First of all, we welcome Tim Occhipinti to the Clean Campaign discussion. For nearly a month we have been talking about the importance of signing a Pledge promising a clean campaign that respects the voters. Tim Occhipinti has continually refused to sign and has described our call for a clean campaign as “silliness” that “doesn't deserve a response”. The reasons given by Mr. Occhipinti for his request that the AG’s office supervise the election are inaccurate and misleading. He is apparently troubled that Hoboken’s Mayor Dawn Zimmer has endorsed Mike Lenz, claiming this will somehow make the election unfair. Mayors routinely endorse candidates in local elections and special elections are run entirely through the Hudson County Board of Elections and not through City Hall.
Nevertheless, for far different and more compelling reasons, we fully support oversight by the Attorney General's office of the upcoming 4th ward election.
The Mike Lenz for City Council campaign is also sending a letter to the Attorney General's Office to encourage their involvement in the 4th Ward Election. In the 2007 4th Ward race between Dawn Zimmer and Chris Campos, Attorney General oversight prevented numerous non-4th ward residents from voting illegally and it is important to ensure that non-residents are not permitted to illegally vote in this Election. Additionally, since 2 of our last 3 mayors have been convicted of corruption and our last Mayor, Peter Cammarano, recently plead guilty to taking bribes as part of his campaign, the voters of the 4th Ward deserve an Election without even the appearance of illegal activities.
We also call on the AG to expand the investigation to cover the tactics used by the Occhipinti campaign in the solicitation of Vote by Mail ballots, including an investigation into reports of the widespread use of forged signatures on Vote by Mail request forms, payment of workers connected to whether they vote of not, payment of workers connected to whether they turn over their VBM to campaign workers sealed or unsealed, payment of election workers by outside groups not reported on ELEC forms, voter intimidation to 'collect' the VBM ballot from voters without proper use of bearers, voter intimidation by having the voter fill out the VBM ballot in the presence of campaign staff, and widespread chain of custody issues once the Occhipinti campaign has the VBM ballot in their possession.
Once again, we are glad that maintaining a free and fair election has finally become an interest of the Occhipinti campaign and we call on them to sign the clean campaign pledge. The voters of the 4th Ward deserve to have a fair and open election and Mr. Occhipinti can demonstrate his commitment by signing the pledge.
Visit http://www.lenzforcouncil.com/ for more information on the Clean Campaign Pledge.
Below is a copy of the letter to the State Attorney General from Miek Lenz:
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