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Joanna: tonight on NJ Spotlight News, after three days of testimony, the Menendez's defense team rests its case as the trial against the U.S.

Senator moves towards its final stage.

Also, NJ decides 2024.

Candidates to replace the late Congressman Donald Payne Jr. take center stage to make their case for the upcoming special election.

>> The community had a need and a want to know what the process was, and also to hear the candidates for themselves.

Joanna: plus, holiday travel ramps up ahead of the July 4 holiday.

The Port Authority expecting record-breaking travel in New Jersey.

>> You have July 4 on a Thursday.

A lot of people are turning this into four or five day weekends, or building a weeklong trip around the holiday.

Joanna: with a few weeks to go until the 2024 Summer Olympics kickoff, several New Jersey athletes will be chasing gold in Paris.

>> There is a newcomer who is only 16 years old.

The surprise member of the team from Oradell, New Jersey.

She will be a huge story alongside Simone Biles.

Joanna: NJ Spotlight News begins right now.

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

Joanna: Hello and thanks for joining us tonight.

I am Joanna Gagis.

Briana Vannozzi is off.

While the defense team for Senator Bob Menendez wrapped up their case today by trying to contradict several of the claims made by the U.S. Justice Department prosecutors.

They brought forward several witnesses including a forensic accountant who made the case that the government cherry picked pieces of evidence in their presentation, and they played pre-recorded testimony from Michael Critchley, an attorney at the case of the trial.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan is once again outside of the courthouse to bring those -- bring up her wrap up after the Menendez team has wrapped their case.

Great to see you.

What did you see and hear in this final stage of the trial?

Brenda: Senator Bob Menendez did not take the stand in his own defense.

As the defense team rested after two days of presentations in this trial.

This afternoon, they tried to continue poking holes in the prosecution's.

-- prosecution's case.

They wrapped up by giving jurors take testimony of attorney Michael Critchley.

He testified Bob Menendez did something that was very unusual.

He called to discuss one specific criminal case, and it is the same case the government's star witness claim he bribed Senator Menendez to disrupt.

It is the same case that Menendez twice allegedly tried to discuss with New Jersey's former Attorney General.

Grewal flatly refused to discuss the case.

Critchley said Menendez mentioned no specifics in regards to the case and the senator had nothing to do with the more lenient sentences -- sentence his client eventually received.

Joanna: How did Menendez's attorneys try to make the case that evidence was cherry picked?

What did they present this afternoon to make that case?

Brenda: They called a forensic accountant, as you mentioned.

Essentially, he entered a lot more data into the record.

There were texts, there were emails, and letters.

All of this was supposed to add more context to what the prosecution left out.

But it was a deluge of information and I was looking at the jury this afternoon, and some of them were taking notes.

But there were others who were sort of resting their eyes, let's put it that way.

There were others who plainly looked exasperated.

Judge Sidney Stein was obviously exasperated as well, because he told attorneys during the lunch break, and I will quote him here, all of this could be argued in summation, this is unnecessary at this point, especially given everyone's desire to move forward.

Joanna: With that desire to move forward, how do they move forward?

Where do we go from here?

Brenda: codefendant Fred Daibes attorney says they told me that they expected to rest without calling witnesses.

He said they felt no need to because he said the government has not proved his client is guilty.

That tease up the defense team.

His big problem is their crucial witness in this case is Egyptian, he is in Egypt.

While he was granted a U.S. visa, that Visa has not gotten to him in Egypt.

And the judge has warned he is not going to delay this case to wait for this witness to get here and testify next week.

Because we are all off for the holiday weekend.

They resume testimony on Monday.

If he is not here, the judge says the only option that the team would have would be to rest their case.

We are going to possibly get into summations Tuesday or Wednesday.

Joanna: After summations, at what point does this go to the jury?

Brenda: Right after.

The judge has to charge the jury.

And of course, that will be something the defense and the prosecution have to discuss with the judge as to what the judge includes and what he leaves out.

After that, it will go to the jury.

Joanna: Brenda Flanagan, Senior correspondent for us, great recap as always.

Thanks, Brenda.

Brenda: Thanks, Joanna.

Joanna: the death of Donald Payne Jr. in April came before the primary election and too late for a primary race to replace him.

That timing mend his name appeared on the ballot and he won the primary posthumously.

But now the race for his seat is underway with a jampacked field of Democratic contenders.

While they faced off in a form -- foreign -- forum earlier this week, Senior political correspondent David Cruz looks at the long-term strategy for replacing the seat that may not include voters at all.

