December 12, 2017

December 12, 2017 Showers with high temperatures in the mid-40s. Colder Wednesday. WESTFIELD CORPORATION, OWNER OF GARDEN STATE PLAZA, TO BE SOLD In a deal worth nearly $16 billion, a European property company has agreed to buy Westfield Corp., the Australian company that owns the Garden State Plaza and malls across the United States. Unibail-Rodamco would also obtain the shopping center in the Oculus at the World Trade Center in Manhattan under the deal announced today, Chad Bray reports for The New York Times. The combined company, based in Paris and the Netherlands, would control property valued at more than $72 billion. COURTHOUSE ARRESTS OF IMMIGRANTS RISING, LAWYERS SAY Arrests of undocumented immigrants inside New Jersey courthouses have risen sharply this year, a survey of immigrant advocates and lawyers indicates. The survey, conducted by the immigration nonprofit Make the Road New Jersey, says that people who work with immigrants report that many are afraid to be witnesses in criminal cases because they fear arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the courthouses, Matt Katz writes for NJ Spotlight. A spokesperson for ICE said the rise in sanctuary cities across the country has prompted the increase in arrests at courthouses. RAIL TUNNEL IS A TOP PRIORITY, MURPHY, MENENDEZ AND BOOKER SAY Gov.-elect Phil Murphy, joined by Sens. Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, said that obtaining federal money for the Gateway rail tunnel under the Hudson River is a “top of the list” priority, James Nash of The Record reports. Murphy said he would also appeal to Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York in the push to revive the multibillion-dollar project that was derailed by Gov. Chris Christie seven years ago. "It's a game changer for New Jersey and it's a game changer for New York," Murphy said at a news conference Monday. MURPHY AND CHRISTIE CLASH OVER FINANCIAL MATTERS So much for a smooth transition in Trenton. Gov.-elect Phil Murphy, a Democrat, and Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, exchanged missives in the last week revealing tension between the two politicians, Katherine Landergan reports for Politico NJ. Murphy started the exchange by writing to Christie and asking that he refrain from any discretionary spending in his last month in office. Christie fired back that the state’s finances were in far better condition than they were when he took office. He added, “I will continue to take the actions I believe to be in the best interests of the 9 million citizens of our State as long as I remain Governor.” ICYMI: BOOKER CALLS FOR TRUMP TO RESIGN While campaigning in Alabama for Senate candidate Doug Jones on Saturday, Sen. Cory Booker called for President Donald Trump to resign, Alexandra Jaffe writes for Vice News. “I just watched Sen. Al Franken do the honorable thing and resign from his office,” Booker said in an interview. “My question is, why isn’t Donald Trump doing the same thing — who has more serious allegations against him, with more women who have come forward.”