State Assemblyman for the 9th District Daniel Van Pelt resigned his office Friday and apparently will not run for relection.
Democratic candidates Rich Visotcky and Robert Rue, who were set to face off against Van Pelt and his GOPrunning mate Brian Rumpf in Novembers general election had been the only voices not publicly calling for him to do so.
Just yesterday in a story in the Press of Atlantic City, Visotcky said, "We didn't call for it. We welcome the opportunity to run against him in November."
Earlier in the week the Democratic candidates had released a joint statement offering the GOP Assemblyman the benefit of his right to due process. "As practicing attorneys and former municipal prosecutors, we are very much aware that the criminal justice system will afford Van Pelt the opportunity to defend all charges contained in the Federal complaint, the statement read in part. At no time did it call for his resignation.
We find it at the very least ironic that the day after we said we looked forward to running against him, he has apparently run away, said Visotcky. Adding that Van Pelt had even defied the Governors call for him and the others swept up by the FBI last week to step down.
Locally, everyone within the Ocean County Republican leadership had called for his resignation the day of his arrest, and his photo was quickly removed from the 9th Districts official Web site, where Sen. Christopher Connors and his then running mate Assemblyman Brian Rumpf quickly distanced themselves, while echoing the call for him to step down.
Rue said that ultimately their campaign was not about Van Pelt or any other candidate, but for the time for a change in the leadership of the 9th District, which is made up primarily by Ocean County municipalities, along with smaller portions of Burlington and Atlantic counties, including the city of Hammonton .
We will run strong and hard against whomever we face, said Rue today. We are running on the issues and the need for a change from the business as usual attitude that has been prevalent in the district for far too long, he added.
I wish we can read more about platforms and issues instead of the constant corruption running rampant in New Jersey. Thanks should go to Chris Christie because he finally took on these corrupt public officials.
Although 43 of the 44 corrupt public officials were Democrats, I am glad to see this guy resign and get out of office ASAP. Being a lifelong conservative Republican good riddance to this guy.
Doesn't anyone talk issues and platforms anymore? Always negative and bashing, I cannot imagine what Jon Corzine and his slim machine of consultants and lawyers will do this year with all of his dirty Wall Street money........CORZINE STINKS!!!!!
I wish we can read more about platforms and issues instead of the constant corruption running rampant in New Jersey. Thanks should go to Chris Christie because he finally took on these corrupt public officials.
Although 43 of the 44 corrupt public officials were Democrats, I am glad to see this guy resign and get out of office ASAP. Being a lifelong conservative Republican good riddance to this guy.
Doesn't anyone talk issues and platforms anymore? Always negative and bashing, I cannot imagine what Jon Corzine and his slim machine of consultants and lawyers will do this year with all of his dirty Wall Street money........CORZINE STINKS!!!!!
The more you learn about Christie, I mean "really" learn about him. Not just campaign ads and new articles. The more you learn about him. The more you learn that he would be worse for New Jersey.
