Who owns the Democratic Party?

by: Hopeful

Tue May 04, 2010 at 10:43:58 PM EDT

Richard Cohen describes an interesting intra-Democratic Party dispute in Haledon, Passaic County, New Jersey. The principal characters are Domenick Stampone, Haledon's mayor who is running for re-election, and Dom Fusco, his challenger in the primary. Jerry Volpe, the "rebellious local leader of the Haledon Democratic Committee," backs Fusco, and John Currie, "the very powerful chairman of the Passaic County Democratic Party," backs Stampone.

Superior Judge Margaret McVeigh will decide Wednesday who controls the Passaic County Democratic line in Haledon, the small but politically divided borough that is raising a ruckus this primary season. Two opposing slates of candidates for running for mayor and council positions are vying for placement on the regular Democratic line, the coveted top spot on the party's June primary ballot....
Both slates submitted petitions to run under the regular Democratic line on the June ballot with the party slogan, Passaic County Democratic Organization, Inc. Passaic County Clerk Kristin Corrado gave the line to Fusco because he submitted his petitions one day earlier than Stampone...
Volpe says the Haledon Democratic Committee bylaws give him the "sole authority" to name Haledon municipal candidates to the county line.

The key argument on the other side is here:

Stampone's attorney, Michael A. Cerone, Jr. argued that the Passaic County Democratic Organization is a non-profit corporation, and that Currie is the head. The slogan that appears on the ballot, Passaic County Democratic Organization, Inc., belongs to him.

I am not as wise as Solomon but this one seems pretty easy to me. If I were the judge, I'd rule that the Democratic voters are the owners of the Democratic party, and no one can run "on the line" until they win the primary. That would serve both of these would-be political bosses right.

The good news, however, is that no one has resorted to fradulent absentee ballots (yet), so Haledon is pretty far from making its way to the top of the controversial New Jersey primaries list.

Hopeful :: Who owns the Democratic Party?

Tags: Dom Fusco, Domenick Stampone, Democrats, Democratic Party, Passaic County, Haledon, John Currie, Jerry Volpe, The Line, (All Tags)

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Who owns the Democratic Party? | 3 comments

Solution doesn't work (4.00 / 1)

Your solution would work for the general election, but this is about the primary election.

The County line with the slogan of the name of the county party should be given out by the County chair. If the municipal party wants to have its own line, it can.

I think the solution here is to, like in the general, have the order of the lines randomly selected.

And, by the way, the Democratic voters DO pick the county chair. Every other year there is an election for County Committee seats during the primary. Anyone registered as a Democrat can run for those seats in their own voting district, and can vote for their representative.

These folks then vote for their County Chair. He or she has the power to assign the line given to the chair by the Democratic voters.

by: vmars @ Wed May 05, 2010 at 10:23:36 AM UTC

by: you @ soon

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This isn't about who owns the Democratic Party.... (4.00 / 2)

As the first Democratic Mayor of Haledon in over a quarter century I've been on the ground floor of rebuilding our local party. My opponents are using the County Committee for personal gain, and that is unacceptable. Chairman Currie is supporting my team because we are the real Democrats in this race who are always putting Haledon residents first. You can visit our website and learn more about the progress being made.

by: Domenick Stampone @ Wed May 05, 2010 at 18:09:28 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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thank you for your response (0.00 / 0)

Readers may also be interested in the following press release:

Today, Passaic County Superior Court Judge Margaret M. McVeigh awarded the Passaic County Democratic Organization, Inc. line to Haledon Mayor Domenick Stampone, Council President Maha Kandis, and council candidates Mounir Almaita and Michael Johnson. Stampone and his council slate had been awarded the line by PCDO Chairman John Currie, and received permission from Sherriff Jerry Speziale and Freeholders Terry Duffy and Pat Lepore to be bracketed together for the June 8th Democratic Primary.
"My team has the full support of Chairman Currie and the Passaic County Democratic Organization and I am confident the voters of Haledon will give us four more years to build on the progress being made in our community," stated Stampone. "We are the real Democrats in this race and I am confident we will be victorious on June 8th."
Passaic County Clerk Kristin Corrado awarded the Passaic County Democratic Organization, Inc. designation to the first mayoral and council candidates to submit petitions. The statutory law clearly states that for a candidate to be placed on the line of a political party they must receive permission from the party's chairman.
"We are happy this situation is resolved so we can continue our grassroots campaign engaging the residents of Haledon," stated Council President Maha Kandis. "Our record is strong, and I share Mayor Stampone's confidence that the voters of Haledon will give us four more years to continue the progress being made in our community."
Mayor Stampone has a strong record over his four years in office as always putting Haledon first. He's delivered for residents by bringing home funding to improve infrastructure, protect drinking water and refurbish borough parks so children have safe places to play.

Frank LoBiondo Record and Jon Runyan Watch

by: Hopeful @ Wed May 05, 2010 at 23:02:37 PM UTC

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