Two NJGOP attorneys are apparently ready to square off over the fate of South Jersey’s only female county GOP chair. At issue is when the election is supposed to be held.
Mark Sheridan, a well-known NJGOP attorney who represents Vigilante’s likely opponent Steve Pakradooni, wants a chairmanship election this summer; Pakradooni is aligned with the faction that was ultimately successful in this month’s county and LD4 primary races. Sheridan is threatening to sue to force an election.
Meanwhile, Vigilante – an ally of Bill Spadea whose LD3 slate led by Ed “The Trucker” Durr prevailed – is showing no signs of backing down.
“An organization without rules is destined to always be in a state of chaos,” said Gloucester County GOP Chairwoman Jacci Vigilante. “At my request, former NJGOP Chairman and NJGOP Legal Counsel, Attorney Michael Lavery, has performed a review of our organization’s by-laws and has issued a legal opinion that the by-laws require the next reorganization to be held in 2024. My “opponent” (and I use that term lightly, since there will be no election) has brought in a politically connected attorney to try and force the Gloucester County GOP to hold an election in direct conflict with the rules set forth in our organization’s by-laws. An election for Chair at this time would not only violate our own by-laws, any attempt to force one would also create disruption from crucial races that require the focus of all Republicans in the region.
“These attempts to remove me from office come on the heels of similar attacks against my fellow Chairwoman and friend, Lisa Richford,” added Vigilante. “The pattern of misogyny has no home in the Republican Party. I’m calling on Bob Hugin, Jack Ciattarelli, and leaders from the Republican Party around the state to join me in condemning these actions.”
All three battlegrounds – LD3, LD4, and the Gloucester County control race – are arguably Election 2023’s most competitive contests, a fact which makes a continuation of the South Jersey GOP civil war all the more potentially perilous for Republican fortunes.
