Names and faces
While Joe Piscopo, the comedian best known for his Frank Sinatra impression on Saturday Night Live, won’t run as a Republican in New Jersey’s upcoming governor’s race, he now says he is “more serious than ever” about joining the field as an independent. Piscopo, 65, a longtime Democrat, recently became a backer of Republican President Donald Trump. Piscopo’s potential candidacy to replace Republican Gov. Chris Christie has been a constant question mark in New Jersey. The news that the radio host is skipping the Republican primary and leaving the party to become an independent comes ahead of a pending registration deadline and sets him up for a long-shot third-party bid in this year’s race. “I am more serious about this than ever before. We’re coming up with initiatives. It’s all working out,” he said. “I’m very, very excited to have an opportunity to help the people of New Jersey. I’m not being coy. I’m very careful and respectful.” He said he reached the decision because of the pending April 3 deadline to declare in the primary, which would force him to quit his radio job because of rules mandating that candidates get equal time on public airwaves. He also cited the need to set up campaign committees, which he hasn’t yet done. He now faces a June 6 deadline to file as an independent. If he runs as an independent, Piscopo faces an uphill fight: Not since the 19th century has New Jersey elected anyone other than a top-party candidate. If he runs, Piscopo said, he will focus his campaign on “property tax, property tax and property tax,” citing the perennial issue in a state with the country’s highest such levies.
Grammy-winning musician Wyclef Jean got an apology from the Los Angeles County sheriff’s office after he said he was unfairly detained by deputies after being mistaken for a robbery suspect. Jean posted a video Tuesday on Twitter showing himself in handcuffs leaned over a patrol car. Jean said he was stopped by Los Angeles police, but he was actually detained by sheriff’s deputies in neighboring West Hollywood. The former Fugees star said he tried to explain that he wasn’t the suspect but was ignored and handcuffed. Sheriff’s officials said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that while they apologize for the inconvenience, Jean’s clothing and vehicle matched the description of a suspect in the robbery. Sheriff’s spokesman Nicole Nishida said he was detained for a “short time” and then released. The suspects were later arrested.