial testimony, people who came before the joint committee clearly couldn't tell the truth. So what we've done is set precedent that it's OK to lie to the Legislature without consequences. So I'd like to see them put up a resolution that reconvenes the committee with the same membership and continue our work. Remember, we never got phone records from the governor - we didn't want to interfere with the federal investigation - and there are so many unanswered questions about the involvement of the (unindicted co-conspirators).” http://bit.ly/2h9EkCO

BELIEVABLE — “Chris Chriskey: Reports that New Jersey governor Chris Christie had been arrested for keying Donald Trump's limousine came from a satire page,” by Snopes’ Dan Evon: “On 2 December 2016, a satirical article by Andy Borowitz reporting that New Jersey's governor, Chris Christie, was arrested for keying Donald Trump's limousine appeared in the New Yorker … While the Borowitz Report is a well-known source of satire, its articles still occasionally fool readers who are unfamiliar with the tone of his writing. In this case, the article caused extra confusion as it was republished by web sites that do not publish exclusively satire (such as WN.com and Goodviews.net), then appeared on various forums, and was briefly aggregated on Yahoo.” http://bit.ly/2gVn9Se

—“Trump son-in-law Kushner to have key, but undefined, role” http://bit.ly/2h9BEow

—“The events that changed Jared Kushner's path” http://bit.ly/2h9Amd9

CARTOON BREAK — “Is Chris Christie unemployable?” by Drew Sheneman http://bit.ly/2gVin7x

TAKING A STAND — “Booker on DeVos: ‘I'm not saying anything’” by Roll Call’s Eric Garcia: “Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, wasn't saying whether he would support the confirmation of Betsy DeVos, despite having worked with her on education issues in the past. At an event to discuss criminal justice reform at Google's Washington office on Thursday, Booker ... took an indirect route when asked about DeVos, who Trump announced as his choice for secretary of Education, comparing his work with DeVos to his relationship with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, an early backer of Trump ... ‘If Chris Christie was up for some position, trust me, just because I partnered with him in the past doesn’t mean that I would be voting for his confirmation.’ Pressed whether he would support DeVos, Booker replied, ‘I’m not saying anything.’” http://bit.ly/2gVi6kX

PATERSON — “Revered imam to face deportation charges again,” by The Record’s Hannan Adely: “Paterson cleric will return to court on Monday to once again fight deportation as federal authorities pursue allegations that he lied on his green card application about a conviction by Israeli authorities. Immigration authorities sought to deport (Mohammad) Qatanani on grounds that he didn't disclose an alleged arrest and conviction in Israel for being a member of Hamas, a group classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. Qatanani denied ever having ties to Hamas and said he was detained, not arrested, by the Israelis during a trip to his native West Bank in 1993. Israelis never told him he was convicted of a crime and he never saw a judge, he said. Qatanani and expert witnesses had said Israelis routinely detained Palestinian men at the time.” http://bit.ly/2gVm2Cj

KEAN AND BYRNE CALL IT FOR MURPHY — “What 2 ex-N.J. governors say about Trump's spending plans; state gubernatorial race,” from The Star-Ledger: “Q: Can John Wisniewski can catch Phil Murphy as the Democratic nominee for governor next year? BYRNE: I think Phil Murphy has this thing tied up. He's been at it a long time, been very organized and has a way of tying up loose strings. And he's a likable, hard-working guy. I have great respect for John Wisniewski. I just think Phil Murphy got launched early, and he seems to have earned the respect of the masses. KEAN: No. Phil Murphy is likable, able and rich. He's a good candidate, and the best the Democrats can offer for the general election.” http://bit.ly/2gVuzou

BAD SANTA — “Sweeney's Trenton politics getting hairier,” by NJ Advance Media’s The Auditor: “Beards are rarely seen in Trenton politics. Former Gov. Jon Corzine famously sported one, but he was the first whiskered Jersey chief exec in about a century. So when Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) appeared at a press conference Monday with what looked like four days of growth, The Auditor was confused. Had he simply forgotten in the rush to get to Trenton for his morning presser? ‘You like it?’ asked Sweeney.” http://bit.ly/2gVm8cQ

FAKE NEWS THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY — “Misled by rumor of cash payouts, 1,800 former NJ inmates sue jail,” by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Allison Steele: “Carmen DeJesus was in downtown Camden last month when she noticed a man near the Walter Rand Transportation Center handing out what appeared to be legal forms, offering them to anyone who had ever spent a night in a crowded Camden County jail cell. The man told DeJesus, 30, that money from a court settlement regarding conditions at the jail was up for grabs. To get it, she only needed to fill out the paperwork to file a lawsuit. DeJesus filed days later, joining about 1,800 people who have sued the jail in the last three months in hopes of getting a payout. Problem is, there's no money. The lawsuits were sparked by a rumor that spread wildly through the streets of Camden and beyond: Anyone who was held in a crowded jail cell can get a check if he or she files a lawsuit. The hoax has been perpetuated by people who claim they have received checks and by people passing out the filing paperwork on the street. The Camden County Prosecutor's Office even investigated reports of a man who was selling the paperwork, which is available for free, by claiming that anyone who filled it out would reap thousands.” http://bit.ly/2h7xrBI

