The O’Toole Chronicles: Know My Name
“You are going to know my name because you gave up on me…” I was watching Real Sports on HBO, and the series was running a profile on Jalen Rose, one of the Fab Five college basketball players in the...
The Inside Edge
It seems like billionaire Star-Ledger owners are holding a bake sale
I’m rooting for the Star-Ledger to survive. The newspaper has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a middle schooler, I had a paper route and delivered the Star-Ledger seven days a week. ...
In-person campaigning? Fuggedaboutit!
Political campaigning — especially for local candidates — is about to become exceedingly difficult in the coming week, a reality that will likely boost the chances of incumbents with higher name recognition, party support, and more money. The New Jersey...
How votes were counted in the old days
For those who are relatively new to New Jersey politics, here’s how we got election results in the old days – at least in Essex County where I witnessed the counting process for the first time in 1974. When the...
The race for Minority Leader — if Bramnick, Bucco, Munoz lose
The top three Republicans in Assembly leadership positions face tough re-election campaigns in their own districts this year, creating the prospect of a contested race for Minority Leader later this year. Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) and Minority Whip Nancy...
If Kean beats Malinowski, Bramnick likely headed to Senate
Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield) is one of the biggest stakeholders in the campaign of Tom Kean, Jr. for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district. If Kean beats freshman Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Rocky Hill) in 2020, Bramnick would become...
Footage from Murphy campaign used in dark money ads
One of Gov. Phil Murphy’s staffers makes a cameo appearance in a TV ad paid for by a dark money non-profit that is narrated by Murphy. The circumstances are complicated. The aide to the governor appears in b-roll that was...