Morning Digest: August 7th | Observer

Fight of the Week: Wesley Clark v. Bob Menendez

It would be one thing were it not U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s (D-NJ) home county. (Pizarro/PolitickerNJ) 

http://www.politickernj.com/78756/fight-week-wesley-clark-v-bob-menendez

 

 

Former NATO Commander Wesley Clark on Putin’s policy in Ukraine: “It’s the height of arrogance”

FAIR LAWN – Retired four-star U.S. General Wesley Clark told PolitickerNJ in a one-on-one interview on Wednesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s policies regarding Ukraine are part of Putin’s plan to “carve out a second-generation Soviet Union.” (Bonamo/PolitickerNJ) 

http://www.politickernj.com/78776/former-nato-commander-wesley-clark-putins-policy-ukraine-its-height-arrogance

 

 

Prieto: Assembly will press forward with earned sick leave legislation in September

TRENTON – State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-32) announced on Wednesday that the Assembly will begin considering earned sick leave legislation in September, beginning the push to require earned sick leave for workers in the state. (Bonamo/PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/78741/prieto-assembly-will-press-forward-earned-sick-leave-legislation-september

 

 

Cornell-Bechelli appointed Region II Director of Health and Human Services

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced her appointment of Jackie Cornell-Bechelli as Region II Director of HHS. (Editor/PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/78766/cornell-bechelli-appointed-region-ii-director-health-and-human-services

 

 

N.J. Assembly Speaker Prieto is consulting for a major south Jersey political donor

State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, a code inspector who holds three public jobs, has begun consulting for private clients, including a Camden County-based firm whose owner is a major donor to South Jersey Democrats, The Star-Ledger has learned. (Friedman/The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/08/assembly_speaker_prieto_consults_for_camden_county_disaster_recovery_firm.html#incart_river

 

 

Chris Christie net approval lowest since 2011

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s net approval rating is at its lowest point in three years, a new poll says. According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday, 49 percent of New Jersey voters approve of the Republican governor’s job performance, compared with 47 percent who disapprove. That net approval rating is Christie’s lowest since August 2011. (Topaz/Politico)

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/poll-chris-christie-approval-ratings-109799.html?hp=r6

 

 

Poll: Clinton tops Christie in his home state

Hillary Clinton is beating New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on his own turf, a new poll finds. (Merica/CNN)

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/08/06/poll-clinton-tops-christie-in-his-home-state/

 

 

Asm. Joe Cryan seeks Union County Sheriff position

Ralph Froelich was believed to be the longest serving sheriff in New Jersey history at 36 years on the job. He died of cancer at age 83 on July 20. (Aron/NJTV)

http://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/asm-joe-cryan-seeks-union-county-sheriff-position/

 

 

Garden State Equality Executive Director wants to explore LGBT health care issues

A federal district court, for the second time, has thrown out a challenge to a New Jersey law prohibiting therapists from trying to change the sexual orientation or gender identity of teenagers, called conversion therapy. Garden State Equality Executive Director Andrea Bowen told NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams that she would like to start exploring the broad spectrum of health care issues that affect the LGBT community. (NJTV)

http://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/garden-state-equality-executive-director-wants-to-explore-lgbt-healthcare-issues/

 

 

Baraka Obama touts Africa deals in U.S. catch-up game

President Barack Obama announced on Tuesday that the U.S. government, World Bank and businesses will invest a combined $33 billion in Africa’s economy, showcasing America’s economic ties to a continent where trade and investment are increasingly dominated by China and Europe. (Bradner/Politico)

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/obama-invest-14b-africa-109718.html

 

 

Obama pushes for ‘global effort’ to combat spread of Ebola

Barack Obama has said a global effort is required to combat the spread of Ebola which he blamed on weak and overwhelmed health systems in west Africa. (McGreal/The Guardian)

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/aug/07/barack-obama-ebola-spread-global-effort-who

 

 

NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney wants Atlantic City redo

Atlantic City is far removed from its glory days, when it was considered second only to Las Vegas in the American casino scene. And now, New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) has asked the city, the gaming industry, and officials from around the state to come up with ideas for how Atlantic City can “reinvent itself,” saying that the city has been far too dependent on casino revenues for far too long. (Beckett/Casino.org)

http://www.casino.org/news/nj-senate-president-steve-sweeney-wants-atlantic-city-redo

 

 

Atlantic County Mayors Association opposes any North Jersey casino plans

The Atlantic County Mayors Association recently voted to oppose the initiative to bring casinos to North Jersey. The association opposes any New Jersey casino building outside of Atlantic City, saying such initiatives would undermine decades of investment in the resort city. (Larson/LegalUSPokersites.com)

http://www.legaluspokersites.com/news/atlantic-county-mayors-association-opposes-any-north-jersey-casino-plans/3679

 

 

Bacon v. NJ Department of Education Court case: could it be the next ‘Abbott’?

In the shadows of New Jersey’s landmark Abbott v. Burke school equity case, Bacon v. NJ Department of Education has always seemed like a distant cousin to that epic court ruling. (Mooney/NJ Spotlight)

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/08/06/bacon-v-nj-department-of-education-court-case-could-it-be-the-next-abbott/

 

 

Expert: Malloy’s Sandy Hook reference in campaign ad unnecessary political risk

HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Did Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy take a political gamble by invoking the Sandy Hook tragedy in his latest campaign ad?

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/08/05/expert-malloy-ads-sandy-hook-reference-an-unnecessary-political-risk/

 

 

Fort Collins money goes to Hickenlooper

Gov. John Hickenlooper has more than three times the cash-on-hand than Republican challenger Bob Beauprez — though donations following the four-way GOP primary fall more evenly between the two. (Coltrain/The Coloradoan)

http://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2014/08/06/fort-collins-money-goes-hickenlooper/13656757/

 

 

Voters give third party candidates for governor closer look

An amalgam of socialist and “greenie” beliefs with a fierce independent streak thrown in, Sarasota brewer Vincent Pelosi’s political views are as striking as his distinctive facial hair. (Anderson/Halifax Media)

http://www.theledger.com/article/20140805/POLITICS/140809631/1374?Title=Voters-Give-Third-Party-Candidates-for-Florida-Governor-Closer-Look-

 

 

 

Opinion

 

With a little vision, Atlantic City can be rejuvenated

Just as I was about to give up on Atlantic City, I began to think about former Philadelphia Mayor Richardson Dilworth and city planner Edmund Bacon. (Palley/Philly.com)

http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20140806_With_a_little_vision__Atlantic_City_can_be_rejuvenated.html

 

 

Hillary Clinton on ‘Colbert Report’: Embarrassing

The “Hard Choices” book tour drags on. Last night, author and former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton walked onto the set of “The Colbert Report.” In what was presented as a surprise visit, she appeared just as Colbert was fake-denouncing various passages of “Hard Choices.” “This book is 656 pages of shameless name-dropping,” ripped the host, highlighting a sentence in which Clinton talks about hanging out with Tanzanian Prime Minister Mizengo Pinda. (Wemple/The Washington Post)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/08/06/hillary-clinton-on-colbert-report-embarrassing/