SOMEONE CALL DAVID ROSEN — “Budget trouble ahead? NJ tax collections a cause for concern, but not panic," by NJ 101.5's Michael Symons: "State tax collections are off to a sluggish start four months into New Jersey’s fiscal year, raising the prospect of budget trouble ahead if things don’t rebound. The good news is that the first third of the budget year accounts for less than a fourth of revenues, given that sales tax revenues crest with Christmas shopping and income-tax revenues peak when people file returns in April." http://bit.ly/2h3IGHk

CUOMO PLAYS TINY VIOLIN — “What if new Port Authority Bus Terminal were built in NJ?” by The Asbury Park Press’ Mike Davis: “Though experts believe it’s ‘highly unlikely,’ building a bus terminal in the Garden State would create a nightmare for bus commuters that already spend as much as $496 each month for the opportunity to sit in Lincoln Tunnel traffic for a few hours each day. ‘There would be no good way to get people across the Hudson River, except to take them out of a bus and put them on another bus,’ said Martin Robins, a former NJ Transit executive and director emeritus of the Voorhees Transportation Center at Rutgers University. On average, more than 78,000 riders board NJ Transit buses at the terminal each weekday. If the Port Authority built a bus hub across the river, those commuters would face a two-seat ride in order to get to Manhattan, requiring multiple timetables, transfers and two sets of possible delays.” http://on.app.com/2h9tht1

REAL OR METAPHOR? — “New video shows NJ Transit bus going wrong way on Parkway” http://bit.ly/2h9Dl5c

—“Stay out of the left lane: An important message for NJ drivers,” by The Asbury Park Press’ Mike Davis:” http://on.app.com/2h7GcvJ

GOOD BOYS GOOD BOYS, WATCHA GONNA DO? “Furry cops: Port Authority graduates seven new canine teams,” by The Hudson Reporter’s Al Sullivan: “One by one, Port Authority police officers and their partner dogs walked to the front of the room at the Port Authority facility in Jersey City to receive their diplomas. The Oct. 26 ceremony was as moving as any graduation you might see in June, proud police officers escorting their highly-trained canine partners, who will become teams to routinely patrol facilities throughout the region. Read more: Hudson Reporter - Furry cops Port Authority graduates seven new canine teams” http://bit.ly/2gVlyvN

WEEKEND TV

—Reporters Roundtable: AP's Dave Porter The Star-Ledger's Tom Moran NJ 101.5's Michael Symons and NJTV's David Cruz http://bit.ly/2eRGuRV

—On The Record: Senate President Steve Sweeney http://bit.ly/2gtxBTy

MORE NEWS

—“Burlington County Republicans spent $1.16 million on county races” http://bit.ly/2h7CW3m

—“Hunters, protesters gear up for firearm season of 2016 N.J. bear hunt’ http://bit.ly/2gVrYej

—“Bipedal bear's apparent death motivates bear hunt opponents” http://bit.ly/2gVqS2t

—"Construction workers back on job at American Dream” http://bit.ly/2glSHQ9

—“Declining membership and closings plague NJ American Legion posts” http://bit.ly/2h9Fluf

—“Job protection or job killer? Lawmakers take on Atlantic City casino licenses” http://bit.ly/2h9622s

“Christie pledges Trenton revitalization at high school groundbreaking” http://politico.pro/2h34a75

—“Businesses revel in reversal of Pennsylvania tax agreement” http://bit.ly/2h9u1OP

—“U.S. approves new airline over objections from N.J. Republican and his union allies” http://bit.ly/2gVkS9z

—“House acts to protect N.J.'s McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst from move to close military bases” http://bit.ly/2gVqAbM

—“These were N.J.'s highest-paid private college presidents, survey says” http://bit.ly/2h9wrNx

—“'Sanctuary cities'; NJ mayors face Trump fight” http://dailyre.co/2gVl4pF

—“Early-morning fire in Paterson displaces 16” http://bit.ly/2h9to7V

—“The Atlantic City lineage of Trump's White House counsel | The Auditor” http://bit.ly/2gVpSeu

—“Mahwah councilwoman resigns” http://bit.ly/2gVoaJX

—“Bruce Alston sentenced to 5 years probation in drug court, claiming codeine, alcohol addiction” http://bit.ly/2h7CGBq

** A message from Access to Care Coalition: While NJ insurance companies are slashing costs, benefits and physician networks -- while increasing their profits--surprise, out-of-network medical bills are hurting both patients and doctors. The use of narrow networks and unexpected payment limits for out-of-network services are leaving patients with sticker shock and hefty bills to pay.

The Access to Care Coalition, representing 10,000+ physicians and providers, was formed to address inconsistencies within New Jersey consumers’ state health plans; to call for more transparency from health plans and providers; and to address the issue of “surprise bills” that can accompany out-of-network services. The Coalition opposes bill A-1952 and supports bill A-4228, which will require physicians, hospitals and insurance companies to provide notice to consumers on network status of providers and estimated costs and liability for consumers. Greater transparency is needed to ensure fairness.

To learn more about how physicians are getting squeezed and consumers are being manipulated by insurance companies, visit accesstocarecoalition.com. **

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