COUNTY COMMITTEE MEMBERS CALL FOR COUNTY CHAIR TO RESIGN OVER RACIST ATTACK AD AGAINST SURRENCY

(BRIDGETON, NJ) – A group of Cumberland County Democratic Committee members today called for the resignation of County Party Chairman Steve Erickson amidst the blatant racist attack ad aimed at Freeholder Jack Surrency.

The racist ad ran on Facebook as a promotion of the Cumberland County Democrats page.  The ad depicts Surrency’s skin color in two different tones: one to depict “Good Jack,” a smiling and agreeable cohort, and darkened to depict “Bad Jack,” a frowning and ominous threat.

“The county party is resorting to race baiting to win an election,” said Ricky Basset, a Millville Democratic County Committee member. “Our chairman needs to be held accountable by resigning.”

Basset, who is an occupational therapist, sent an email on June 5th to the Cumberland County Democratic Committee email address expressing outrage and seeking answers:

I find the 2-faced Jack Surrency ad to be quite racist.  Two different color tones and faces for the only black member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders? C’mon, its 2020 and we are supposed to be better than that.  Who is responsible for this ad?

They should resign, especially amidst the racial tensions in our country today.  Cumberland County need not be on the map for THIS.

Eleven additional county committee members agree with Basset’s outrage, including Marvin Thomas, a Bridgeton Democratic County Committee member.

“This attack on Freeholder Surrency is nauseating, hurtful, and not who we are as a party,” said Thomas. “If you want to change the party, you gotta change who runs it.”

Joining Basset and Thomas’s call for the resignation of Chairman Erickson are seven other county committee members:

Bonnie Martin

Ricky Basset

Marvin Thomas

Shirley Thomas

Diane Walker

Ryan Thom

Damita White

Amie Babischkin

Celestine Bonner