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Briana: Tonight, moving forward.

Congestion pricing is still a go as a federal judge rejects efforts to block the new toll entering midtown Manhattan.

Plus, stepping down.

The state's top federal prosecutor announces his resignation.

>> If you want to take it from the rawest political calculation, New Jersey Republicans feel they are on the offense, that they are becoming more competitive.

Briana: Also, residents are raising their voices in opposition to a newly approved up her Freehold Township warehouse plan.

>> So many people want to see this project saved for historical purposes, for the impact on these residents which are going to be left with a catastrophe if this goes through.

Briana: And a new wave of leadership at the U.S. Capitol.

A look back at an unprecedented year in New Jersey politics.

>> This is a fresh generation and what may be lost is an element of experience and knowledge of how Congress really works.

Briana: NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

>> From NJPBS Studios, this is NJ Spotlight News with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us on this Thursday night.

I'm Briana Vannozi.

We begin with a few of today's top headlines.

First, a federal judge just cleared the way for congestion pricing to take effect, keeping it on track to start at midnight January 5.

A New York federal judge on Monday denied a last-ditch request to block the new toll that will charge most drivers nine dollars if they enter Manhattan south of 60th Street.

The ruling came after hearing arguments on four separate lawsuits filed by the United Federation of teachers, U.S. trucking Association of New York , and a group called New Yorkers against congestion pricing tax.

Hours later, another federal judge denied Rockland County's request to pause the plan, ruling that the plaintiff did not prove the harms of congestion pricing outweigh the economic and environmental benefits.

And cited studies showing the tax will reduce traffic and improve air quality.

Advocates of congestion pricing were thrilled, but lawsuits brought by New Jersey and Long Island are still alive.

New Jersey's is for tens of millions of dollars, predicting environmental harm if track it -- if traffic gets worse on this side of the Hudson.

The governor has reported the offer of a settlement on that but no deal has been reached.

The Biden administration is scrapping two major student loan forgiveness plants that would have canceled higher Ed debt for several groups of borrowers, including those who have been in repayment for decades and others experiencing financial hardship.

The administration's plans were considered Plan B after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Biden's first major effort to clear people's student loans.

The move comes as Donald Trump prepares to take office and has criticized the loan forgiveness, calling it a legal.

Experts say there are still forgiveness programs available, including for those who go into public service or teaching.

In those instances, loans can be wiped after a decade of on-time payments.

The White House last week announced another nearly 55,000 borrowers in that program would see more than $4 billion in debt forgiven.

Search for other relief options at studentaid.gov.

New Jersey's legal cannabis market hit a record high, selling more than $1 billion worth of medicinal and recreational cannabis in 2024.

That's a milestone for the industry, only running for two years, pulling in 25% more than last year when sales topped 800,000.

According to the state, the increase was boosted by the jump in licensed dispensaries now open.

More than 190 locations across New Jersey with more pending.

To cannabis regulatory commission also notes green Wednesday, which is the day before Thanksgiving, had the biggest and busiest single day of recreational cannabis sales, generating $6 million.

And four/20, the unofficial cannabis holiday, wasn't far behind.

As of December 20, new dispensaries are open as far south as Atlantic City to Princeton, Elizabeth, and Somerset.

New Jersey's top federal prosecutor is joining a list of government officials resigning or retiring from their posts as President Biden's term comes to an end.

Flip Ellen jerk, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, announces he will step down in January before Donald Trump is sworn in.

The move doesn't come as a surprise but a senior political correspondent David Cruz reports, it sets into motion GOP political jockeying for the seat.

David: For such an important position, getting picked as the U.S. attorney for the district of New Jersey is a lot more about who you know then what you know.

The closer you are to the President-elect's inner circle, the better your chances are.

That could explain why the two names most frequently mentioned to succeed Philip Salinger are Mike Testa and Doug Steinhardt.

>> They are both loyalists to Trump and will be very close to the come from administration other they get the job or not.

You are talking about people who have both been his campaign chair in New Jersey.

As close as anybody has been to him.

They are both politicians who are well regarded by Democrats as well.

David: That could make a difference if the administration consults with the U.S. senators from New Jersey, Cory Booker and Andy Kim, which is traditional.