David: The list of Democrats running in this special primary election is long.

11 in all, in a race to succeed Donald Payne Junior who died in April.

But this primary is only the beginning, as explained by the Institute for social justice, which cosponsored the candidate forum in Newark this week.

>> The special election has been scheduled to select a new representative to serve out the remainder of Congressman Payne's term.

Which once this person is elected, they will be serving for three months.

David: The winners of the primary will face off in a special general election in September to fill the last few months of Payne's term.

But then there is the general general election for a full term in Congress.

That will be in November.

To select that candidate, voters are out of the loop.

>> Democratic County committee members from the three counties that cover the district will hold a special convention to select a new nominee to appear on the ballot for the regular general election in November.

David: Before them was also cosponsored by NJIT, the Panhellenic Council and the Newark branch of the NAACP.

With close to 500 in attendance, the events suggested more interest, not less, from the district that has been represented by the Payne family for decades.

>> We have almost 500 people there.

>> Right.

We did.

That showed that the community had a need and want no what the -- and a want to know what the process was in here the candidates for themselves.

One person called and said they were very appreciative and now they were going to know who to tell their family members who to vote for.

David: Which says something from a forum made up of progressive candidates that saw more agreement than dissent.

>> Rents are high, mortgages are high, food is high, and that is a problem.

>> We need somebody in Congress who is not afraid to talk about reparations.

Who is not afraid to talk about the very specific unique issues that Black people are dealing with in this country.

>> Our affordable houses are not affordable no more.

They base it on an average of $62,000 a person.

Not a lot of people in my community make that.

David: This is politics, after all.

And Essex County to boot.

One of the most powerful political organizations in the state is not likely to leave choosing the next 10th district representative to voters entirely.

Which could render this primary election moot, seeing as almost every Democrat with any skin in the game, including the governor himself, has weighed in on behalf of LaMonica McIver, current Newark city Council President.

Let's say Jerry Walker wins this primary.

He could end up being a moot point because you guys are all behind LaMonica.

>> There is going to be an election for the unexpired term that is the election we are having a primary four.

Then they will get together to elect -- to select who represents the ballot.

There is no reason why the same person cannot win both.

David: In a field of 10, can a winner who gets 18% of the vote say they really represent the will of the people?

It would be a surprise to many if this election drew even in low double digits.

But if this week's forum is any indication, voters may have more interest than the pendants or even party officials believe.

I'm David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News.

Joanna: Get ready for another epic Fourth of July weekend in New Jersey, from forests hitting our beaches to New Jerseyans making travel plans.

You can expect crowds wherever you go.

The Port Authority is predicting record travel, more than 5 million people heading out on the roads, in the area, or on the rails.

Ted Goldberg spoke to travel experts and people already on the move about what to expect for this coming and going this holiday weekend.

Ted: just ahead of July 4, Newark airport is full of travelers.

Some of them relieved to see fewer flyers than expected.

>> Pretty chill right now.

>> We've got the toys.

>> Waymo.

Ted: It has been a pleasant surprise for the passengers in terminal B, which include a couple celebrating their anniversary, tourists going on trips, and toddlers going to see family.

>> This is huge.

We will see when we get through security.

>> I have been traveling a lot.

Ted: Have -- how have traveling plans going for you so far?

>> Good.

Ted: That is just in terminal B in the morning.

A travel analyst says the rest of the airport might be a different story.

>> The number of people at any one terminal is going to be a function of the airlines that fly there and their schedules.

United, and operates from terminal a and C. As the largest airline in Newark, they will direct the most traffic, the largest number of passengers.

Ted: Passengers I spoke with were pleasantly surprised at the lack of hustle and bustle needed to make their flights.

>> I travel every week.

I don't think there are any crowds compared to every other week.

Quite nice actually.

>> It's not crazy today.

But booking flights, it was crazy.

I could not get a flight for tomorrow so I had to come today.

Cases were doubled tomorrow.

>> Everything has been easy so far.

We can't wait to get our piña colada's.

Ted: While some flyers are ready for piña colada's, others have caught in the rain.

>> I have a huge delay of 17 hours.

I had to stay in the airport for about 20 hours.

It was a nightmare.

But it is part of the job.

Because of the weather and the crew did not come, and delayed the flight.

This is part of the issue.

Ted: Other issues at Newark this week have included a shortage of air traffic controllers on Monday, and the sheer volume of people coming and going.

AAA expects more than 2 million New Jerseyans to travel at least 50 miles this week.

