EATONTOWN, NJ –– In an affront to the democratic process, seven candidates for Eatontown Democratic County Committee were told that they cannot run on the Primary Ballot as Monmouth County Democrats today. The message came through Eatontown Borough Clerk Julie Martin, who suspiciously testified in Monmouth County Superior Court today as part of a lawsuit filed by former Eatontown councilwoman Jasmine Story. Story was also denied a position on the Primary Ballot as a Democratic mayoral candidate.

The Court hearing started at 9:15 a.m. this morning before Judge Kathleen Sheedy. The candidates received the email from Martin at 12:39 p.m. – less than two hours after the Court hearing ended, even though Brown had plenty of time to have made this decision since their petitions were all submitted prior to the cut-off date, 10 days ago. Coincidence or politics at its worst?

Story filed a lawsuit after Martin rejected a joint petition because Story as a mayoral candidate was on the same petition as Borough Council candidates, Angela Brunelli and Todd Miller. Story submitted a “cure” by obtaining affidavits from 27 of the 29 people who signed the petition, verifying that they knowingly and intentionally signed for all three candidates on the joint form. When Martin rejected the “cured” petition, Story filed the lawsuit against Martin, as well as County officials Christine Hanlon, Monmouth County Clerk, and Cassandra Achille, Assistant Supervisor for Elections.

The email from Martin reads :

“Dear Mr. Baginsky, Ms. Baginsky, Ms. Breslow, Mr. Dlugosz, Ms. McNees, Ms. Rivera and Ms. Brunelli:

“I have just received a telephone call from Judith Ricci, Special Deputy, Office of the Monmouth County Clerk, Elections Division. Ms. Ricci has been told by Mr. David Brown (Monmouth Dem. Chair.) that you cannot use the Petition Slogan ‘Monmouth County Democrats’. Ms. Ricci has requested you provide her with an alternate Slogan asap (preferably today). ”
Story targeted for bullying, isolation, and intimidation by the Monmouth County Democratic organization when she became a vocal activist in support of Tiffany Kaszuba, U.S. Assembly candidate for District 4, who withdrew because of alleged misbehavior on the part of a former Monmouth County Democratic Executive Committee member assigned to help with Kaszuba’s campaign. He was also Eatontown Democratic Committee Chair, until he was ousted by the Eatontown Democratic County Committee.

Story joined Kaszuba and others in speaking out against a remedy bill proposed by former Democratic County Chair and current NJ Senator Vin Gopal to create an investigatory unit, saying it “further victimizes anyone who finds themselves on the receiving end of harassment during a campaign.”

To the chagrin of many, the bill never made it to the floor of the NJ Legislature.

Six of the seven County Committee candidates are incumbents. All seven are running in districts where the Monmouth County Democrats preferred candidates are also running. Brown is choosing to give his candidates the line wherever there is a conflict. In doing so, he is disregarding the decisions of elected Eatontown County Committee Chair Evelyn Guerra, as well as the voters. Brown’s actions are also inconsistent with his decision to run all candidates on the line in the last election for County Committee two years ago. His candidates were unsuccessful in taking control of the County Committee, winning only six of 18 seats.

There is precedent throughout NJ that shows these actions as political maneuvering to disrupt democracy such as what’s currently happening in Red Bank or what took place during the 2019 Primary Election in Roselle.

Judge Sheedy is expected to render a verdict Monday morning.