Testa has been a frequent Booker troll on social media.

Steinhardt is a partner at a big law firm with tentacles all over the state's political establishment.

He is also a former state party chair.

Testa is from a powerful South Jersey political family and is the current Cumberland County GOP chair.

Neither potential nominee was talking today but several individuals familiar with the process said both had already been interviewed.

One name that came up several times in conversations today was Jeff Van Drew, the congressman most associated with what it means to be pro-Trump in New Jersey.

>> He is so close to Van Drew and Van Drew is going to have a lot to say about this.

He is probably the person in Trump world who is closest to Trump and has his ear the most.

They come from the same part of the state.

Test I replaced him in the state Senate.

I would not be surprised to see that going in Testa's direction as well.

David: Other than fodder for political speculation, what does it matter who the U.S. attorney for New Jersey is?

>> It's incredibly important for the people of New Jersey and across the country for all the U.S. attorneys.

David: Hannah Patel of the New Jersey Institute for social justice says it can be easy to forget the kinds of things the U.S. attorney can do, like force local governments to provide language services during elections, or catching banks who practice discriminatory lending, both of which happened over the last few years here.

>> The most recent is they investigated with the DOJ and D.C. Trenton Police Department and a report was released days ago of a pattern and practices of civil rights violations against the people of Trenton from the Police Department.

>> for an ambitious politician, the U.S. attorney's office can be a springboard.

Former U.S. attorney and governor and presidential candidate Chris Christie is the best, most recent example.

But the next U.S. attorney from New Jersey will have been the choice of an appointer in chief who values loyalty over most anything else, including ambition.

I'm David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: Seton Hall University is once again wrapped up in a scandal involving leadership, this time for appointing Monsignor Joseph Riley as the new president.

Riley was a longtime seminary leader and influential figure at the Catholic University, who quietly stepped down in 2022 after decades with the school.

As first reported with Politico NJ, an internal investigation revealed Riley knew of sexual abuse allegations against now disgraced Cardinal Theodore McCarrick but never reported them.

McCarrick was defrocked by Pope Francis after allegations of sexual misconduct with seminarians and minors over decades were found credible.

For more, I am joined by Dustin, who broke the story for Politico.

Bombshell piece.

What can you tell us with just the specific allegations that were made against once in your Riley -- against months in your Riley when it came to the internal investigation that led to him being removed from the school?

Dustin: The context is the former Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, because of his relationship to Seton Hall and because of the allegations against him, the University conducted this internal review.

Among about 12 priests, months and your of them.

He was not accused of abuse but allegedly knew about abuse and did not report them and that's in violation of Seton Hall policies as well as federal title IX policies.

They also said he was not initially fully compliant with investigators when they sought interviews with him.

He later followed up and offered up information about some rumors he had heard about alleged harassment or abuse, but it was nothing related to what the investigators had previously found going back to 2000 12 in two separate instances.

Briana: All of this eventually leads in 2022 for him to be removed as seminary leader.

Yet here we are end of 2024 he is being put into this perch as University President.

What led to this decision to reinstate him, do we know?

Dustin: Seton Hall doesn't offer much clarity on this.

I have asked repeatedly what happened behind the scenes.

Was he cleared in any way?

Did something happen where the board felt comfortable elevating him to the highest position possible?

Didn't get a full, clear answer except that the University and the Board of Regents chair fully support him.

It's still not clear.

The recommendation through a responsive action plan years ago was anybody who knew about alleged sexual harassment or abuse could not hold leadership positions at Seton Hall.

Briana: Are members of the Board of Regents defending their decision?

Have they given you any factors that may have played a role?

You mentioned he helped cooperate with leading investigators to give other information.

We are talking about sexual abuse and harassment allegations.

Dustin: Yeah, when we are talking about those things in the Catholic Church, there is a feeling of déjà vu all over again.

It would be nice to have answers from the University, sort of a full accounting of what happened, but we just don't.

The chairman for the Board of Regents, the University's governing body, he gave his full throated support in a statement for Monsignor Reilly, and that's where we stand today.

Briana: What's the reaction been like from survivors advocates, from the Seton Hall community at large?

