NJ Education Report

Welcome to election season! If you’re got an extra $2,500 in your wallet, you can buy two hours at a rubber chicken dinner courtesy of a Super PAC called he American Democratic Majority (ADM). ADM is tied to South Jersey kingmaker George Norcross, erstwhile arch-enemy to the New Jersey Education Association. But, times being what they are, NJEA ‘s Super PAC, Garden State Forward, has gifted Norcross’s PAC with its largest donation, $1.25 million.

To add to the cognitive dissonance, the headliner for the reception is Senate President Steve Sweeney. Back in 2017 during the last big election cycle, NJEA lobbyists spent $5.3 million in teacher dues trying to defeat Sweeney by backing a Trump-loving, climate change-denying, xenophobic, little-known councilman named Fran Grenier. Now their throwing money at a PAC spotlighting his bona fides.

Matt Friedman of Politico notes that recently :[NJEA] and the South Jersey Democratic machine have put their differences aside, culminating in a deal last year on health benefits savings.”