Although not quite up to billing their campaign as a remake of “The Return of the Jedi,” incumbent Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone and William Ayala – former chief of staff to deceased Jersey City Mayor Glenn Cunningham – declared war against corruption in announcing their opposition last week to Hudson County Democratic Organization (HCDO) candidates in the June 7 primary.
Chiappone is seeking re-election to his second term in the 31st District (that includes Bayonne and a portion of Jersey City). This will be Ayala’s first run for public office.
Like the fictional heroes of the classic ” Star Wars” movie series, Chiappone and Ayala claim Hudson County has fallen under the dark cloud of corruption, a condition that they hope they can change if elected to office. Chiappone said that he had dedicated his first term to establishing a program of responsibility, and that he and Ayala are running on a ticket called “Democrats for Reform,” dedicated to dealing with Hudson County’s reputation for corruption, which not only serves as an embarrassment for the people who live in Hudson County but also negatively affects the quality of life for people who live and pay taxes here.
“The Hudson County corruption scorecard has caused people to lose confidence in government,” he said. “While my legislation to deal with some of these issues has legislators from around the state signing on, not one Hudson County Democrat has.”
Corruption and non-competitive bidding costs taxpayers money and loses jobs for people who need them, said Chiappone, who boasts of having taken the lead statewide on fighting corruption at every level of government. Chiappone said he has introduced landmark legislation that would strip convicted corrupt officials of their pensions. The bill has also apparently influenced the New Jersey Pension Review Board to take a harder look at these pensions even before becoming law – most recently slashing the pension of former Assemblyman Anthony Impreveduto for violations in his campaign financing funds.
Chiappone, who also serves as a councilman in Bayonne, ran against Doria for the state Senate seat in a special election last November and lost, but said he believed that the election gave him wider name recognition. While he would not predict his ticket’s chances in the uphill battle against the well-organized HCDO, he said he was confident in voters and his ability to get his message out.
An old Cunningham aide steps up for Assembly race
Ayala, a graduate of Rutgers University and currently a law student of Rutgers School of Law in Newark, reaffirmed the ticket’s dedication to the Democratic Party.
“We are Democrats, and we will work towards a Democratic victory in November,” he said.
Both he and Chiappone said they are committed to seeing U.S. Democratic Senator Jon Corzine elected as governor in November.
The Democratic Reform ticket, he said, is designed to provide voters with an alternative to the existing Democratic network currently in operation in Hudson County.
Ayala noted his political background, including working for two very prominent and respectable men: Glenn Cunningham and the current U.S. senator from New Jersey, Frank Lautenberg.
“Glenn Cunningham is my role model, and I am sure that in the future you will see many young people from Jersey City enter public life because they were inspired by Glenn,” Ayala said.
He said the Democrat Reform ticket would seek to make life better for residents of Hudson County and noted that both Cunningham and Lautenberg were dedicated to serving the public, a model he will follow.
Holding public officials accountable will be a fundamental piece of the platform, and a key piece to this will be doing away with the practice of pay-to-play – which is a practice that exchanges contracts for political donations.
Freeholder candidates also on the ticket
Running on the same ticket will be Bayonne businessman Ed Mezzo, who is seeking to fill the seat vacated by Barry Dugan as a Hudson County Freeholder in District 1 in Bayonne. Dugan has declined to seek re-election.
Mezzo said Hudson County has become a “charity” for corruption, and he pledged to clean house in county government if elected.
Mezzo said he will introduce the toughest ever county government ban on play-to-play in New Jersey and will require every county elected and appointed official to sign an anti co-option pledge that would require forfeiture of pension and health benefits for misuse of office.
Mezzo is a lifelong resident of Bayonne and the owner of the century-old Associated Printery. He has been active in numerous civic groups and served as a member of the Bayonne Budget Review Committee last year, which made recommendations to the city council on how money might be saved.
Also running on this Reform Democratic ticket in the 3rd Freeholder District in Jersey City is Garry Gavin, a nine-year veteran of the Jersey City Fire Department, whose campaign is geared toward bringing needed Homeland Security funds to the district.
UPDATE: Cut candidates could hurt Chiappone
A ticket headed by Assemblyman Anthony Chiappone was cut by two as two candidates for the Freeholder District in Jersey City came up short of valid signatures. Gary Garvin running in the 3rd freeholder district in Jersey City and Tyrone Ballon, running the 2nd, said they would appeal a decision by the Hudson County Clerk’s office to reject their petitions, keeping them off the ballot.
This could be a significant blow to Chiappone, whose Assembly district encompasses both of those districts. The combined campaign could have brought Chiappone enough Jersey City votes beat a challenge by Jersey City Schools Superintendent Charles Epps.
Garwin was challenging incumbent Freeholder Jeff Dublin. Ballon was challenging incumbent Freeholder Bill O’Dea.
Contact Al Sullivan at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com