MORRIS WOMEN’S DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS ENDORSES

MICHAEL THOMPSON FOR COUNTY SURROGATE

Thompson: Darling’s Adoption for Money Scheme Disqualifies Her for Office

MENDHAM, NJ (Oct. 22, 2019)—The Morris County Democratic Women’s Caucus is endorsing Michael Thompson for County Surrogate, breaking with their tradition of working to elect women Democratic candidates, to take a stand against Republican challenger Heather Darling. The MCDWC issued the following statement in support of Thompson:

“Although we historically dedicate our efforts to supporting the Democratic women who are

running for office across Morris County, we felt it was important to declare our support for

Michael Thompson and take a clear stand against Heather Darling. Darling wants to be

elected the first woman surrogate in Morris County. As an organization that works to elevate

and advance women in politics and women’s rights, we had to speak out against a person who is misleading voters about her qualifications and promoting anti-woman policies while using the objective of advancing women, to get elected. Michael Thompson is the only candidate in the race with the qualifications and experience for the job of Surrogate.

“The Surrogate’s Court is primarily responsible for administering estates and trusts, as well as overseeing guardianships and adoptions . While it is an elected position, it is not a political position and requires someone with the appropriate legal experience and expertise—a practitioner, not a politician. Michael Thompson has more than 20 years of experience as a trusts and estates attorney and elder law practitioner. Darling is falsely claiming to have this experience. Additionally, she has publicly suggested using the Surrogate’s Court to promote offering lower-income women financial incentives to surrender their babies for adoption. We will not speculate as to what her motives may be, or if she truly believes that a woman would actually trade her baby for money to fix a leaky roof, but we do find it reprehensible that she would support preying on low-income pregnant women at the most vulnerable time in their lives. Given that the Surrogate’s Court also oversees adoptions, this is a frightening red flag.”

For the office of the Surrogate, the Morris County Democratic Women’s Caucus is supporting Michael Thompson. We urge Morris County voters to join us in supporting him too.

“I am extremely grateful and proud to have the support of the Morris County Democratic

Women’s Caucus,” Thompson said. “Adoption is one of the issues the Surrogate’s Office handles. A person who views adoption as a financial transaction and would use the Surrogate’s Court to promote vulnerable women giving up their babies for money should not be allowed to hold this office,” he said.

ABOUT MICHAEL THOMPSON

Michael has been a trusts and estates attorney for more than twenty years and has practiced before surrogate’s courts throughout New Jersey and New York. He specializes in estate administration, estate and tax planning, and elder law and disability planning.  He is currently a partner at the firm he founded in 2010. Michael attended Rutgers College and Rutgers Law School and earned an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University. He is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey and before the United States Tax Court. Michael and his wife, Pandora, also a trusts and estates attorney, live in Mendham and have a young son.

For more information, visit: https://thompsonformorris.com/ ; https://www.facebook.com/ThompsonForMorrisCountySurrogate/

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