In about 182,000 of them will fly.

>> I was pleasantly surprised that everything is going well.

Everybody has been nice.

Not a lot of running.

This is pleasant.

>> The packet things are calm and moving well, we will take the good when we have got the good.

And hope that travel can remain smooth.

Ted: Those numbers are about a 5% increase from this time last year.

Travel analysts have different theories as to why more people are traveling for the fourth.

>> People are traveling differently.

At has a lot to do with -- that has a lot to do with remote or hybrid work.

New Jersey schools go late into June.

This is the first family vacation a lot of folks will be taken for the summer.

>> Airfares are down slightly compared to last year.

July 4 weekend this year, you've got July 4 on a Thursday.

A lot of people are turning this into four or five day weekends, or building a week long trip around the holiday.

Ted: For whatever reasons they want, plenty of people in New Jersey will travel today and tomorrow.

So expect Newark airport to stay busy through the fourth, and the weekend after it.

At Newark Airport, I am Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.

Joanna: New Jersey has done a lot in recent years to improve its maternal mortality rates, which were among the worst in the nation and even worse for black moms.

One population continues to drive a number of maternal deaths and that is women struggling with addiction during pregnancy.

Yesterday, they reported on the stigma when seeking care and proper treatment.

Today in part two of my report, I stick to addiction recovery specialists who are making a difference for this vulnerable population, and who are helping to save lives.

>> Keying his mother has definitely healed the inner child for sure.

And being here has helped me as well.

Understand a lot of things that I did not understand as a young woman.

>> They welcomed me with open arms.

They didn't treat me like I was a criminal.

They didn't shame me because of my prior drug use.

They were there for me physically and emotionally.

Joanna: Kelsey and Amanda are new moms in recovery at the Center for great expectations in Somerset.

It is a facility that treats expecting and new moms struggling with addiction, from conception through six years postpartum.

>> When we think about what gets a woman to the point that she is using substances during her pregnancy, and when she has young children, we see women who have experienced complex trauma, which means trauma that is ongoing.

It is not only bad things that happen, but not having your basic needs met.

Joanna: That trauma is an underlying reason for the statistic that addiction is the number one cause of maternal death in New Jersey.

58% of all maternal deaths.

At great expectations, they are working to meet the social and emotional needs of the patient, from inpatient care, to IOP, plus supports like therapy, parenting classes, peer recovery specialists and dualism, to meet the needs of the patient through the pairing Nadal process.

>> Bringing in someone that is in crisis and trauma, reuniting them with their children, taking them through their pregnancy and beyond, but then it is about offering continuous treatment whether it is an IOP, outpatient setting after that.

But where are they going to live?

It is about helping them find a safe home.

Maybe employment.

Educational opportunities for themselves and their children.

Joanna: Dr. Molly Neeson is an addiction medicine specialist, treating the whole patient at her medicine program at Cooper University Hospital.

She points out the disparities are even worse for people of color, where moms and babies are significantly more likely to die in the first year postpartum.

>> People of color are less likely to access addiction treatment or medication.

So much of what we do is outreaching, particularly to communities of color, to make sure they are able to access services within our program.

Joanna: Make no mistake, this holistic approach is rare in New Jersey, and it is most often not what pregnant people struggling with addiction and counter.

>> They are afraid universally when I talk to them that they will be punished for substance use or struggling with substance use, or that their babies or other children will be taken from them.

>> If and when their children are removed from their care and they end up in this listless base where their motivation for recovery has been taken away, it feels really hopeless.

And that is the place where I have seen people really struggle.

Joanna: That is why moms are at a greater risk of overdose.

And yet -- >> Our current system will separate the mom and the baby.

We think about the attachment when that happens when they are separated.

We to be looking at early relational health models, that treat the parent and the child as a system.

>> They could relax and get into treatment and mitigate that and have a continuum of care.

An organization that understands that relaxes part of recovery is something that everyone that is in that situation, that is in early or middle or late recovery will benefit from.

>> People need to realize that addiction is a disease.

Don't choose to be addicted to anything.

And people, when they want help, and get help, that you should treat them like they are a human being.

Joanna: Which is exactly what Russell and Brennan say they have experienced here.

>> The center of great expectations is definitely the start of a beautiful.

Beginning for him and I.

And I will tell him about it one day.

And I'm proud.

That I came and I healed and I'm getting healthy for him.

Joanna: A mothers love perhaps the greatest motivation of all.

In our spotlight on business report, long-awaited protections for domestic workers are finally taking effect this week.

