Statement from the Green Party of New Jersey: “Dominique Faison, Green Party Assembly candidate, LD11 petition confirmed by Secretary of State after being challenged by outgoing Democrats LD11 political campaign manager”

Statement from the Green Party of New Jersey: “Dominique Faison, Green Party Assembly candidate, LD11 petition confirmed by Secretary of State after being challenged by outgoing Democratic LD11 political campaign manager”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, June 17, 2021

On Tuesday, June 15, the New Jersey Green Party (GPNJ) appeared online via Zoom to observe the petition signature challenge hearing for our legislature candidate in Legislative District 11, Dominique Faison. Joseph Fortunato Esq. was Ms Faison’s legal adviser and was successful in fending off challengers, Robyn Gedrich and attorney William Opel. During the six-hour long hearing, Mr. Fortuanto was able to foil most of the challenges to Ms. Faison’s petition.

Ms Gedrich, a longtime Bernie Sanders supporter and Sanders National Delegate in 2016, is a “political consultant” from the Ocean-Monmouth County area and currently resides in Red Bank. On her LinkedIn account, it is also stated that Ms Gedrich is the political campaign manager of State Senator Vin Gopal, MP Eric Houghtaling and MP Joann Downey. She was nominated as a challenger to the signatures of our candidate, at almost the 11th hour, at 1:30 p.m. on Monday June 14. Of particular concern to progressives in the state that Gedrich would dare to challenge not only Dominique Faison’s access to the ballot, but a movement of progressive, working-class, strong black women taking a stand for their communities across the country.

The hearing was scheduled for the next morning at 9:00 a.m., which gave Ms Faison and GPNJ Elections Chairman Barry Bendar a short window to find a lawyer and prepare. In fact, when court proceedings began, they were told the final verdict was due by Thursday, June 17. The final list of certified candidates running is due to be released on Thursday, according to hearing representatives from the NJ’s Elections Division. .

In the end, Fortunato and New Jersey Green Party watchers managed to keep 103 petition signatures and fend off the challengers. According to the Honorable Justice Patricia Caliguire, this meant that Ms. Faison’s petition had to be confirmed with the necessary number of signatures. Ms. Gedrich and those behind the scenes who initiated the challenge were given the opportunity to cancel the challenge, but declined. They had until Thursday morning to appeal the decision. Tahesha Way, Secretary of State, at 12:01 p.m. on Thursday, June 17, emailed her decision and adopted Judge Caliguire’s initial decision and accepts that Dominique Faison has the necessary signatures (103) and will be listed on the November 2 general election ballot paper for general elections. LD mounting 11.

Ms. Faison is an active member of the Asbury Park community. She is a dedicated housing activist, a proud black woman, mother of nine and this Covid-19 pandemic has impacted her in many ways. She has personally struggled and lost loved ones during this pandemic, but is still determined to be the change LD 11 really needs. Residents in her district signed on in hopes that she would be a fierce champion and a force to represent their voices this fall.

The purpose of the challenge and the reasoning still leaves us perplexed and we were unfortunately unable to obtain answers during the hearing of Mrs Gedrich. So instead of graciously accepting opposition as one would for the sake of democracy, we assume it acted for the campaign team of “Democratic” MPs Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey. She chose to challenge Faison’s signatures and try to silence a strong black woman who is rallying to represent her community. With this challenge, we Greens believe that Ms Gedrich has completely undermined progressive goals of resisting the status quo and, in many ways, has preserved the perpetual cycle of black female candidates and voters excluded from the electoral process.

Tom Violett, chairman of the Monmouth County Green Party and co-chair of the GPNJ, said: “I hope Dominique can get on the ballot, but even if this nasty and completely unnecessary challenge prevails, the County Green Party of Monmouth and the New Jersey Green Party will continue to work to give a voice to disenfranchised people. He asks Mrs. Gedrich, “What would Bernie say?” “

Madelyn Hoffman, candidate for governor of the Green Party, wondered: “What about people who for years never had a candidate for whom they wanted to vote, who for years felt excluded by the two-party system, but who now want to vote for a candidate they feel better represent them? Dominique Faison’s campaign would focus on the issues of gentrification, housing and homelessness. People want to vote for someone who speaks directly on these issues. Removing the names of people from the petition because they are not registered, even if they are qualified to vote, is bad practice.

Heather Warburton, Lieutenant. Candidate for governor, said: “The Democratic Party seems to insist on ensuring that there are as few votes as possible represented on the ballot. Greens, Independents, even members of their own party, it doesn’t matter. They file challenges to have [strong progressives] withdrawn from the ballot. She particularly challenged the targeting of a black female candidate for office.

On Tuesday night after the challenge, the Hoffman / Warburton campaign for Gouverneur / LT.Gouverneur featured Ms. Faison and a few of the other live watchers to discuss the audience. You can watch this and Ms. Faison’s response to the challenge here:

The Green Party of New Jersey will continue to support its candidates and will fight in this electoral cycle and the next to build a more sustainable, fair and democratic New Jersey. Since it might still take a few weeks to get the necessary documents from the state to formally certify Ms Faison’s campaign to set up her bank account, GPNJ decided to commit all donations allowed, per NJ finance laws. ELEC in force, via their Paypal link from today. until the end of June for the Dominique Faison campaign for LD 11. You can find this donation link here:

Democracy is called into question when so-called “progressive” allies try to knock us off the general election ballots. We have supported their work to try to reform this party and follow their lines, but finally we say that it is really time to consider organizing and working together here with us. When you don’t become different from the establishment people you’re trying to vote for, then who’s really worse?

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Statement from the Green Party of New Jersey: “Dominique Faison, Green Party Assembly candidate, LD11 petition confirmed by Secretary of State after being challenged by outgoing Democrats LD11 political campaign manager”