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Accusations of election fraud that flew between the city's longtime Republican chairman and a recently formed Republican group earlier this summer have since been formalized in a lawsuit by the latter.
(File Photo)
BAYONNE -- Accusations of election fraud that flew between the city's longtime Republican chairman and a recently formed Republican group earlier this summer have since been formalized in a lawsuit by the latter.
In a July 15 complaint filed in Hudson County Superior Court, the "Real Republicans" group accuses GOP chairman Vincent Cuseglio of having enlisted people to run for committee spots they were ineligible for, among other claims.
The group, represented by attorney F. Michael Daily Jr., argues candidates weren't eligible for reasons such as not being Republican, not living in the district they ran for, unknowingly being put on the ballot -- and even -- not existing.
The suit alleges Cuseglio "has had a personal agenda to protect his position within the party by filling the ballot" with individuals who have "no genuine interest in running and/or any actual intention of doing anything if elected."
Cuseglio yesterday summarily dismissed the group's leader, Michael Alonso, and the lawsuit as "ridiculous."
"Why he does what he does is beyond me," he said, declining to comment on any specific allegations in the complaint.
Cuseglio has said he filed his own complaint with the county board of elections against Alonso over alleged instances of people voting twice and out-of-city residents casting ballots.
The Republican infighting is unfolding at the fringe of Hudson County's political world, which has long been dominated by Democrats.
As of May 2016, 2,535 Bayonne voters were registered as Republicans compared to 14,262 registered as Democrats. The city has a population of roughly 65,000.
Earlier this month, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said it is continuing to review allegations of election fraud in the Bayonne Republican committee election, without specifying who or what is being looked into. The office couldn't immediately be reached yesterday for an update.
Aside from Cuseglio, the lawsuit filed by the Real Republicans group also names as defendants Bayonne City Clerk Robert Sloan; the county Division of Elections; the county Board of Elections; the county Superintendent of Elections; and the Bayonne Republican Committee.
The complaint asks the court to annul the elections of all the candidates named in the suit and order new elections in all of the districts in Bayonne.
Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.