>> Funding for NJ Spotlight News is brought to you by the New Jersey education Association.

Making public schools great for every child.

RWJBarnabas Health.

let's be healthy together.

New Jersey realtors, the voice for real estate in New Jersey.

More information is online at NJrealtor.com.

And Orsted.

Briana: Tonight on NJ Spotlight News, with the maga wing at the home of the Republican party, but will it mean for gubernatorial hopefuls in New Jersey?

>> They could get candidates they like that might not do really is well in the general election.

Briana: Plus, on the heels of E-ZPass toll increases, a negotiation reveals a back room billion dollar contract that has alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

>> There were questions about the background of this company.

There were issues connecting it to security issues connecting it to foreign governments, China in particular.

We also found there were issues in the way it was rewarded.

Briana: Also, fears of deportation are spreading throughout the Ukrainian community in New Jersey after the Trump Administration cuts off support to their home country.

>> A lot of people feel like our top ally is betraying us at the worst time.

Briana: And after years of financial struggles, a merger with -- 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.

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

First, former sibling and Jack Ciattarelli is leading the pack of GOP hopefuls in New Jersey governor's race.

That is according to a poll out today which finds he has a clear advantage with more name recognition and favorability than his top three GOP opponents.

78% of Republicans polled say they know who Chana rally is, compared to 54% to 41% for his opponents.

Ciattarelli was the nominee for governor in 2021 before narrowly losing to Phil Murphy.

The fact that he is running before means more people know who he is, but he also has a strong lead in the number of voters who likened.

Still, that advantage could shrink it in the growing number of Donald Trump supporters in the party.

>> Traditionally the Republican Party in New Jersey has nominated very centrist candidates.

The issue now is that the energy of the party really is with the more conservative and maga part of the party.

It is not at all clear if there are still enough non-Center us left in the Republican Party to push the Republican Party toward those candidates, or if it will be taken over by the more hard right wing.

Briana: After years of financial struggles, NJCU will merge with King University, becoming Kean Jersey City.

The agreement was decided by NJCU's Board of Trustees, who voted to approve the proposal.

The university declared a financial emergency in June of 2022 and laid off top staff, citing $300 million in debt, causing lawmakers to question how it took so long for the school to realize the extent of its problems.

The state monitor last year suggested NJCU look into merger proposals.

The secretary of higher Ed gave the school until the end of this month to partner with a fiscally stable institution.

The Murphy administration today praised the deal and the fact that it would keep the school open.

NJCU is the oldest minority and Hispanic serving institution in the state.

Faculty unions at both universities will push to make sure members are protected fairly.

Union members are also asking for AP period of three year continued employment for members.

A major piece of the restoring the George project is complete.

The Port Authority installed the last news steel suspender rope on the 93-year-old Fort Washington bridge.

The original road suspended from the bridge's four main cables that held up the two roadway levels, replacing all 592 of them was no easy feat.

The project began in 2018 and required crews to put in temporary cables where suspender ropes were being replaced to take the load off the old ones, all while hundreds of thousands of cars passed over daily.

This project is part of a larger $2 billion plan to restore and repair the nearly century Old Bridge, which is still a primary Hudson River crossing all these years later.

The rest of the repair projects are scheduled to be finished by the end of 2029.

Port Authority officials say the work is expected to extend the life of the bridge for another 90 years.

>> What we have done by replacing the suspender ropes and the rehabilitation of the cables, things that have never been done before, and the structural rehabilitation [INAUDIBLE] Essentially rebuilding the bridge without closing down traffic.

Not only is this bridge important transportation wise in the tri-state area, but it is iconic.

It is known around the world.

Briana: Several lawmakers are raising questions about a massive $1.7 E-ZPass deal that recent investigation revealed was rewarded through a mostly closed-door process with virtually no public disclosure.

The report found the New Jersey Turnpike Authority recently selected a company named trans core LP to run E-ZPass operations, despite its bid being hundreds of millions of dollars higher than any other bidder.

And they have alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

It comes as tolls on the Turnpike have shut up more than 40% over the past few years and amid broader concerns about government transparency.

Jeff Pillets joins me now to share more from his investigation.

Jeff, thanks for coming on.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority sets out to award a new contract.

You looked out -- you looked into why this company was chosen, and what did you find?

>> Well, the Turnpike Authority said they were chosen because they had the best experience and offered the best solutions to customer service that have plagued the Turnpike E-ZPass for a long time now.

But what we found was there were questions about the background to this company.

