In District 31, a filing mess
By Max Pizarro, PolitickerNJ.com ReporterBy MAX PIZARRO
PoliticsNJ.com
The state Division of Elections office says Nicholas Chiaravallotti and Shelia Newton-Moses, candidates for the General Assembly in the 31st district, filed their petitions wrong in time for Monday’s primary deadline.
"They filed for the general election," said spokesman David Wald. "It’s unclear what the division is going to do. We have confirmed the petitions were accepted for the general election."
Chiaravalloti acknowledged that his petitions incorrectly, but noted that he submitted signatures for both the general and the primary -- and that when the Division of Elections throws out the ones he filed for the general, he still has plenty to qualify for the -- and Newton-Moses says she does too, he said.
Both candidates handed in petitions containing 1,490 signatures.
Wald said Hudson County Democratic Chairman Bernard Kenny acknowledged that Chiaravalloti and Newton-Moses filed "both kinds’ of petitions.
"I understand they were filed wrong," Chiaravalloti said. "But I am not concerned. I have more than enough to qualify for the June primary."
Chiaravalotti maintains that of the names he handed in, "there are between 800 and 900 good ones" to qualify him for the primary.
The candidate said his and his running mate’s situation is different from that of Senate candidate Sandra Bolden Cunningham, who is being challenged in court by her opponent and Chiaravalotti’s running mate, Assemblyman Louis Manzo
Manzo and Chiaravalloti are arguing that because Cunningham filed to run only in the general, the State Division of Elections should scrap her primary candidacy, which would force her to file as an independent candidate. Cunningham submitted 171 signatures, according to the state Division of Elections.
"If they submitted (the same) petitions for the general and primary, technically that's illegal," said Chiappone, who added that if it was an honest mistake, their situation is the same as his running mate, Cunningham. "Mr. Manzo can't have his cake and eat it, too," Chiappone said, referring to the Assemblyman's challenge.
Chiappone said in the case of Cunningham's petitions, Division of Elections clerks on two different days didn't point there was any problem: last Thursday, and this Monday, when Chiappone said he himself delivered Cunningham's signatures.
"If it was their intent to submit them as primary petitions, they should be allowed to do so -- just like Sondra,� said Chiappone.
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Chiaravalloti is no operative
Chiaravalloti is suppossed to be a Menendez Operative and experienced in political campaigns? Another guy who likes to take the bows and sit in on high powered meetings but has no clue of the inner workings and nuts and bolts of a campaign. This clearly demonstrates it. What a dope, like Sandra Cunningham, there is no excuse for this mess, regardless if Chiaravalloti still has enough signatures! There goes Manzo's talking points about Sandra not knowing what she was filing, so how can we put her in the Senate?
The Best and The Brightest!
Sounds like perfect candidates for the people of Hudson County. Maybe they thought that moving the primary to February meant June - Oh No! - That’s a different election - Oh No! - Just file everything the same time.
Chiaravalloti's just a gopher
He's put in just to steal votes from Chiappone. They couldn't get anyone else to run with Manzo. While Manzo is a good candidate, his runningmates are stiffs. Chiaravalloti was Doria's gopher and now is Menendez's gopher. It's funny how they try to excuse their mistake while now attempting to keep Cunningham off the ballot for the same reason.
They Should Be Off
Cunningham, Chiaravalloti, and Newton-Moses should all be off. Cunningham filed the wrong petition. Chiaravalloti and Newton-Moses filed petitions for the primary and general, which you cannot do. This is not bending deadlines or unusual circumstances, i.e. Lautenberg/Toricelli. It is pure incompetence wrapped in arrogance. If any of them are allowed on the primary ballot, then there is no need to have the petition process at all.
Manzo calling the kettle black
Hudson Hawk, you are right on about Manzo's team.
Chiaravalloti was only on there to counter act Chiappone and becuase they couldn't get anyone else from Bayonne. Plus with Chiaravalloti's involvement, doesn't that raise an eyebrow that Senator Menendez may be playing a role, despite stating he's out of Hudson politics?
But worse than the Bayonne pick, Newton-Moses was somone who fit the mold, sort of, but again no one did their homework on Manzo's team. At the time of her announcement at the foot of the Lincoln statue in Hudson County's Lincoln Park, she was still a registered Republican! How fitting.