Dustin: A lot of the advocates are upset.

They want to see the internal investigation by Seton Hall.

They want to see a release because there are 10 or 11 other priests named in that report.

We don't know what's happened to them.

We don't know if they have been removed, if they have been moved to other areas of the state.

They want to see some accountability and transparency.

Briana: Monsignor Reilly was there 45 years.

He was a student, he rose through the ranks.

How much influence did he have?

Dustin: For a time he was very influential, basically overseeing the seminary that trains students for the priesthood.

It's a very influential position.

He is not accused himself of wrongdoing, I want to make that clear, he is not implicated.

From all accounts, he is a nice guy, very intelligent, and that's what the University says.

Regardless, the findings are what they are.

Briana: Dustin, thanks so much.

When the 119th Congress is sworn in next month, New Jersey's delegation will have a lot of fresh faces.

In a single year, we have gone through a high-profile federal corruption trial for former Senator Bob Menendez, two deaths of sitting members of Congress, and three new members elected to the house.

The turnover was significant by any state's standards, but will it hurt the delegation's ability to flex political muscle?

For more, we turn to our Washington correspondent Ben Hulac.

As you wrote, we have this senior generation that's giving way to a more junior, a less experienced generation of lawmakers.

Run through the nuts and bolts of who is out and who is in.

Ben: With Bob Menendez on the way out, he has been the mainstay in New Jersey politics for so long but he is out.

Andy Kim will take his seat.

Then we have three new faces from New Jersey to the house.

That is Herb Conaway taking Andy Kim's seat, Nellie Pou filling the shoes of Bill Pascrell, and MacGyver holding the 10th district that is Newark proper.

It's a whole new turnover.

There are big losses for the state, in particular Bob Menendez and Bill Pascrell, who are on the powerful tax-writing committees.

What is maybe lost is an element of experience and knowledge of how Congress really works.

Briana: Does it affect New Jersey's Clout in Washington?

You have lost these powerhouses, but you also have this young and diverse group who looks more like the constituents they represent.

Ben: That's a critical point.

It certainly affects the Clout though of the state.

It takes a while to get on powerful committees like Appropriations, of which Bonnie Watson Coleman is New Jersey's loan member in either chamber on Appropriations.

It affect the state's standing and what can be brought home to New Jersey from Washington.

This is an opportunity for all these members to chart new paths.

There will be jockeying for members to get on TNI, transportation and infrastructure in the house, a committee popular with New Jersey members.

The state is a thoroughfare in the Northeast for transit.

It's a new chapter really.

Briana: What about how the committee assignments get divvied up with all these very freshman members?

Ben: When you are elected, you can request certain committees but because you are on the bottom of the totem pole, the pecking order, you get last pick.

You can say, I'm interested in the judiciary committee.

You may not get that.

Members often like to serve on committees where they have some prior experience before coming to Congress.

Folks like Frank Pallone who have been in Congress for decades, the highest Democrat on Energy and Commerce, he sweeping the powerful House committee.

Once you get your feet wet after serving many congresses, you typically stay on a committee because you accrue seniority and more power, influence, Clout, those things.

That process takes a while so these new members coming in will have to choose a path fairly quickly of which committees they want to pursue.

Briana: What about for Andy Kim, our new U.S.

Senator?

Does the same hold true for him?

Ben: It does in general.

On the Senate you get to serve on many more committees, four on average.

But you still have to pick and choose what you want to prioritize.

It will be interesting to watch he and Cory Booker navigate which committees they want to serve on.

In general they both have an interest in foreign policy.

Poker is on foreign relations and Kim has expressed he is interested in foreign affairs and the armed services committee.

How those two divvy up assignments could be this fascinating interplay.

You can rise up the ranks of Senate Committees faster because there are fewer members, but you still have to continue to be reelected in order to climb up the ranks.

Briana: In the few seconds we have left, what are you looking toward, what the stories in the new year?

Ben: The biggest is what happens January 20.

What is the interplay between New Jersey and the incoming Trump administration?

Where do New Jersey Democrats compromise, where do they get along, and where do they fight?

What is the relationship between those camps?

