Union County Democratic Chairman Senator Nick Scutari’s attorneys sent a letter to Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi, providing what they say is credible evidence that five vacant committee seats in Union Township were never vacated.  The attorneys presented affidavits signed by the committee members, who insist they never resigned.

State Senator Joe Cryan – a Scutari intra-party rival – is the municipal leader of the Union Township Democrats.  Mahr has the support of the Union Township Democratic Club.

Scutari’s attorneys are requesting that the Clerk immediately review the situation and take any action necessary – including nullifying any resignations of those five seats – to ensure that the county committee persons certified to vote in tomorrow’s scheduled chair vote are ‘lawfully entitled to do so.’

As for that scheduled convention tomorrow night, the matter was decided today – the day before the vote – as Judge Dupuis ruled in favor of an open hand-vote convention.  Allies of Scutari had filed a complaint in Superior Court against Mahr, who wanted a closed process, as does candidate Salters, who made his case in an Insider NJ op-ed, saying a closed voting process would help alleviate voter intimidation.  Scutari wanted an open process, in accordance with the County Committee by-laws, of which the judge ultimately ruled in favor.