OPINION: GOP Extremists Win First Round in Washington. No matter how you look at it, a minority of people decided to stop a third branch of government due to in equal parts personal animus—the speech Rep. Matt Gaetz on Friday gave in nominating Rep. Jim Jordan showed that—and a style of government that empowers extremists versus the overwhelmingly will of the people. In the end, Kevin McCarthy outwaited and negotiated his way to Speaker of the House. But at what cost? The rules of the House, which was what the intra-party fight centered on, are changed in a way that establishes the chaos we saw the road ahead to be repeated for the 118th Congress. The act of keeping the government running, such as funding bills or financing the federal debt, will result in the same fights that we saw this past week. The dysfunction of Washington was squarely on the Republicans due to their past inability to confront the extremists of their party. It is a lesson that all of us should remember over the next two years. North-JereyNews.com
Rep. Kevin McCarty (R-CA) made several concessions to members of his own party to win the 15th round of voting to be Speaker of the House early Jan. 7. The full list was not released publicly, with some details still to be worked out, but the most crucial concession by McCarthy—when it comes to both his own future and the House’s ability to handle legislation that divides Republicans—was his willingness to restore what is known as the “motion to vacate the chair;” made commitments to fellow Republicans to pair spending reductions with any debt-ceiling increase; and committee assignments, including for members of the Freedom Caucus being seated on House Rules Committee. The Wall Street Journal
According to Rep. Josh Gottheimer, the deals Rep. Kevin McCarty (R-CA) cut with Republican extremists to be Speaker will hurt chances to get bipartisan legislation approved over the next two years. One of the main issues worrying Gottheimer is the move to vacate the chair, which allows a single member of the House to bring to the floor a vote of no confidence in the Speaker. As co-chair of the Problem Solvers Caucus, the North Jersey lawmaker was able to reform the rule to make it a higher threshold a few years back. “I’m concerned that if they cave to the far-right extremists on the Motion to Vacate, and continue to give away the store on committees and rules, Congress could be forced into a gridlock nightmare for the next two years — all at the expense of American families and progress,” he said. North-JereyNews.com
When it comes to pork spending in New Jersey, State Sen. Michael Testa (R-1) has had enough. Pointing to a recent report from Truth in Accounting that found New Jersey had the worst fiscal health of any state in the nation, Testa is offering up a legislative solution which could help stop reckless spending within the state. “What we’re doing now is only digging a deeper hole. Under Murphy, New Jersey has implemented one irresponsible spending plan after another,” said Testa. ”All this does is make an already unaffordable state even more unaffordable. We must chart a new fiscal course because New Jersey residents deserve better.” North-JerseyNews.com
Gov. Phil Murphy for the first time in three years will deliver his annual State of the State speech in person at the Statehouse in Trenton Jan. 10, his last two addresses being virtual because of the coronavirus pandemic. While it’s unclear exactly what issues and initiatives the Democratic governor will discuss in his fifth edition of the address, the focus is expected be to be a review of Murphy’s promises and policies on taxes, affordability, education, abortion, and guns as he paints New Jersey as a progressive example for the rest of America. NJ.com
New Jersey ranks near the bottom of the states in terms of how much of its federal school COVID-19 relief money it has spent, according to a FutureEd, a think tank at Georgetown University. The state placed 44th in the nation, having spent only 26.6% of the $4.7 billion it received in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) money. The graph included caveats about differences among states. Some give districts money directly; others, like New Jersey, reimburse districts for ESSER money they have used; and delays in documenting spending are possible. NJ.com
East Greenwich Mayor Dale Archer offered scathing words about State Sen. Edward Durr (R-3) and Gloucester County Republican Chair Jacci Vigilante as he mulls a primary bid. “The bottom line is we shouldn’t even be having a discussion about someone primarying Ed Durr. He’s unqualified, controversial and proven that he cannot even handle the position of Senator,” Archer said. “He should gracefully step aside for a more qualified candidate, because that’s what’s best for the people.” Archer added that Vigilante “lacks the courage to tell [Durr] he shouldn’t run. She believes she should be the party boss instead of taking into consideration what’s best for the party.” PoliticoNJ
