MORRISTOWN – Last Thursday, the alleged “Dover Democratic Committee” slate of candidates for Morris County Commissioner was removed from the ballot due to a lack of public support.  The slate, pushed by Dover Alderman Edward Correa, needed just 100 signatures from voters to run in this county of over 500,000 residents.  Somehow, they managed to fall short of this easily attainable goal.

Later that evening, during an event in Morristown held by the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, a mobile billboard leveling childish attacks at Morris County Democratic Committee Chair Chip Robinson was seen circling the venue.

“Alderman Correa has expressed a supposed desire for party unity in his statements to the press since he was not endorsed for re-election by the Morris County Democratic Committee,” said T.C. McCourt, Candidate for County Commissioner and a proud Dover resident.  “Apparently, his idea of party unity includes attacking Chip Robinson AND being the only Democratic municipal chair in Morris County to oppose what is one of the most diverse slates of county candidates ever.”

Questions remain as to whether the members of the Dover Democratic Committee were even consulted on the use of their organization’s name for the slate.  This is most evident by the fact that Alderwoman Sandra Wittner, who serves as the Vice-Chair of the Dover Democratic Committee, was responsible for filing the challenge to the petitions filed by Alderman Correa’s commissioner slate.

“It’s curious to me that all of the people who seem to be hell-bent on keeping Alderman Correa in office are from OUTSIDE of Dover,” McCourt continued.  “People like NJ Transit Chief of Staff Justin Davis and former Parsippany Councilwoman Janice McCarthy were all-too-willing to circulate these doomed petitions.  And to then see employees of State Senator Richard Codey, whose influence over Dover’s government has raised serious concerns with Dover residents, well, that was just the icing on the cake.”

The McCourt, Hernandez, and Sharma Team is thankful to the Morris County Clerk’s Office for conducting a thorough review of the nominating petitions’ validity.  We are also thankful that this challenge, fueled by personal vendetta rather than the real issues on the minds of voters, is over.

“Judy, Alicia, and I are ready to engage with voters of all Morris County communities to ensure that our government leaves no one behind,” said McCourt.  “Further, we look forward to helping ensure that Alderwoman Sandra Wittner, Alderman Humberto Quiñones, Karol Ruiz, and former Alderman Marcos Tapia are victorious in their primary.  It’s time to remove the toxic politics from Dover’s government, stop holding the system hostage, and get to work.”

The McCourt, Hernandez, and Sharma Team stands shoulder-to-shoulder with our fellow candidates in Column 1 in building better communities for all.