Why Republican John Campbell backs Democrat Abdul-Haqq

Why is Plainfield's Republican 'king maker' organizing support for this Democrat?

Many Plainfielders are intrigued that Republican 'king maker' John Campbell is backing the run of community activist Rasheed Abdul-Haqq as a challenger to incumbent Adrian Mapp for the Ward 3 Democratic nomination in the June 5 Primary election.

In fact, Republican Campbell is serving as chairperson of Abdul-Haqq's Democratic campaign committee, according to papers filed with the state's Election Law Enforcement Commission (see here, especially form R-1). Though unusual, there is nothing wrong here; it's just another indication of the spaghetti bowl that is Plainfield politics.

At first glance, one might guess that Abdul-Haqq's run has to do with his forced displacement from the Board of Ed by dint of legislation personally crafted by his old nemesis, Assemblyman Jerry Green. Indeed, there is no love lost between the two, and Abdul-Haqq has needled Green for years.

Green, as chairperson of the Plainfield Democratic City Committee, has given the Ward 3 line to incumbent Council President Adrian Mapp and Abdul-Haqq now resides in Ward 3, ergo Abdul-Haqq can get back at Green by challenging the regular party's candidate, no?

But this is Plainfield, and that scenario would be too simple.

Why Campbell as Abdul-Haqq's chairperson? That's the real question.

Suppose Campbell recruited Abdul-Haqq and not the other way around. And also suppose that Campbell has a score to settle -- with Mapp, and not with Green.

That would mean that Abdul-Haqq is being played like a chess piece.

Consider these points--

• Campbell and Green have been partners before: In 2004, Campbell and Green were the largest individual contributors ($2,000 each) to the school board campaign of a team that included Campbell's wife Wilma, longtime Green operative Barbara James and then-newbie the Rev. Tracey Brown;
  
  
• Campbell and Abdul-Haqq attended a fundraiser for Green's candidate Tracey Brown: Campbell and Abdul-Haqq recently attended a fundraiser for Green's candidate for the citywide at-large seat at the Spain Inn, and were seen by all yukking it up with Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, whose pastor and best friend Brown is, and Assemblyman Green;
  
  
• That score Campbell has to settle with Mapp: Campbell has told others that he was miffed at Mapp for making an issue of the PMUA (Plainfield Municipal Utilities Authority) when he last ran for office, putting unwanted attention and heat on another of Campbell's old pals, former PMUA executive director Eric Watson.

Add to this the fact that Mayor Robinson-Briggs, herself a former Republican operative, has been campaigning on behalf of her pastor Rev. Tracey Brown AND Abdul-Haqq and you have a 'spaghetti bowl' worthy of Plainfield politics at its most convoluted.

Meanwhile, the good Rev. Brown has been sitting as a PMUA commissioner for years now, without speaking out against the excesses and abuses of that agency's executives, including Campbell's old pal, former PMUA executive director Eric Watson, who got a $1 million separation package through Rev. Brown's connivance.

And she is running for the citywide at-large Council seat, apparently with the blessing of Mr. Campbell.

So, a vote for Abdul-Haqq or the Rev. Brown is a vote for who?

---

• ELEC:  "Reports for Committee to Elect Rasheed Abdul-Haqq"

-- Dan Damon [follow]

View today's CLIPS here. Not getting your own CLIPS email daily? Click here to subscribe.