Press Release

Armstead: Scutari Accused of Voter Intimidation

Intimidation, harassment, and blackmail have become somewhat common in politics, but Senator
Nicholas Scutari is going to find out that Americans will no longer submit to such behavior
without fighting back.

A Scutari representative has been going to the homes of individuals who filed petitions to run for
Democratic County Committee in Linden and Mayor Derek Armstead issuing a stark warning to
the county political boss, “This afternoon, I have written to the federal Justice Department, the
New Jersey Attorney General and the state Senate Ethics Committee to report what I believe are
flagrant civil rights violations committed by Senator Nicholas Scutari, who is on a desperate
power trip,” said Armstead. “Senator Scutari’s actions cross a dangerous line and they must
stop.”

“It was a standard technique in the 1950’s, used by racist southern power brokers to shut up
black civil rights groups like the NAACP,” said Mayor Derek Armstead. “Now these tactics have
been revived and improved upon by Senator Scutari, who wants to shut up progressive
challengers just like racists once wanted to suppress black political freedom in the Jim Crow
South.”

Mayor Derek Armstead said, “He notified the state Attorney General and US Justice Department
about Senator Nicholas Scutari’s misconduct, and advised the state Senate Ethics Committee that
such transgressions may be unethical even if they are technically not overtly illegal.”

Senator Nicholas Scutari’s associates allegedly approached several individuals who are running
for Democratic County Committee on Armstead’s line in Linden. Scutari sought to persuade the
women to drop out of the contest, in what is a gross violation of their civil rights. The person
who identified himself as Mark Rosen, attorney.

Freeholder candidate Alex Lospinoso, an ally of Armstead who is leading the Democrats United
for Progress team in the primary election, said, ‘people like women subjected to Scutari’s
intimidation tactics should not feel threatened by party bosses because they have a right to seek
election.”

“Every American has a right to vote and a right to seek elected office without fear of
harassment,” said Lospinoso. “Democrats have been champions in the fight against voter
suppression, so it is disconcerting to see someone who is supposed to be a party leader using
these tactics. I don’t know if he’s seen too many ‘Godfather’ movies, but the senator seems drunk
with power and it is time for him to sober up.”