Now it appears Manzo is going to challenge Mrs Cunningham. How is that going to look in the African American community? And when ever has there been an election Manzo was in which he was not taking someone to court?
So Manzo's team is not too swift either.
too dumb to serve
this is unbelievable.
People who can't fill out a form should not be allowed to serve in office.
You gotta be kidding !
The once vaunted Hudson machine has come to this - they collect 170 signatures on the wrong petition form for their State Senate candidate? They should be able to collect 10 times that amount on a Saturday morning outside of Pathmark! Where are their mechanics? The operatives? Oh, I guess they are too busy golfing or counting their money from their made up, and unecessary, government jobs. They should be kept off the primary ballot. Then Louie is the Dem. candidate in Nov. What do they do then? Tell people to split the ticket? Stack and Sacco don't make those mistakes. They should get together and run the county without all the incompetents!
Jersey Journal - breaking news.................
Jersey Journal Update
Friday, April 13, 2007
Manzo: Mayor Healy offered opponent jobs, money to run for office
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, Sandra Bolden Cunningham and Bayonne City Councilman Anthony Chiappone enticed a “spoiler� candidate to run for state Senate in the 31st District with promises of jobs, cash, and political support, according to a lawsuit filed in state Superior Court today by Assemblyman Lou Manzo.
And the alleged “spoiler� — Bayonne resident Sean Cotter, who yesterday voluntarily withdrew his candidacy — was caught on tape spilling the beans, according to Manzo’s claim.
Manzo is squaring off against Bolden Cunningham, the widow of the late Jersey City Mayor and state Sen. Glenn D. Cunningham, for the Democratic nomination for the 31st District senate seat. Chiappone is running for assembly on Bolden Cunningham’s ticket.
The gist of the suit was that Cotter’s candidacy was intended to siphon away votes from Manzo in Bayonne. Manzo was asking Judge Maurice J. Gallipoli to remove Cotter from the ballot but the case ended abruptly yesterday when it came to light that Cotter had dropped out on his own.
But that might not end the matter.
According to Manzo, after he was first approached by Cotter on March 6, he contacted the state Attorney General’s Office. Then, under the supervision of investigators working for that office, “multiple contacts and communications between Mr. Cotter and Mr. Manzo were recorded,� according to Manzo’s suit.
David Wald, a spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, would neither confirm nor deny whether there is an investigation. Deputy Attorney General Susan Berger attended today's hearing but would not comment either.
According to Manzo, Cotter was told by Healy, Bolden Cunningham and Chiappone that if he ran, he would be given a job on Bolden Cunningham’s senate staff; handed another public job, presumably in city government; and that his nonprofit New Jersey Inner City Tennis Foundation would be given a grant from the Jerramiah T. Healy Charitable Foundation.
Neither Chiappone nor Cotter could be reached for comment.
Healy called the court case a ploy by former Jersey City Mayor and Manzo ally Gerald McCann.
“I have to question why Mr. Manzo is so intent to run for office unopposed that he’s willing to partner with Mr. McCann and make these false allegation against myself, or against any other candidates,� Healy said. “McCann and Manzo all over again. And again, these allegations are damn lies.�
McCann said he never met Cotter, and, referring to pictures of the mayor that surfaced before his election showing him naked on his porch, added, “Tell him to keep his clothes on and calm down.�
Bolden Cunningham said: “I know absolutely nothing about this. I never met this man (Cotter). This is a ploy to damage our campaign on Mr. Manzo’s part.�
Ken Thorbourne
Let's get the facts straight
Then you can distort them all you want. #1 Cunningham didn't file any petitions to run in the Democratic Primary #2 Chiaravalloti and Newton Moses filed over 900 correct petitions to run in the Democratic Primary #3 Operatives for the HCDO, including Anthony Chiappone, apparently promised "things of value" to a guy in exchange for him running as a spoiler in the senate race.
Can Chiappone say...
"my goose is cooked"? NorthernLight, what you say is true. I personally signed petitions for Nick and Sheila for the PRIMARY. Needless to say, there were many, many, signatures before I signed on.
Manzo has his own Skeletons
You can run, but you can't hide anymore - For Louis, there are two words which will drop him to his knees - Danny McMann!