Dear Editor:
I am a Parsippany Republican who has supported and worked on Republican campaigns for the past eight years. I was also a member of the Morris County Republican Committee until 2013.
Two years ago when I was running for another term on the MCRC, Morris County GOP Chairman John Sette sent out letters to my district advising that I openly supported a Democrat for Mayor and therefore they should not vote for me for Morris County Republican Committee. (Click here to view letter). I considered this a targeted campaign, since Mr. Sette failed to mention that I supported all other Republicans who ran and I never switched parties as the candidate he was supporting did.
Based on Mr. Sette’s actions in 2013, I was baffled by his comment to Parsippany Focus (4/24/15, click here to read article) regarding the Democratic linked Super PAC (NJFF) supporting the Republican Michael dePierro ticket for town council. His response was inadequate to say the least and certainly inconsistent with his previous stance. “In respect of long standing policies of Morris County Republican Chairman I will not become involved in a local Primary election. For many years certain Parsippany Republicans have supported Democrats in general elections”.
I’m sure we all remember the days of “ABA” (Anybody but Agostini) and the infamous “Republicans for Luther”. What I find perplexing is that Mr. Sette knew these groups were crossing party lines and did nothing about it. The support Mr. dePierro’s ticket is receiving from the Super PAC (NJFF) is much worse than my support of one Democratic candidate. As Chairman of the Morris County Republican Committee, Mr. Sette should have denounced the Super PAC support and contacted the dePierro ticket. I call Mr. Sette’s failure to act hypocrisy.
What I would like to emphasize here is that I have been a Republican all my life but I am also a taxpayer. If I do not have confidence in a Republican candidate I will not blindly vote along party lines and nobody should. We should all be informed on what each candidate stands for, what experience they have, their background and their values. I can’t see the Republican residents of Parsippany voting for the dePierro ticket which is being financially supported by a Super PAC (NJFF) with democratic ties. So far the Super PAC (NJFF) has sent out mailers and are recruiting and is paying field workers to go door to door for the dePierro ticket. The comment from Super PAC’S (NJFF) spokeman Timothy White (Parsippany Focus 5/12/15, click here to read article) “NJFF has identified Parsippany Councilman Carifi as being a particulary divisive individual who is more concerned with political ambitions and personal vendetta’s than providing good government to the township” This comment is laughable. Have they met Council President Carifi ? Have they approached Council President Carifi ? Have they spoken with Council President Carifi? In my opinion this Super PAC (NJFF) is being fed bad information and have no real clue about what is happening in our town. This is politics at its worst. I wonder who’s behind this and why these strange bedfellows have come together? I suspect the answer is financial and not in the best interest of the taxpayers.
One thing that surprises me is that there is a Democratic ticket running for council and the Super PAC (NJFF) which has Democratic ties is ignoring the Democratic ticket and supporting the Republican ticket of dePierro. Something is stinky.
I do ask Parsippany residents to consider the fact that a Super PAC with Democratic ties has invaded our town and I question what’s coming next. A municipal election in my opinion does not need any outside interference. I have confidence in Parsippany residents to distinguish fact from fiction.
Pat Petaccia
