Senator Joe Cryan (D-20) this evening absolutely rejected as false an episode Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp presented this morning in his role as chairman of the Plainfield Democratic Committee.

Mapp told committee members that he decided to move away from Cryan – and in the direction of state Senator NIck Scutari (D-22) – when the assemblyman offered the name of Linden Mayor Derek Armstead as a replacement possibility should Assemblyman Jerry Green’s (D-22) illness produce a vacancy.

Green did stand down from the Union County Democratic Committee chairmanship last month, setting up a showdown among three candidates: Scutari, Acting Chair Colleen Mahr, and Hillside Democratic Committee Chairman Anthony Salters.

Cryan said Mapp’s memory is dead wrong.

“Over the course of countless discussions, I never spoke with Mayor Mapp about Derek Armstead becoming an assemblyman,” Cryan said. “It’s simply not true. Almost worse, it doesn’t even make sense. Why would someone propose an Assembly member from Linden where the Senator is already from Linden?

“With less than three weeks left to decide the next chair of the UCDC, it would seem that the opposition has decided to go completely negative and send out false accusations rather than explain to county committee members how they will be the best suited to lead our committee forward,” the senator added. “That should speak volumes to our committee members.”