Republican Candidate Can Sue Opponent Over Allegations of Defamation, Say NJ Election Officials
In a unanimous decision, New Jersey's Election Law Commission has given Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli the green light to sue his opponent Democrat Mikie Sherrill over allegations of defamation. The commission's ruling allows Ciattarelli to pursue the lawsuit using his own funds, not campaign money.
Ciattarelli's campaign attorney Mark Sheridan appeared before the commission and stated that Ciattarelli believes he was defamed during a gubernatorial debate. He plans to sue Sherrill over remarks she made about Ciattarelli's business background, which included accusing his company, Galen Publishing, of publishing "opioid propaganda" that contributed to the opioid crisis in New Jersey.
The allegations stem from comments Sherrill made at a debate on October 8, saying that Ciattarelli's company was responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. Ciattarelli responded by calling her accusations "shameful" and proud of his business career.
The commission's decision is the latest development in a heated campaign between the two candidates. The contest has been dominated by personal attacks, with issues like housing affordability and high electric bills also coming into play. However, controversy has also surrounded Sherrill's record at the U.S. Naval Academy, which she has since denied any involvement in.
Ciattarelli's decision to sue Sherrill comes despite a $25,000 cap on personal campaign funds for defamation lawsuits. His attorney plans to hire outside attorneys to handle the lawsuit, exceeding the limit under state election law.
The Sherrill and Ciattarelli campaigns have not commented on the commission's ruling, but it is clear that the issue has sparked intense tension between the two candidates.
In a unanimous decision, New Jersey's Election Law Commission has given Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli the green light to sue his opponent Democrat Mikie Sherrill over allegations of defamation. The commission's ruling allows Ciattarelli to pursue the lawsuit using his own funds, not campaign money.
Ciattarelli's campaign attorney Mark Sheridan appeared before the commission and stated that Ciattarelli believes he was defamed during a gubernatorial debate. He plans to sue Sherrill over remarks she made about Ciattarelli's business background, which included accusing his company, Galen Publishing, of publishing "opioid propaganda" that contributed to the opioid crisis in New Jersey.
The allegations stem from comments Sherrill made at a debate on October 8, saying that Ciattarelli's company was responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. Ciattarelli responded by calling her accusations "shameful" and proud of his business career.
The commission's decision is the latest development in a heated campaign between the two candidates. The contest has been dominated by personal attacks, with issues like housing affordability and high electric bills also coming into play. However, controversy has also surrounded Sherrill's record at the U.S. Naval Academy, which she has since denied any involvement in.
Ciattarelli's decision to sue Sherrill comes despite a $25,000 cap on personal campaign funds for defamation lawsuits. His attorney plans to hire outside attorneys to handle the lawsuit, exceeding the limit under state election law.
The Sherrill and Ciattarelli campaigns have not commented on the commission's ruling, but it is clear that the issue has sparked intense tension between the two candidates.
. Can't we just focus on actual issues instead of personal attacks? I mean, what's next? They're going to sue each other over who ate the last donut in the office break room 
. And seriously, $25k is a pretty low cap for a defamation lawsuit. It's like they want candidates to just take the hit 
. And now Ciattarelli gets to use his own funds, which means he'll have to pay out of pocket if he loses... great way to fund a campaign 
. Can't we just have some decorum and civility in politics? 
this is just getting crazier by the day... i mean, who tries to sue someone over a debate? it feels like they're more worried about their rep than actually solving problems for people in nj 
. And now his campaign is gonna spend more money on lawyers than he could've used to address actual problems 
.
. But at the same time, isn't it a bit excessive that he's gonna hire outside attorneys and go above the $25,000 cap on personal campaign funds? I don't get why he can't just use his own money for once 
. But then again, if Ciattarelli really believes he's been defamed, shouldn't he be able to take her to court? 
.
i'm all about keeping it positive tho 
can't we just focus on the issues at hand? like housing affordability and high electric bills 
let's not forget about those important topics 
. It's all about playing politics and who can play the victim better.
. And isn't it weird that he's going to sue her with his own personal funds, since there's already a $25k cap on defamation lawsuits? That just seems like a convenient way for him to avoid dealing with the actual consequences of his words 
maybe instead of all these back-and-forth attacks, both candidates could focus on solving NJ's real problems... 
. Can't we just focus on solving problems in NJ instead of playing mudslinging politics? 
anyway, I think this decision sets a bad precedent - isn't defamation a serious matter that should be taken to court with state funds not campaign money? 
And now he's gonna hire outside attorneys to do the dirty work for him? That's just crazy talk! 
What's next, is he gonna sue everyone who disagrees with him? It's time for some common sense in politics, don't you think? 