CLIFTON - Mikie Sherrill is not backing away from her contention Jack Ciattarelli is complicit in thousands of opioid deaths.

She said Monday that Ciattarelli was "right there" with drug companies and others who spent billions telling the public opioids were safe and non-addictive.

This issue popped up at last week's debate when Sherrill said her Republican opponent killed thousands of people. The reference was to a Ciattarelli-owned medical publishing company that ran articles proclaiming that opioids were safe in most instances.

"We all knew that they weren't," Sherrill said in an event at the Clifton Elks Lodge.

Ciattarelli sold the business in question, Galen Publishing, Somerville, in 2017.

He has responded to Sherrill's debate charge by threatening a lawsuit.

His campaign put it this way:

"In a time where political violence and violent rhetoric are becoming all too prevalent, Mikie Sherrill baselessly and recklessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder in a televised debate crosses the line."

On Monday, Sherrill said she was "dumbfounded" at Ciattarelli's threat to sue.

She noted that Ciattarelli has run for governor three times and has always stressed his experience as a small businessman.

"The minute we started to talk about that small business, he wants his lawyers to shut it down - that's ridiculous."

Asked if she thinks Ciattarelli is directly responsible for opioid deaths, Sherrill said he is "complicit."

The congresswoman was joined by one of her House colleagues, Frank Pallone.

Pallone said Ciattarelli has contributed to the opioid crisis, "no matter what he says."

Also speaking was a man who lost a relative to opioids, drug abuse counsellors and state Sen. Joseph Vitale, the chair of the Senate Health Committee.

Like Pallone, Vitale attacked Ciattarelli, saying his company published material that was misleading and reckless.