In a legal battle of mayoral candidates, Lou Manzo challenged Gerald McCann’s ability to run in an appeals court in Hackensack last week.
A judge in Hudson County agreed on Monday that Manzo could step in to dispute a decision made two weeks ago that allowed McCann to run for office in Jersey City. When neither the city nor the state Attorney General’s office chose to appeal the decision to allow McCann, a convicted felon, to run for mayor, Manzo decided last week that he would step into the matter as an “intervenor”
A three-panel judge heard arguments on Thursday and could render a decision as early as Monday.
McCann served as mayor of Jersey City from 1981 until 1985, when he lost to Anthony Cucci. He won the office back in 1989. But in 1991, a federal court in Newark convicted him of defrauding a Florida savings and loan bank and altering his tax return documents, among other charges. He served two years and attempted a run in 1997, but Judge D’Italia blocked that attempt based on McCann’s status as a federal parolee.
But D’Italia ruled on March 13 that the state statute, known as the Faulkner Act, was unconstitutional because it selectively barred from holding office those who had committed crimes of “moral turpitude.” Cities like Jersey City are ruled by this statute, while some others are not.
McCann attorney Sam DeLuca dismissed the latest challenge as mere politicking.
“The real story is, Manzo is desperate,” DeLuca said. “And desperate people do desperate acts. He realizes that after spending $200,000 and being in fourth place that it’s upsetting.”
Ballot positions drawn
In other campaign news, mayoral and council candidates learned where their names would appear on the May 8 ballot, and the winner was…
Kevin Sluka.
The Department of Public Works director won the top spot on the ballot after a random Monday drawing. Former Council President Glenn Cunningham got the second spot, followed by Louis Manzo, McCann, Councilman Robert Cavanaugh, and current Council President Tom DeGise.
Sluka’s cast of at-large council candidates also won the top slot in a separate drawing, followed by McCann’s, Cunningham’s, Manzo’s, Cavanaugh’s, DeGise’s and independent Susann McKiernan.