There were issues connecting it to security issues, to foreign governments, China in particular, and we also found there were issues in the way it was rewarded.

There seemed to be a veiled secrecy and lack of public documentation over the process in which this contract was awarded.

It is also the biggest contract that the Turnpike has ever awarded.

At 1.7 billion dollars.

It is not really chump change.

Briana: That is a big leap from the contract that exists right now that is expiring this year with conduit, which was the second place better, yet according to your reporting, their bid was significantly less than TransCore's, and they are already managing operations there.

The question is, what gives?

>> The bid was $250 million lower.

Losing better, they are raising hell over this, saying that there was not a lot of transparency in this process.

They are claiming that one of the attorneys for the winning bidder already had an existing contract, a legal contract with the Turnpike Authority, raising issues of conflict of interest.

Whether there are issues, I do not know, but that is one of the issues they are raising.

The losing bidder is saying they never really had a chance to really explain to make their case or to explain why their $250 million less expensive bid was worse.

They are asking for those documents and are probably going to go to appellate court.

>> Is the Turnpike Authority obligated to share those reasons with the company and with the public by given the fact that it is a public agency?

>> They are to some extent, but it is iffy about what you have an obligation to share in terms of public documents.

If you go on and search for rationale, there is very little.

There might be three pages of an evaluation committee report, but the losing bidder claims there really is not much available at all.

I have not been able to find much.

>> Disorganization faced criticism for cronyism, lack of transparency, etc.

Did you find that was at play?

Were deals made, promises given?

>> I have not found specific evidence.

There are suspicions on the point of the losing bidder, and I will say you losing bidder's the 20 year incumbent in this contract, so they are an experienced company, as is TransCore.

Winning bidder is an experienced company as well.

They are not a fly-by-night firm.

But these are legitimate questions.

That is why we wrote the story.

There seem to be impressing public questions on this incident.

Briana: At least one state and one federal lawmaker from both parties are now calling this into question.

Can you tell us quickly, what are TransCore's ties to the Chinese Communist Party and the government of Singapore?

Why does that matter here?

>> In 2021, they were bought -- it's a Tennessee company -- they were bought by the Singapore government.

The purchase was approved by the U.S. government.

The ownership of Singapore, the Singapore parent company, is up for grabs.

We do not really know who it was.

At one point they had a board member who is a member of the Chinese communist party.

They claim he is no longer on the board.

But the losing bidders has up to 20% of the ownership -- the losing bidder says up to 20% of the ownership of TransCore is unknown, and they have not disclosed it.

As part of their protest.

Briana: Jeff, great work.

Thanks for sharing it with us.

In the latest blow to Ukraine, the U.S. has paused intelligence sharing with the war-torn nation, cutting off what has been vital information for the Ukrainian defense against Russian attacks.

According to reports, the Trump Administration says the suspension may be short-lived since talks between both administrations have been moving in a positive direction.

The intelligence freeze comes after the White House paused all future military aid to Ukraine, and as Reuters reports, the administration is preparing to revoke legal status for some 240,000 Ukrainian refugees in the U.S. who fled from the Russian conflict, including many who have made their home right here in New Jersey.

Senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan has reaction from the community.

PRES.

TRUMP: we have had serious discussions with Russia and have received strong signals that they are ready for peace.

Wouldn't that be beautiful?

Brenda: The president scored a standing ovation in Congress over efforts to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, stating, "if you want to win wars, you have to talk to both sides," but his tactics have a large Ukraine supporters in New Jersey.

They see are interesting as the U.S. this week cut off -- they see arm-twisting as the U.S. this week cut off all aid to Ukraine and will revoke temporary protective status to families who fled the war.

>> A lot of people feel like our top ally, which is the United States, is betraying us at the worst time.

Brenda: yuri is discouraged.

He has elected 3 million pounds of shamans to Ukraine since Russia invaded three years ago, and hoped for more evenhanded treatment from the Trump Administration.

He deplores the oval office tobacco with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that ended in chaos instead of a planned agreement on rare-earth memories.

PRES.

TRUMP: you don't have the cards right now.

With us, you start having cards.

>> If you follow Russia media right now, for them it is like the fourth of July as far as celebration, and you see they have been given to a lifeline.

Brenda: Zelenskyy later sent Trump a conciliatory letter, posting on X that Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table "anytime," but they Trump administrations block on Ukraine continues until negotiations are set.

Activists like Natalia see a very lopsided political power struggle.

