Gloucester County GOP Calls On Chamber Of Commerce Member To Resign

Chamber executive committee member continues to attack Republicans on social media

MULLICA HILL – Gloucester County Republican Chairwoman Jacci Vigilante today called on a member of the Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce’s executive committee, immediate past chair, Lisa Carney to resign from her leadership role with the Chamber.

For two consecutive years Gloucester County Republicans chose to skip Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce Meet the Candidates events because of Carney’s insistence on attacking County Commissioner-Elect Nick DeSilvio and other Republicans on social media.

“For years Republican candidates have complained of unfair treatment at Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce events. We were hopeful with the Chamber’s new executive director things would change,” Gloucester County GOP Chairwoman Jacci Vigilante said. “Unfortunately, things did not change and two years ago we were forced to skip their annual Meet the Candidates forum because the organization’s chair, Lisa Carney, engaged in race-based attacks against then candidate Nick DeSilvio on social media.

“This past election year we were forced to skip the event again because Carney, who now serves on the Chamber’s executive committee, continued attacking Republicans and DeSilvio on social media. More than two weeks after the 2021 election, Carney launched into another race-based attack on the Gloucester County GOP and Commissioners-Elect Chris Konawel and Nick DeSilvio.”

Vigilante continued, “Ms. Carney’s social media comments are divisive and offensive to the Gloucester County GOP and Commissioners-Elect Konawel and DeSilvio and she should immediately resign from the Chamber of Commerce. By failing to condemn her behavior and call for her resignation, members of the Chamber are failing in their mission of ‘creating an environment of inclusion.’”

Gloucester County GOP consultant Steve Kush added, “For Ms. Carney to share social media posts and try to use those posts to suggest that Gloucester County GOP and specific candidates are racists is reprehensible. In case Carney didn’t notice our candidates ran as a team and that team worked hard to elect the first African-American sheriff in the history of Gloucester County. When the Democrats challenged our state Senate candidate Clyde Cook’s nominating petitions and had him removed from the ballot, it was the Gloucester County GOP that spent money on mailers and conducted a successful write-in campaign to get him back on the ballot. Perhaps Carney should be calling out her friends in the Democratic party for having a Black man thrown off the ballot.

“Plain and simple, Carney owes Gloucester County GOP and Commissioners-Elect Konawel and DeSilvio apologies and needs to immediately resign from the Chamber’s executive committee because she is an angry person who should not hold a position of authority in any organization.”

“As Chair of Gloucester County GOP it is important the Gloucester County Chamber of Commerce understand we will continue to recommend Republicans avoid Chamber events until Carney apologizes and resigns from the organization,” Vigilante said.

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Paid for by Gloucester County Republican Executive Committee