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Guadagno and Ciattarelli campaigns withdraw petition challenges
Friendly rivals? Lt Gov Kim Guadagno and Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli
The New Jersey Republican Party will have a competitive gubernatorial primary on June 6. The campaigns of Lt Governor Kim Guadagno and Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli both withdrew their petition challenges against each other yesterday.
The détente between the battling campaigns came after Administrative Law Judge Lisa James Beavers indicated that she would not invalidate all signatures certified by Ciattarelli campaign manager Rick Rosenberg unless each signer personally testified or provided an affidavit that Rosenberg did not collect their signature, according to sources familiar with the proceedings. Beavers did throw out the signature of Lois Pongo of Highlands. The Guadagno campaign obtained and affidavit from Pongo stating that Rosenberg was not the the person who collected her signature, despite his certification that he did, after a MoreMonmouthMusings report regarding irregularities in the Ciattarelli camp’s petition signatures.
Additionally, Beavers threw out 186 signatures from the Ciatarelli petitions which were determined to be duplicates. With 187 signatures lost, Ciattarelli still had 1487 signatures. 1000 are required to secure a spot on the primary ballot.
The Ciattarelli campaign had filed a counter-challenge, claiming that all of Guadagno’s signatures should be invalidated because they found a picture on social media of a 17 year old holding a clipboard during a Guadagno petition drive. None of Guadagno’s 4049 signatures were invalidated.
The war of works re-escalated after the the legal proceedings ceased. Ciattarelli claimed victory and said Guadagno is desperate while Guadagno’s spokesman questioned the Ciattarelli team’s professionalism and integrity.
According to SaveJersey, Ciattarelli said:
“The Lt. Governor’s failed attempt to block me from appearing on the GOP primary ballot was both desperate and sad. Moreover, trying to save her candidacy by forcing taxpayers to foot the bill for this 11th hour ‘Hail Mary’ is a disgrace. Perhaps the Lt. Governor is coming to the realization that a typical politician devoid of any specific ideas or plans to fix our state is a troubled candidate.
What I find most disconcerting, however, is the extent to which the Lt. Governor will try to disenfranchise my supporters. This isn’t the first time. Competition is supposed to be a healthy thing. Is there a side of the Lt. Governor that’s revealing itself?
With this silly maneuver now behind us, I look forward to continue earning the faith, trust and confidence of Republican primary voters by offering our state and party a new direction. And on June 6th, I look forward to beating the Lt. Governor at the polls, just as I did today in court.”
Ricky Diaz, Guadagno’s spokesman said in a statement issued to MMM:
“Today, we found out the assemblyman’s campaign manager, Rick Rosenberg, lied about collecting signatures and over 10% of their petition signatures were thrown out. Already behind in the polls, fundraising and endorsements, the events today clearly show the Ciattarelli campaign is an amateur operation looking to point fingers and blame someone else for their weak showing.”
Source: http://www.moremonmouthmusings.net/2017/04/11/guadagno-and-ciattarelli-campaigns-withdraw-petition-challenges/
