Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Dunn Petitions "Null and Void," But Appeal Possible

The question of whether Jeffery Dunn can run for the Third Ward City Council seat may not be answered until the middle of next week, if he appeals today's decision that his April 4 filing was null and void.

As the seven-page decision notes, Dunn can appeal within 12 days of the filing and the final decision must come by three days later. At issue is whether he complied with the city's special charter, which says a council candidate must be a legal voter of the city and must have lived at least one year in the ward or wards to be represented.

As noted in Plaintalker's report on Monday's hearing, Dunn only changed the address on his driver's license and voter registration to 1038 Central Avenue on the morning of April 4. Candidates had to meet a 4 p.m. deadline that day to file for the June 7 primary. Alma Blanco and Charles McRae filed without any objections.

Although he claims to have lived at the Third Ward address since September 2014, Dunn used his office at 320 Park Avenue in the First Ward as his address when voting in both June and November 2015. City Clerk Abubakar Jalloh made public 36 pages of documentation on the matter today, including Dunn's voting record back to 2007. Based on the hearing, Jalloh as the filing officer said today, "I am ruling in favor of the objector, Chairman Adrian O. Mapp, and invalidating the petitions of Jeffery Dunn, and declare him rejected and the nominations null and void."

--Bernice

7 comments:

  1. Whether Plainfield 'tis a Shakespeare tragedy or comedy is the question, but brother Mapp may be hoisted by his own petard and potent Dunn voters find no warm home 'cept with Blanco.

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  2. I love our City Clerk he is very professional and would jeopardize his job for politics

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  3. The decision on Dunn was fair and though he had ample opportunity to prove he lived in the Third Ward for a year, he failed in that. Many of us in Plainfield look at Mr. Dunn's record and will base our decisions about he suitability for office based on that. I for one do not find him someone I would vote for. He did get a fair hearing, thanks to our very professional City Clerk and I don't see how any court could find otherwise with the documentation presented.

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  4. When asked if he ever voted in the third ward (the one that he wanted to represent) he said no. Does that make sense to anyone?

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  5. Hats off to AJ!! Without meaning to comment on any of the evidence or of the personalities involved, I compliment him on doing such a professional and responsible job on this matter, in the short time frame it requires. The decision itself is basically written by an attorney, but even so, can you imagine Laddie Wyatt doing such a fine job with this? And though Jeff Dunn has a right of appeal, I flatly cannot imagine any judge overturning this determination.

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  6. AJ was taught evertything he knows by Laddie Wyatt....can u imagine if he didn't

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  7. AJ was taught everything he knows from Laddie Wyatt way do u think he so good at what he does now.. It's called learning from a great teacher!!!!!!

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