Briana: Thanks so much, good to talk to you.

In our spotlight on business report, another warehouse project gets the stamp of approval.

After 10 months of opposition, Upper Freehold Township's planning board approved a controversial warehouse proposal last week where developers want to build two facilities totaling nearly .5 million square feet.

Residents of neighboring towns say they have major concerns the develop meant will cause flooding to the area and their homes and also point out the land has historical significance.

As Ted Goldberg reports, both the mayor and neighbors now plan to fight.

Ted: The Upper Freehold planning board heard an your full after approving plans to develop a large new warehouse.

>> Sellout!

>> I feel really good in spite of this loss.

Since November I have been having, along with county officials, conversations with members of the Murphy administration.

We have been talking about public-private partnerships to preserve the land.

Ted: Sue lives in Upper Freehold and is one of many locals who protested these plans, which would put 450,000 square feet of warehouse is on this farm.

Land where George Washington sent Continental troops to intercept the British just before the famous Battle of Monmouth.

>> I could see it as a park, a Revolutionary war park with part of the farmland preserved.

I could see us growing food for the food insecure and making it available two different agencies in New Jersey.

I see something very creative.

>> So many people want to see this project saved for historical purposes, for the impact on these residents, which are going to be left with a catastrophe if this goes through.

We believe this will be preserved and we are going to stop at nothing.

Ted: This land comes up against the border of Allentown, where some residents would be less than 100 feet away from new warehouses.

Mayor Thomas Fritts says there is a major flooding concern that would calm with that kind of development.

>> We are in serious concern that our municipality would be flooded based on prior flooding and emergency situations at the water plant in the past.

Although that may not be part of the appeal, and I can't guarantee that, I would say that's another strength in stopping this process.

Ted: Active acquisition zones this land and did not respond to our request for comment.

They replied with several permits from the DEP.

The freshwater wetlands permit was denied in August 2023.

Last month the DEP told us the developer was still appealing.

Kozel is hopeful this might kill the plans to build a warehouse.

>> That's crucial, if they deny the wetlands permits.

The developer is appealing that through an arbitration process so we will see what happens.

Without permits you can't do anything.

That was a big breakthrough.

Apparently the DEP did that a year ago and we only learned about that November 18.

A lot of strange process here.

Ted: If the DEP approved the appeal, Allentown could also try to stop the project with a lawsuit.

>> We are excited about it.

It's a step to tell the developer that this community is committed to preservation.

Ted: Mayor Fritts says Allentown will sue if Upper Freehold passes a resolution to get the warehouse plan going.

>> We believe multiple members on the board never were able to look at this project objectively and had preconceived plans for this to happen all along.

And they were in full approval of these warehouses coming.

We have statements made by some members in public meetings and we believe we have a strong case.

Ted: Fritts says the lawsuit also attacks the application itself, not just those who approved it.

>> They should have gone before the zoning board before the project came to the planning board, simply because the driveway was only made for single use, not W's.

-- not double use.

Even though using one driveway it is double occupancy and they are using two different uses for something that doesn't conform that way through the variance.

Ted: We reached out to the Upper Freehold Mayor and did not hear back by deadline.

He sits on the planning board and voted to approve the warehouse.

With a DEP appeal and possible lawsuit, those plans still have a long way to go before they lead to a new warehouse on this farmland.

Briana: Finally, more drone sightings in New Jersey, but this time it was planned.

Essex County hosted a Hanukkah drone light show in Livingston on Wednesday to celebrate the first night of the Jewish holiday, which in a rare occurrence coincided with Christmas Day.

Hundreds of people braved the freezing temperatures to watch 150 drones light up the sky.

They formed a Torah scroll, star, dreidel, menorah, and the words happy Hanukkah.

Before the show, a fire juggler entertained the crowd while officials lit the menorah and lead the audience in Hanukkah songs.

People celebrating Christmas said it offered the opportunity to blend traditions and bring unity at a time when it's badly needed.

For these drones, no FBI investigation is needed.

That's going to do it for us tonight.

A reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen to us anytime.

Time Briana Vannozzi.

For the entire team, thanks for being with us.

Have a great night.

We will see you right back here tomorrow.

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