In public comment at Tuesday's City Council meeting, Third Ward primary candidate Rasheed Abdul-Haqq claimed that Council President Adrian Mapp's win on June 5 was not legal, alleging that Mapp is in violation of the Hatch Act.
City Solicitor David Minchello, serving as acting corporation counsel, immediately advised Mapp not to respond to Abdul-Haqq.
The issue is whether Mapp's employment by a public housing authority puts him in violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits political activity by federal employees. Click here for more information.
Mapp ran with the backing of the Democratic Party in the primary. Abdul-Haqq ran with the backing of political kingmaker John Campbell. Mapp's running mate was the mayor's pastor and friend, the Rev. Tracey Brown, who also won. Supporters of Mapp openly endorsed Brown's challenger, Veronica Taylor, who ran with the backing of the New Democrats.
Mapp did not respond Tuesday night. Outside the meeting, Abdul-Haqq showed Plaintalker a reference to a complaint filed with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel. Plaintalker had previously heard that Mayor Sharon Robinson-Briggs, who openly backed Abdul-Haqq against Mapp in the primary campaign, filed the complaint. The mayor won her seat in 2009 largely by defeating Mapp in June primary that year. In Plainfield, winning a Democratic primary is tantamount to winning the November general election due to the political makeup of the city.
A call to the mayor's office Monday was not returned.
The process for filing a complaint and the OSC response is outlined on the link above.
Should a complaint prove valid, the next steps for Mapp and the Democratic Party remain to be seen. A call to the Division of Elections in the Union County Clerk's Office revealed that no challenge to Mapp's win had been filed there. The deadline for a challenge to a primary candidate's win is June 20.
--Bernice
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I'm really getting tired of Abdul-Haqq and his frien Campbell. Plainfield doesn't need scum like Campbell trying to run things. We're screwed up enough without making things worse with crooked people involved in politics.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pair!
ReplyDeleteHaqq, an individual who clearly demonstrated his ineptitude and ability to be a fit leader during the primary process; and Robinson-Briggs, a poor excuse for a leader (period).
So sad for everyone in Plainfield, if these type of people keep focusing on personal and political gain instead of focusing on the needs of the residents of Plainfield.
Here we go again. The grease frying Campbells at their worst. I wish they would stop this mess. Mrs. Campbell go back and continue to mess up thing over there at the School Board. You and your husband bring nothing to the table but DISASTER.
ReplyDeletePlease, please, no! If that means that Adbul Haqq would replace Mapp, we would be ruined! The king of flea markets and the queen of rec centers would certainly put us over the top.
ReplyDeleteThe only good news is we would have a bona fide reality show that would bring money into Plainfield.
You lost Suck it up
ReplyDeleteIt's stuff like this that causes so much apathy in this city. Rasheed you have tried to embarrass Councilman Mapp at 2 council meetings. Please STOP IT. How do people not realize they are being used. Gosh how sad.
ReplyDeleteI guess no one told Abdul-Haqq it's all about Obama in 2012.
ReplyDeleteTo 6:36pm - you are correct - not only will people have to suck it up, Plainfielders have been sucking pond water for decades.
ReplyDeleteTo 1:25
ReplyDeleteExplain your comment please
Anonymous said...
DeleteI'm not Anonymous 1:25, but what I get from their comment is this, Isn’t pond water usually dirty and mucky? By electing the same people, some of which, been in office for 2 decades, to me, is like sucking pond water. We have allowed them to make Plainfield the city it is today. I’m just saying.
Ok thank you for your response
ReplyDeleteI agree We need to get rid of people on the council who only do something in election years