Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we prove it every week. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends. Here, they discuss the week’s events with editorial page editor Tom Moran.
Q. The Supreme Court heard arguments over Donald Trump’s claim of criminal immunity, and most legal experts said the conservative majority seemed inclined to grant him immunity for “official acts.” Trump’s lawyer said that could include ordering the assassination of a political rival or staging a coup. If the Court does rule as expected, how might that affect our democracy? And the standing of the Court?
Julie: This court has already irreparably damaged its standing by delaying a decision on what has been a long-settled matter, which will practically delay any trial for Trump until after this November’s election. If the Court goes even farther and rules that a president is immune from committing crimes while in office, we might as well just call up Buckingham Palace and beg King Charles to take us back. The president will be, like the monarchs of old, answerable only to God and not to mere mortals whose station is “beneath” him.
Mike: The supposition that any American is above the law is absurd, especially with the lengths taken to in the exchange mentioned above. Of course, the president couldn’t have a political rival killed. I can’t believe his attorney felt the need to be open to domestic political assassination as an official duty. Nixon only went down for burglary and spying and covering it up. Maybe he should have gone to the Supreme Court. A president may deserve some latitude when dealing with national security judgment calls, but there also must be legal guardrails so a president does not go too far. Certainly, hush money payments or blocking election results does not deserve automatic immunity.
Q. The Murphy administration threatened to pull funding for plans to build an art museum in Jersey City affiliated with the famous Pompidou Center in Paris, saying the $4 million in expected revenues would leave an annual gap of $19 million. Mayor Steve Fulop called this retaliation against him for reneging on his endorsement of First Lady Tammy Murphy to support Rep. Andy Kim. Is that plausible? Is there any evidence to support it?
Julie: You have to look at Mayor Fulop’s allegation holistically and not in isolation. Does this governor retaliate against those who he thinks crossed him? Yes, and I am here to offer myself as exhibit A. Exhibit B stands for Katie Brennan, who was driven from her job in state government because she dared to speak up about being sexually assaulted by one of the governor’s closest aides. I can also submit as Exhibit C Christopher Neuwirth, the former administration official who was fired and then subjected to a criminal investigation for raising questions about how COVID resources were allegedly misused by the governor’s former chief of staff, George Helmy. Exhibit D is all the anonymous women who worked on the governor’s campaign and described a toxic workplace environment to this newspaper. They remain anonymous precisely because they fear retaliation.
Julie: I can keep going until I finish the alphabet (and then some), because there is a book length dossier on all the ways Phil Murphy and his minions retaliate against anyone who they claim deviates from the party line. So yes, it is more than plausible that Governor Murphy or his people effectively decided that there was time for some traffic problems around the Pompidou Centre shortly after Fulop pulled his support of Tammy Murphy’s Senate bid. If past is prologue, it is actually quite likely.
Mike: The line between politics and governing can be a fine one. I have not seen any evidence that this is retaliatory. Is there any evidence of favorable treatment to Jersey City when Fulop was on the side of Murphy? I have no idea. I do know that, simply on the merits, many people from farther corners of the state questioned the value of millions for an art museum in Jersey City, regardless of the politics. For Fulop, railing against the machine helps his politics statewide while also fighting for a project in Jersey City. This is a no-lose accusation.
Q. Trump was held in contempt of court on Tuesday for repeatedly violating a gag order and the judge warned that if he keeps this up, he could go to jail – it sounds like he’s down to his last chance. What’s your prediction: Will he change his ways, or go to jail and play the martyr?
Julie: I doubt that Trump will want to risk spending even a night on Rikers (assuming that he would even be able to serve a sentence there because of his Secret Service protection). On the other hand, he has no more ability to self-regulate than a toddler who may want to be good but has not yet learned to control himself.
Mike: Trump will do everything he can to avoid a night in jail. He truly fears that. As an aside, I have stopped attacking Julie in any tweets on Truth Social, kind of an honorary gag order, even though there is no litigation.
Q. The Biden administration just eased restrictions on marijuana, which it will no longer treat like heroin and LSD. Instead, it will be classified alongside less dangerous drugs, like steroids and Tylenol with codeine. Is this a big deal? Will it energize younger people to vote for Biden?
Julie: I have not seen data that analyzes whether pot is the key to young voters’ hearts, but it is good policy. Marijuana should be regulated like alcohol, which is no less dangerous.
Mike: I feel like angry young people right now are more exercised about Gaza than pot, which, correct me if I’m wrong, is already legal.
Julie: According to federal law, marijuana is still not legal.
Q. Attorney General Matt Platkin is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit that seeks to ban smoking in Atlantic City casinos. Representing the governor and state health department, he argues that allowing smoking in casinos doesn’t deny any group of people equal protection and “doesn’t infringe” on a “constitutional right to safety.” Is he on the right side of this fight?
Julie: I can’t speak to whether Matt is on the right side of the law but from a purely common-sense perspective, he has lost the plot. If a waitress is assigned to work in the smoking section of a casino for eight hours a day, she may not be able to say no for fear of retaliation by her boss. This is why we no longer have smoking sections in any other bar or restaurant in the state. What makes casino workers any less prone to getting sick from secondhand smoke?
Mike: The legislature will have something to say about this. Do we assume the AG is automatically representing the governor’s position after weighing in on the line in a way contrary to the governor’s view?
Q. Finally, a moment of silence for Cricket, the dog that was barely out of puppyhood when South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem shot her dead in a gravel pit, before shooting a “nasty” goat in the same spot. She said she “hated” the dog, who was “less than worthless” when it came to hunting pheasant. Why would she reveal this in her book, and does it really kill her chances of being Trump’s running mate, as some say?
Julie: Noem is an interesting case study. She has absolutely transformed herself for an audience of one. From the hair extensions to the veneers to the TV makeup to the shift dresses, she has effectively adopted the Trump women/Ailes era Fox News aesthetic that she thinks will appeal to him. And she likely told this Cricket story to underscore to Trump that she will be as ruthless as he would require her to be – unlike his cowardly former vice president, who would not subvert the Constitution for him.
Julie: It was not a bad analysis and probably would have paid off, had it not engendered so much bipartisan horror. Trump may appreciate her sycophancy, but not at the risk of angering his own base. There are other sycophants, like J.D. Vance, who are less polarizing to his supporters. Noem is a uniter, however. Who else has brought Democrats and Republicans together in horror at the cold-blooded murder of a puppy?
Mike: I am sure Gov. Noem thought it would make her look tough, but c’mon. In all my years working in politics, I have learned one immutable truth: Puppies are more popular than politicians. Do not kill puppies. Free political advice for every NJ elected official, to end the column today. You’re welcome.
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A note to readers: Mike and Julie are deeply engaged in politics and commercial advocacy in New Jersey, so both have connections to many players discussed in this column. DuHaime, the founder of MAD Global, has worked for Chris Christie, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and President George W. Bush. Roginsky, a principal of Comprehensive Communications Group, has served as senior advisor to campaigns of Cory Booker, Frank Lautenberg, and Phil Murphy. We will disclose specific connections only when readers might otherwise be misled.
