 |
Mayor Mapp and "The A Team", 2017. |
When
Plainfield Assemblyman Jerry Green announced his resignation as chair
of the Union County Democratic Committee on Wednesday, speculation in
the media swept all before it, as though a dam had burst.
On Wednesday, InsiderNJ's Max Pizarro opined that Sen. Nick Scutari, who wants the county chairmanship, had cut a deal with Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp for Mapp's support of Scutari in exchange for Scutari's support of Mapp getting Green's Assembly seat at a future date (see the story here).
According to David Wildstein (of Bridgegate infamy, but before that he started the granddaddy of NJ political websites, the former PolitickerNJ), Scutari denied on Thursday (see here) that a deal with Mapp had been cut.
In the rush to cover the story, errors were made -- Wildstein had to correct a story saying Linden mayor Derek Armstead was backing Scutari; he is not (see here). It seems Scutari, who began working the phones furiously before Green's resignation was even made public, got a little ahead of himself.
A number of women have expressed annoyance that it seems that an unrepentant "old boys network" kicked in -- without regard to the half of the County committee that is composed of women, or the niceties of observing the county organization's bylaws.
While it may appear unseemly for there to be speculation on Green's Assembly seat at this point, it is only to be expected given the paucity of information about the nature of his illness and the likelihood he will resume his legislative duties any time soon.
One speculation that floored me came from Wildstein. Citing "two (unnamed) Union County sources", the scenario was that Green would step down, to be replaced by Adrian Mapp, with Freeholder Linda Carter becoming Plainfield's mayor and Amelia Mapp, the mayor's wife, to take Carter's Freeholder seat.
This flies in the face of realities on the ground in Plainfield.
Aside from the mayor, the person who has worked the longest and hardest -- not to say the most successfully -- in the electoral vineyards has been Councilor Rebecca Williams.
If there is to be any talk of Mapp going to the Assembly, Williams is the logical choice to succeed him.
That would be not only the fairest choice, but the most likely to meet with success.
I can only wonder if one of the mayor's opponents floated the whole scenario as a way to "poison the well" in advance.
Meanwhile, both Scutari (see here -- including Plainfield) and Mahr (see here) have updated their lists of supporters.
The county committee (over 800 members) will have to make the choice within 30 days.
Chairman Mapp has called a meeting of the Plainfield Democratic City Committee for Saturday, February 3, at which the county chair election will be discussed.
On Wednesday, InsiderNJ's Max Pizarro opined that Sen. Nick Scutari, who wants the county chairmanship, had cut a deal with Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp for Mapp's support of Scutari in exchange for Scutari's support of Mapp getting Green's Assembly seat at a future date (see the story here).
According to David Wildstein (of Bridgegate infamy, but before that he started the granddaddy of NJ political websites, the former PolitickerNJ), Scutari denied on Thursday (see here) that a deal with Mapp had been cut.
In the rush to cover the story, errors were made -- Wildstein had to correct a story saying Linden mayor Derek Armstead was backing Scutari; he is not (see here). It seems Scutari, who began working the phones furiously before Green's resignation was even made public, got a little ahead of himself.
A number of women have expressed annoyance that it seems that an unrepentant "old boys network" kicked in -- without regard to the half of the County committee that is composed of women, or the niceties of observing the county organization's bylaws.
While it may appear unseemly for there to be speculation on Green's Assembly seat at this point, it is only to be expected given the paucity of information about the nature of his illness and the likelihood he will resume his legislative duties any time soon.
One speculation that floored me came from Wildstein. Citing "two (unnamed) Union County sources", the scenario was that Green would step down, to be replaced by Adrian Mapp, with Freeholder Linda Carter becoming Plainfield's mayor and Amelia Mapp, the mayor's wife, to take Carter's Freeholder seat.
This flies in the face of realities on the ground in Plainfield.
Aside from the mayor, the person who has worked the longest and hardest -- not to say the most successfully -- in the electoral vineyards has been Councilor Rebecca Williams.
If there is to be any talk of Mapp going to the Assembly, Williams is the logical choice to succeed him.
That would be not only the fairest choice, but the most likely to meet with success.
I can only wonder if one of the mayor's opponents floated the whole scenario as a way to "poison the well" in advance.
Meanwhile, both Scutari (see here -- including Plainfield) and Mahr (see here) have updated their lists of supporters.
The county committee (over 800 members) will have to make the choice within 30 days.
Chairman Mapp has called a meeting of the Plainfield Democratic City Committee for Saturday, February 3, at which the county chair election will be discussed.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment