Republicans Wait For Supreme Court Decision
The State Supreme Court received a petition late Tuesday (Oct. 4, 2005) from Republicans seeking to have Mayor Albert T. McWilliams placed on the Nov. 8 ballot, but the GOP may only know Wednesday whether the high court will accept or decline the case.
“I’d like some finality to it,” said a weary-sounding Phil Morin, the attorney who has argued the case in Union County Superior Court and won a ruling last week that the reason for barring McWilliams was unconstitutional.
However, Superior Court Judge Walter R. Barisonek’s decision was overturned in a 3-0 Appellate Division vote that upheld the constitutionality of the so-called “sore loser” law, which says a primary loser can’t run for the same municipal office under another party banner.
That led Morin, who is also the Union County GOP chairman, to take the case to the Supreme Court.
The Appellate Division ruling, by Judges Erminie Conley, Michael Winkelstein and Harvey Weissblad, barely filled one page, in contrast to Barisonek’s 18-page decision.
The Appellate Division ruling stated that, “in light of the importance of giving voters a choice,” the judges concluded that the Republicans would have until 2 p.m. Thursday to select another person as its candidate.
The Thursday deadline and uncertainty of the Supreme Court outcome leaves the Plainfield Republican Municipal Committee up in the air on choosing a replacement. Morin said he will meet with the municipal committee Wednesday to update members on the developments.
“The Municipal Committee needs to be informed on this,” Morin said. “They are part of the process and they are my clients.”
In addition, Morin said, “Plainfield voters should have some indication of who their candidates are going to be. Right now, it’s in the hands of seven justices who wear robes down in Trenton.”
Depending how you look at it, the McWilliams third-term campaign either began 183 days ago, when the mayor was dumped by Union County Democrats and had to cobble together his own slate for the June primary in which he was defeated, or it began 21 days ago when the Republican mayoral vacancy arose and McWilliams decided to go for it, with GOP endorsement.
Win, or lose and write-in, McWilliams will face Democrat Sharon Robinson-Briggs and independent Bob Ferraro in the Nov. 8 general election.
“I’d like some finality to it,” said a weary-sounding Phil Morin, the attorney who has argued the case in Union County Superior Court and won a ruling last week that the reason for barring McWilliams was unconstitutional.However, Superior Court Judge Walter R. Barisonek’s decision was overturned in a 3-0 Appellate Division vote that upheld the constitutionality of the so-called “sore loser” law, which says a primary loser can’t run for the same municipal office under another party banner.
That led Morin, who is also the Union County GOP chairman, to take the case to the Supreme Court.
The Appellate Division ruling, by Judges Erminie Conley, Michael Winkelstein and Harvey Weissblad, barely filled one page, in contrast to Barisonek’s 18-page decision.
The Appellate Division ruling stated that, “in light of the importance of giving voters a choice,” the judges concluded that the Republicans would have until 2 p.m. Thursday to select another person as its candidate.
The Thursday deadline and uncertainty of the Supreme Court outcome leaves the Plainfield Republican Municipal Committee up in the air on choosing a replacement. Morin said he will meet with the municipal committee Wednesday to update members on the developments.
“The Municipal Committee needs to be informed on this,” Morin said. “They are part of the process and they are my clients.”
In addition, Morin said, “Plainfield voters should have some indication of who their candidates are going to be. Right now, it’s in the hands of seven justices who wear robes down in Trenton.”
Depending how you look at it, the McWilliams third-term campaign either began 183 days ago, when the mayor was dumped by Union County Democrats and had to cobble together his own slate for the June primary in which he was defeated, or it began 21 days ago when the Republican mayoral vacancy arose and McWilliams decided to go for it, with GOP endorsement.
Win, or lose and write-in, McWilliams will face Democrat Sharon Robinson-Briggs and independent Bob Ferraro in the Nov. 8 general election.
--Bernice Paglia
KEYWORDS: politics, elections
posted by Bernice at 7:02 PM
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