Cory Booker just took another step toward a run for president

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, criticized for campaign contributions from Wall Street and the drug industry, has sworn off corporate political action committee donations as he ponders whether to seek a run for the White House. Booker, D-N.J., made the announcement in a Twitter post. He joined three other potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, U.S.… Read the rest of this entry »

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THE Thing To In Monmouth County Next Wednesday

Bell Works is quickly becoming downtown Monmouth County.  If you have been there recently, you know what an amazing job Ralph Zucker and his team at Somerset Development are doing in transforming the former historic Bell Labs facility into an powerful economic engine and fun, exciting place to work, play and learn.

If you’ve been waiting for an excuse to visit, here it is:

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Murphy fires Scharfenberger for skipping his press conference

Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger takes the Oath of Office on Feb 3.

Republican Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger was fired from his job in the Murphy administration this afternoon. PoliticsDW broke the story.

“I paid the price for not attending the press conference,” Scharfenberger said when reached by MMM.  The freeholder was referring to Governor Murphy’s event in Marlboro last week to promote his scheme to convert property taxes into charitable donations as workaround to the new federal tax law which caps the deduction for state and local taxes at $10,000.  Murphy claimed bi-partisan support for the scheme, but only five Democrat mayors from Monmouth County showed up to support the governor.

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Hugin Expected To Make U.S. Senate Candidacy Official On Tuesday

Bob Hugin

Bob Hugin, the recently retired Executive Chairman of Celgene Corporation, has scheduled two announcement events for Tuesday, February 13, MMM has learned.

Republican insiders widely expect Hugin to announce that he will be a candidate for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate.

The first event is scheduled to take place at the Springfield Elks Club at 10 a.m.  The afternoon event will be in Burlington County at VFW Post 3020 in Delran, 2 p.m.

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Pezzullo Says He Will Support Hugin For U.S. Senate

Bob Hugin and Rich Pezzullo

Rich Pezzullo declared that he would suspend his candidacy for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate if Bob Hugin, the recently retired Executive Chairman of Celgene Corporation becomes a candidate.

Speaking to several hundred Monmouth County Republicans at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner, Pezzullo, of Freehold, said, ” I actually like the guy and trust him to advance our agenda vigorously and fearlessly. I encourage him to quit waffling and get into the race.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Murphy claims bi-partisan support for property tax/charity scheme. Republicans disagree, call for NJ reforms

Marlboro, NJ-With Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty looking like Chris Christie standing behind Donald Trump on Super Tuesday — and four other Democrat mayors standing behind him, Governor Phil Murphy today declared he had bi-partisan support for his plan to have the state’s municipalities set up charities to accept donations in lieu of property taxes.  Murphy said that the recent income tax reform passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump is a tax increase on New Jersey’s middle class.   The scheme he is proposing would, if allowed by the IRS, reverse the impact of the tax reform law’s $10,000 cap on the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

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Fulton being vetted for top MVC job

Doherty said to have failed the background check for the job

Brenda “Sue” Fulton is being vetted to be Governor Phil Murphy’s MVC Chief

Brenda “Sue” Fulton of Asbury Park is Governor Murphy’s current choice to become Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, according to a source who told MMM that the West Point graduate has consented to four way background check.

Fulton’s 2016 running mate for Monmouth County Freeholder, Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty, said he “respectfully declined” the Governor’s offer to lead MVC at a Borough Council meeting on Monday night.

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Governor Murphy to hold press conference in Marlboro on Friday morning

Gov Phil Murphy and Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik

Governor Phil Murphy will be in Marlboro Township on Friday for a press conference about his scheme to allow property tax payments to be classified as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes.

The tax reform law passed by Congress and signed by President Trump last December limited the deduction for state and local taxes to $10,000.  All members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, with the exception of Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ3) voted against the measure.

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Winning Jersey Cash 5 ticket sold in Port Monmouth

A patron of the Wilson Ave Deli in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown won $192,167 on Wednesday by hitting the winning numbers of the NJ Lottery’s daily Jersey Cash 5 game.

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Doherty turns down MVC job

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty announced that he turned down Governor Phil Murphy’s offer to be the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission at the Borough’s Council meeting on Tuesday night.

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