>> I would be curious to ask, but is then the ultimatum to the Russian side?

Ukraine has pretty much been tied up by this constraint, by the laws of intelligence, and by the pausing in the defense support.

What will Russia be asked to concede in order to agree to these negotiations?

Brenda: U.S. polls do show continued public support for Ukraine, but they also reflect a politically divided nation.

A recent poll showed 74% of Republicans strongly or somewhat approve of how Trump is handling the war, versus 34% of independents and is nine percent -- just 9% of Democrats.

Losing Intel worries this woman, who has family in Ukraine and fears civilians will not get timely air raid warnings.

>> It means Ukraine will not be able to prevent rocket attacks, and to keep those Russian rockets.

-- and to hit those Russian rockets.

It means that more civilians will die, and he cares about people's lives, about young people who are dying.

>> She claims Trump lacks empathy.

>> He says Russia is ready to negotiate and they want to finish the war, but seriously, every day, missiles, rockets, drones are hitting Ukraine, attacking Ukraine.

>> I'm constantly talking with All My Friends and family.

They are still there.

Reporter: A war refugee, she visited Ukraine last summer.

She and her daughters received temporary protected status settled here in New Jersey.

Last month she wondered whether Trump would continue TPS.

>> Of course I feel a little bit betrayed, but hopefully he will extend the status because there is a war going on and it is dangerous.

>> In a way, Trump has done the Europeans and Ukraine a bit of a favor.

Brenda: The Rutgers professor says Trump's actions did galvanize European nations to commit resources and resolve to Ukraine's defense.

>> Regardless of whether that happens, this is a clear signal to Ukraine that it needs to realign its European allies who stepped up to the plate.

Brenda: Analysts call the war unsustainable because Russia is also running out of troops and money, but Russia appears to have political support where it counts.

I'm Brenda Flanagan, NJ Spotlight News.

Briana: Disability rights advocates rallied at the Statehouse in Trenton earlier today, speaking out against potential cuts to Medicaid that have been teed up in a recently approved house budget plan.

The program covers health insurance costs for nearly 2 million New Jersey residents, many of whom are among the most vulnerable -- poor, disabled, or living in nursing homes.

Those protesting told Raven Santana any cuts to their benefits would be devastating to their lives.

>> we won't let it happen!

we won't let it happen!

Raven: Nearly 300 people gathered at the Statehouse to rally with individuals with disabilities, their families, and advocates, including disability rights advocate Kevin Nuñez.

>> Disability is not partisanship.

By supporting Medicaid, you support people.

Raven: Nunez joined the crowd protesting cuts to Medicaid under a budget plan Republicans are pushing through Congress.

While Republicans have said they will not cut Medicaid benefits and are targeting fraud in the program, the Congressional Budget Office said there is no other way to make up the $880 billion they are seeking to slash over the next decade to fund president trumps agenda.

State officials have told NJ Spotlight News the cuts could range from $2.2 billion to $10 billion.

Nunez, who was born with cerebral palsy, and is a longtime Medicaid recipient, was enlisted to address Congress this week to highlight the costs of potential GOP Medicaid cuts.

What is at stake for you personally?

>> What is at stake is my life, my dignity.

I have a disability.

My brother has a disability.

My father has a disability.

Our very quality of life, from caregivers to home occupations, to even our transportation, is at stake.

We will literally be stuck in homes for the next 10 years if these cuts were to manifest.

Raven: Advocates and family members I spoke with say Medicaid is more than just health insurance.

They say it is a lifeline.

>> This is horrendous.

It is not just people with disabilities, but it is everybody, and it affects so many programs and services.

Raven: Carol is the Executive Director of the alliance Center for independence.

She said the fight is personal for her.

>> I have a severely autistic son.

If there are Medicaid cuts and it does roll down, his program is paid through Medicaid, three days a week, and it is a $50,000 program that my husband and I could not afford to pay.

Raven: In New Jersey, Medicaid is administered as NJ family care.

It covers health insurance costs for more than 1.8 million residents who are poor, disabled, or live in nursing homes.

Advocate Chris Miller says it is now time for those with disabilities to speak up and for legislators to listen.

>> Congress, we need you to vote no.

>> I think there is a misguided impression in Congress that you can cut $880 billion without hurting people's access to Medicaid.

Raven: The CEO of disability rights NJ says there is a misconception about who these cuts will impact, where in reality, Medicaid helps all different types of people.