The domestic workers Bill of Rights that was signed into law by Governor Murphy in January went into effect on Monday.

It guarantees several workplace protections for people in jobs like housekeeping, in-home childcare workers or cooks, caregivers for the elderly and disabled, and many more.

Those guidelines include things like the right to take a break, the right to privacy and safety, protection from discrimination and harassment, and employers must have written contracts with their employees.

Rustic workers are also eligible for Worker's Compensation, implement insurance, -- unemployment insurance and family leave.

On Wall Street, after markets closed at an all-time high yesterday, the S&P and NASDAQ both reached new records.

Here is a look at the closing numbers.

>> Support for the business report is provided by NJMEP, a partner to New Jersey's manufacturing industry focused on productivity, performance, and strategic development.

More on njmep.org.

♪ Joanna: We are just a few weeks away from the when he 24 Summer Olympics that will kick off in Paris at the end of the month.

New Jersey will be well represented across the pond.

From world record-breaking track stars, to break out gymnast phenoms, to fencing wizards taking the stage, you can expect the Garden State to make an impact and hopefully bring home some hardware.

Joining me to talk about the great achievements of these New Jersey athletes as Steve Politico was for a columnist for NJ advanced media.

Great to talk to you.

Tell me, what are those storylines who are following in these 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, from New Jersey I should say?

Steve: New Jersey is always going to have a really good team of athletes headed to Paris.

Most of the focus for people on NBC certainly will be the big three sports of swimming, gymnastics, and track and field.

New Jersey will have major contributors in all of those sports.

Track and field, people will recognize Cindy and -- Sidney McCaughey.

She is a three-time Olympian.

She is the world record holder in the 400 meter hurdles.

She will compete in that event and probably a couple relays.

In gymnastics, there is a newcomer who is only 16 years old.

The suppressed member of the team from Oradell, New Jersey.

She is going to be a huge story alongside Simone Biles.

People will watch that the first week of the Olympics, and see if she can make an impact for team USA.

Then in swimming, several swimmers from New Jersey.

Two of them swam at those -- the same team.

Matt Fallon and Jack Alexie.

They will be swimming in two events early in the Olympics.

And Nick who is 30 years old from Morristown is returning to the Olympics.

He is a breast stroke are and he will have a chance to get a metal.

Joanna: All three exceptional storylines.

I have to go back to Sidney McLaughlin who has broken the world record, I think four times now.

Steve: I've lost track.

Every time she runs, it seems like she breaks the world record.

Is pretty incredible.

She has broken the trials to 65 in the 400 meter hurdles.

Honestly if you are watching her, it didn't look like she was running hard.

I think she has another chance to do it again in Paris.

She is one of the greatest performers in that event.

I think we are at the point now where if she has another code Olympics, she's only 24, she is starting to establish yourself as one of the great American track stars of all time.

Joanna: I love looking at the other sports I don't get as much attention.

We have three fencers, icy climbing.

You wrote a great step -- a great story about a rower, a female athlete who has made it to the limbic team.

Quickly, those narratives.

Steve: Sure.

What I love the best about the Olympics, is people who could be your neighbors.

Or just who are excellent at this sport.

Molly Rexford, she is from Short Hills, New Jersey.

She gave up the sport after college, she was convinced she was not very good.

Then got back into it.

Found an event that was perfect for her.

Told her family.

I love that she told her mother, I'm going to Tokyo.

Her mother's thought was, are you going as a spectator?

That she went to the Tokyo Olympics and finished fifth.

She has a chance to get a metal this time around.

A fencer from Ridgewood, he has a chance, grew up as a fan of Star Wars and playing with plastic swords.

That is how he got his start.

If you count Princeton, actually has eight fencers which will be more than some countries have.

Joanna:Joanna: You also will be in Paris for the Olympics yet again.

Thank you for the insight.

Thank you for the coverage.

We will be watching.

Steve: Thank you.

Joanna: That doesn't for us tonight.

Before you go, a reminder to download the NJ Spotlight News podcast so you can listen to us anytime.

I am Joanna Gagis.

For the entire team here at NJ Spotlight News, thank you for being with us.

Have a great night.

We will see you back here tomorrow.

>> New Jersey education Association.

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More information is online at NJrealtor.com.

>> I am Gloria monks.

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Whether this guiding first-time buyers through the home buying process, or securing space, for small business owners New Jersey realtors have been helping their clients through real estate transactions for more than a century.

No matter what your unique needs are, there is a knowledgeable New Jersey realtor for you.

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♪