What defines a good Republican? That is the question the Monmouth University Polling Institute asked national Republicans in a survey released at the end of 2022. Characteristics self-identifying Republicans cited included small government, America First, liberty and freedom, religious values, and personal responsibility. But while few voters specifically mention abortion when asked to describe the Republican ideal, it is one of the top issues that GOP voters point to as a dividing line on whether one can be called a good Republican. And one third of respondents maintain denying the legitimacy of President Joe Biden’s win in 2020 in order to be considered a true member of the GOP. North-JerseyNews.com
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was still attempting to lock down the support he needed to be elected Speaker of the House, with ultraconservative holdouts showing no signs of backing down from what could become a chaotic floor fight at the dawn of the new House Republican majority. In a vote planned for around midday Jan. 3 when the new Congress convenes, McCarthy must win a majority of those present and voting — 218 if every member of the House were to attend and cast a vote — to become Speaker. Republicans are to control 222 seats and Democrats are all but certain to oppose McCarthy en masse, leaving him little room for defections from his own party. The New York Times
OPINION: Our Priorities in 2023. We view our website and our mission to cover North Jersey as a public trust. In order to help our readers—supporters and critics alike—understand what we publish, we believe it is critical at the beginning of the new year to state what our coverage priorities will be. After redistricting, all State Senators and Assembly seats are up for grabs this year. And with most districts in North Jersey redrawn safely for Republicans and Democrats, the real races will be held during the primaries. One subject we are especially interested in is education—from the parental rights issue pushed by Republicans and the matter of learning loss that both parties have stated must be addressed. In Washington, our focus will be on the House and its actions. There are plenty of other storylines and news that will emerge in the coming year that we will cover as well. You will not always agree with what we say—and honestly we do not want that. But know we will continue to be the voice for those in the center and look to call out extremists of both parties that do not have the interests of New Jerseyans at heart. North-JerseyNews.com
Nearly two years after the Jan. 6 riots, U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick’s family is tired of trying to convince the nation that Brian should be viewed as a hero, not a political tool. “They say he died of natural causes. Well, you know, they sprayed him. His uniform was soaked with the spray,” said Brian’s father, Charles Sicknick, 83, a retired plumber, recalling how he felt after examining his son’s uniform in the family’s first lengthy interview in two years. “They tore his face shield off and sprayed his face. That’s what they did.” Sicknick’s mother, Gladys, 76, a retired secretary for a school district and an engineering firm, agreed. “I get mad when they try to push the fact that he died of natural causes,” she said. “Those natural causes were caused by what happened.” The Record
The Jan. 6 House Select Committee has released several troves of evidence, including about 120 previously unseen transcripts along with emails and text messages obtained during its 18-month inquiry, totaling tens of thousands of pages. Among the revelations were that the nation’s top military officer saw the Jan. 6 attack as similar to the “Reichstag moment” that led to Nazi dictatorship, aides for former President Donald J. Trump saw their future job opportunities slipping away, and predicted being “perpetually unemployed,” and Trump himself saw the push to overturn the 2020 election as a financial opportunity, moving to trademark the phrase “Rigged Election.” The New York Times
With a rate hike of more than 20% on state health insurance premiums going into effect Jan. 1, local government officials are teaming up with public-sector worker unions for help from the state. A coalition made up of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, New Jersey Association of Counties, New Jersey Conference of Mayors, New Jersey Urban Mayors Association and other stakeholders unveiled a proposal in December that includes a one-time appropriation of $350 million to provide grants to help offset the cost. Millstone Mayor Raymond Heck, president of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, urged Gov. Phil Murphy and state lawmakers to “consider and advance this solution to benefit our public servants and our property taxpayers….offering a solution to an unprecedented and devastating increase in health care contribution for local governments, local employees and property taxpayers.” North-JerseyNews.com
The new year in New Jersey saw a swath of new laws go into effect. Among the actions taken in Trenton that will affect residents of the Garden State include an increase in the minimum amount of liability insurance drivers need to have, an overhaul that strictly limits concealed carry, teens who are 16 and 17 work up to 50 hours per week during the Summer, and the minimum wage rising to $14.13 an hour. NJ.com
Social Security payments will increase by 8.7% in 2023, the greatest amount in more than four decades. The payments are estimated to affect 70 million people, bringing the monthly average payment up to $1,827. News12 New Jersey