The Hudson County Democratic Organization brought out its heavy hitters to rally around its candidates in the county’s newly reshaped 32nd and 33rd districts. Four Assembly candidates formally announced their aspirations Jan. 7 on the steps of the Brennan Courthouse in Jersey City as they received the backing of the powerful HCDO: newcomers Jessica Ramirez and John Allen in the 32nd District, and Gabriel Rodriguez and Julio Marenco in the 33rd District. Running for the State Senate are State Sen. Brian Stack in the 33rd and Assemblyman Raj Mukherji in the 32nd. The Jersey Journal
Jersey City Councilwoman Amy DeGise hit-and-run case against a Jersey City resident had her court hearing delayed due to a “scheduling conflict.” A pre-trial was pushed back two weeks to Jan. 24 as the delay was reportedly sought by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office in order to give them time to further investigate the case if more charges should be brought forward against the councilwoman. Hudson Reporter
North Jersey lawmakers offer their remembrance on the second anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 and what is needed to be done going forward. “Since that day, Congress has taken the first steps to prevent the events of Jan. 6th from repeating themselves, but we must do more to protect our democratic institutions,” said Sen. Bob Menendez. “With the recent passage of the Electoral Count Act, we took important bipartisan action, however, the presence of election deniers in Congress and throughout state governments represents a continued threat to our democracy.” North-JereyNews.com
The Brazilian authorities are investigating one of the worst attacks on the country’s democracy in the 38 years since the end of the military dictatorship, after thousands of supporters of Brazil’s far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in the capital, Brasília on Sunday to protest what they falsely claim was a stolen election. Brazil was also bracing for the possibility of further unrest on Monday as the authorities started to dismantle tent cities outside military headquarters, where Bolsonaro supporters have been camping out since last October’s election after their candidate was defeated by former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The New York Times
Ukraine’s forces are resisting the six-month Russian assault on Bakhmut, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan, 8, cementing how the small eastern city has become a key symbolic prize in the war. Bakhmut has been the scene of brutal fighting since Russian soldiers arrived on the city’s outskirts in early July, hoping to seize control and open a path to the political and economic centers of Slovyansk and Kramatorsk in the Ukrainian-held portions of the Donbas area, once one of the country’s main industrial regions. The Wall Street Journal
President Joe Biden made his first visit to the U.S. Southern border since taking office Jan. 8, arriving in El Paso amid a historic surge in illegal immigration and anger from both parties about how he is handling it. Democrats and human rights activists condemned his new enforcement plan as a “humanitarian disgrace.” Republicans blasted his delay in coming to a border they say is “wide open” to illegal immigration. And Mexican officials—who are preparing to welcome him to a summit of North American leaders on Jan, 9—warned that his proposals would cross a “red line” for them. The New York Times
There’s a new dispute over who pays for the cleanup of the upper Passaic River, threatening yet another delay in removing or capping a cocktail of contaminants almost 40 years after the federal government made the river and a nearby industrial site part of its Superfund program. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is at odds with Occidental Chemical Corp, also known as OxyChem, owner of the notoriously polluted Diamond Alkali Superfund Site at Newark. At issue: how much the company pays for the cleanup and whether it can defray those costs by suing dozens of other polluters for their share. NJ Spotlight News
After a dip from last Summer’s record highs, gas prices in New Jersey are likely to head back above $4 this year and could approach $5 a gallon again in the New York metropolitan area. The gas-tracking app GasBuddy predicted that costs will rise through the Summer as China’s economy reopens from COVID lockdowns and Russia’s war in Ukraine continues to pressure global supplies. The New York City market, which North Jersey closely follows, may peak at $4.50 to $4.95 a gallon in the May-August period. The Record
And finally…The Mega Millions jackpot is up to $1.1 billion on Tuesday. NJ.com