>> A lot of young people, as they are transitioning from whatever their school was to their forever careers, they are or underemployed or are employed in jobs that do not provide health benefits, they are too old to be on their parents' benefits, and they need to be able to access health care through Medicaid.

They just come from all walks of life.

Raven: Advocates are being urged to share their stories through videos, which will be sent to lawmakers.

More Rallies like today will be planned in hopes of stopping cuts to Medicaid.

Briana: The investigation is ongoing into a recent massive scrapyard fire in Camden that caused more than 100 people to evacuate and heavy smoke to travel as far as 15 miles away.

The owner of the metal job yard EMR said the fire was sparked by a lithium-ion battery, which are banned from the facility, but neighbors have long complained about the way EMR conducts business and other fires that have broken out over the years.

The company planned a community meeting in Camden Wednesday night to answer questions from the public, but canceled it abruptly.

Ted Goldberg spoke with affected residents who say EMR has escaped any real consequences simply because of where it operates.

>> Let's be honest and frank and blunt, it is horrible.

It is a nightmare.

Can you imagine?

Ted: Elia Jones lives less than a mile from the EMR scrapyard in Camden, close enough to smell it.

>> This is for the smell of the trash.

Ted: She had a pretty close view of the four-alarm fire that broke out there a few weeks ago.

Jones was scared but not shocked.

>> It is a horrible feeling to know not if it happens again, but when.

It has made my asthma 10 times worse.

I have been put out of work since the fire.

I have been dealing with anxiety and/or depression.

Ted: Those issues have kept Jones out of work, but today is her first day back.

She says in the future, EMR should do a better job of notifying residents when problems arise at the scrapyard.

>> Call it what it is, sound the alarm.

The crushing of the cars and things like that, we hear that.

Making a friendly sound or a warning sound that, hey, something is on fire or some smell is leaking out that is hazardous, stay in or relocate.

>> It has become status quo and it is unacceptable.

Ted: Ben lives two or three miles from the scrapyard but can smell it on windy days.

The scrapyard has a polarizing reputation in Camden.

EMR employs more than 100 locals, about their scrapyard also caught fire in 2022, and the owner was fined for various violations in 2007.

>> I admit they do employ a sizable amount of city residents, which is good, but I think the city needs to do a better job of not just looking out for economic interests of the city, but really looking out for the environmental justice issues.

>> While they want to say they are a good community neighbor on one hand, behind the scenes, we know they are working as a well resourced company to try to avoid any further regulations on their operation.

Ted: John Compton leads the Center for environmental transformation in Camden, which threatened to sue EMR three years ago for problems with the scrapyard.

He remembers that fire from February 21.

>> It was a scary inferno and did not feel safe.

I was worried about the fire spreading.

Ted: EMR and officials have blamed the most recent fire on a lithium-ion battery that should have never been there.

Firefighters needed about 18 hours to put out the flames.

A battalion observed that heavy fire spread caused by EMR employees moving burning material to the surrounding pile and onto an industrial conveyor belt leading to a building.

Their actions caused the four-story building to be fully engulfed in flames.

>> Camden is one of those locations where companies like EMR can locate and operate in a way that would not be allowed in other more affluent areas.

Scrapyards are not the same as a recycler that takes separate recycling components and passes them on.

They are dealing with a variety of substances that they stockpile in large amounts on their property, creating fire hazards.

Ted: The initial fire report does not say what caused the fire, but it does not mention lithium-ion batteries either.

A new ordinance in Camden would penalize anybody knowingly sending batteries to the scrapyard.

>> It puts the onus on the individuals and producers of these goods to prevent these types of batteries from getting into the waste stream.

To me, that is unacceptable.

This is EMR trying to shirk responsibility by putting it on this bogeyman of something they cannot control, this hidden battery that they cannot do anything about.

They cannot increase their fire suppression systems.

They cannot increase training for staff.

Ted: EMR did not comment on the story, and neither did officials for Camden city or county.

In Camden, I'm Ted Goldberg.

Briana: That is going to do it for us tonight.

Before you go, a reminder to tune into Reporters Roundtable tomorrow with David Cruz.

David talked with an executive poll director about its latest polling on which candidates voters know and favor most in the race to replace Governor Murphy.

Is there a clear front runner?

Plus, a panel of local journalists talk about all the political headlines.

That is Friday at 12:00 streaming on the NJ Spotlight News YouTube channel.

Have a great night.

We will see you right back here tomorrow.

>> NJM Insurance group, serving the insurance needs of residents and businesses for more than 100 years.

And by the PSEG foundation.

♪