Two New Jersey school districts returning from the holiday break enacted COVID-19 face mask policies. Paterson public school district officials announced Dec. 29, 2022, that face masks must be worn by students and staff indoors. The change, which will impact about 25,000 students in the fourth-largest school district in the state, will start Jan. 3 when classes resume. The Camden City School District, which has about 6,800 students across 18 schools, will start a two-week mask mandate, officials there announced last week. The decisions come a week after Passaic Public Schools, which enrolls approximately 14,000 students, announced face masks would again be required due to a spike of COVID-19 cases. NJ.com
The number of people without enough food in New Jersey spiked by 89% between a one-week period in October 2021 and one-week period in October 2022, according to a report released by the nonprofit Hunger Free America. Based on an analysis of federal data, the report found that over a year’s time, the number of food insecure individuals in the Garden State jumped to more than 942,000 from around 500,000. The report attributes the surge in food insecurity to the expiration of the expanded Child Tax Credit and universal school meals, both enacted in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. NJ1015.com
Employers are losing their patience with empty desks in the office, urging workers to follow existing hybrid schedules or to come into the office on additional days in 2023. Employees at some companies have challenged new directives in corporate all-hands sessions. Those pushing to remain at home say they find in-office work unproductive and commuting inefficient. Employers, meanwhile, say bringing workers back together is important because it helps with issues such as problem solving, training new hires and reinforcing corporate culture. In some cases, bosses have told those who fail to comply that they could face termination within weeks. The Wall Street Journal
Assemblyman William Sampson IV (D-31) wants the Waterfront Commission of New York and New Jersey to reconsider their decision to strip him of his crane operator license for not showing up for work. Sampson said he sought approval from his employers, Global Container Terminals and the International Longshoremen’s Association, before seeking the Assembly seat. “In both cases, Global and the ILA understood this legislative opportunity as a way to ‘give back’ to the local community through service and to work to provide better training, and to increase the potential of investment in challenged neighborhoods,” Sampson said in a statement released by his office. “I consistently enjoyed the support of both Global Container Terminals and the ILA. At no point did either Global or the ILA request that I reduce my obligations to the state Legislature or to the community.” New Jersey Globe
Jamie Davis, the wife of Bayonne Mayor James Davis, will be the new Deputy Hudson County Clerk, according to the Hudson County Clerk’s Office. Jamie Davis will be replacing Diane Ashe Liming, the sister of former City Council President and mayoral candidate Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, who will not be reappointed. Hudson Reporter
Rep.-elect Tom Kean, Jr. plans to set up a blind trust once he is sworn in as the new congressman from New Jersey’s 7th district today. “I am committed to bringing the highest level of ethics and transparency to this office. It is a privilege and an honor to serve on behalf of our communities, and I believe Members of Congress owe their constituents full and timely reporting on their disclosures,” Kean said. “I have also asked my legal counsel to work with the House Ethics Committee to determine steps to establish a Qualified Blind Trust. I will continue to be open and transparent throughout this process.” New Jersey Globe
The outcome of a local election in Mendham continues to be disputed. Deputy Mayor Thomas Baio, a Republican, refused to concede to Democratic challenger Lauren Spirig after the November 2022 election for Mendham Township Committee. While Spirig is due to be sworn in on Jan. 5., Baio has filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the election and asking to be certified “as the winner of one three-year term on the Mendham Township Committee.” The suit questions the validity of 33 ballots by named voters for failing to meet the residency requirements for voting. Baio’s lawsuit is set to be heard on Jan. 19. NJ Spotlight News
Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. as they will pull back on international oil projects and concentrate on a handful of more lucrative assets closer to the U.S. The two companies plan to spend most of their annual budgets in the Americas this year, with Chevron saying it will pour 70% of the capital allocated for production into oil fields in the U.S., Argentina and Canada, and Exxon saying it will spend a similar portion of its budget in the Permian Basin of New Mexico and West Texas, Guyana, Brazil and liquefied natural-gas projects. The Wall Street Journal
Stories from North-JerseyNews.com you may have missed over the holiday break:
- Sen. Menendez Aims to Hold Big Oil Accountable
- Murphy Signs New Gun Law Revamping Concealed Carry Limits in New Jersey
- GOP, Gun Rights Advocates Believe New Bill Unconstitutionality
- New Leader At Menlo Park Vets Home Will Not Solve the Problem: Pennacchio
- Murphy Administration Awards $5M Grant to Expand Abortion Access
- Recent High School Graduates Approve of New Jersey Sex Education
- New Jersey Takes Next Step to Exit Federal Oversight of Child Welfare System
- Democrats Move on A Raft of Bills to Tackle Auto Thefts in New Jersey
- Netflix Agrees to Deal for Fort Monmouth in New Jersey
- Gottheimer Leading Effort to Examine Holocaust Education in Public Schools
- Legislation Reworked to Increase Efficiency in Unemployment Insurance System
- Assemblyman DePhillips Demands Legislative Fix for New Jersey Business Environment
And finally…Rutgers men’s basketball knocked off No. 1 Purdue for 2nd consecutive season. NJ.com
