Demonstrators rally for Campbell, opening ballots
Group says taunts at swearing in were racially charged
About fifteen Asbury Park residents, including community leaders and ministers, gathered at city hall last night to speak out against what they say was racially biased treatment of Mayor Myra Campbell during her swearing-in ceremony.
The group also called for the opening of 364 ballots that were disallowed by the Monmouth County Board of Elections in the May city council election. Unsuccessful candidate Daniel Harris of the A-Team ticket has filed a lawsuit seeking to open the ballots. If counted, the ballots could change the election results.
Campbell ran on the One Asbury ticket with new council members John Moor and Amy Quinn. After their victory, the three decided to name Moor the mayor, since he was the high vote getter in the election. But three days before the swearing in, Campbell accepted an offer from reelected incumbents John Loffredo and Sue Henderson to appoint her as mayor. Moor and Quinn voted against the appointment.
During the swearing in ceremony on July 1, Campbell was taunted by members of the audience as the vote was taken. Audience members openly shouted “liar,” and “traitor.”
Those at last night’s demonstration first expressed their concerns at a rally outside city hall, and then spoke at the council meeting — the first one since the contentious swearing in.
Adrienne Sanders, president of the Asbury Park and Neptune NAACP, congratulated Campbell and the new members of the council before addressing her claim of racial bias toward the new mayor, as well as the pending court case to open the ballots.
“The Asbury Park NAACP [is] not going to support any form, shape, or fashion the name calling and the blatant disrespect of this mayor,” Sanders told the council. “And until those votes are counted, we don’t really know who the highest vote-getter is.”
Duanne Small, an unsuccessful candidate on the A-Team ticket who attended the rally, said this morning that he doesn’t agree with the way Campbell became mayor, but does believe the taunts she suffered during the swearing in ceremony were racially charged.
“I personally feel that because she is a black woman that is why she was treated that way,” said Small. “If it was Amy Quinn being sworn in as mayor, I don’t think you would have seen that.”
James Keady [in photo at top], who also ran on the A-Team slate, asked the council to pass a resolution to file an amicus brief in the ballot case in support of counting the votes.
“Mayor Campbell, I know you said publicly that you support these ballots being counted,” Keady said. “If it means you losing your seat, I appreciate your commitment to our representative democracy in that matter and the principles that we stand for. So, given this, I am requesting a resolution be put forth tonight during the regular public meeting that the governing body file an amicus brief with the court supporting that those ballots be opened and counted.”
Campbell declined to take action on Keady’s request and said she would consult with city attorney Frederick Raffetto for advice in the matter. Henderson also declined to comment without consulting legal counsel.
Responding to Keady, Loffredo referenced the next hearing in the ballot case.
“We’re going to court on the 16th,” said Loffredo, “Why give my opinion now?”
When pressed by Keady about the city filing a brief, Loffredo said he would not vote to do so.
“That’s ridiculous, absolutely not,” Loffredo said.
Quinn and Moor did not say they would support the city filing a brief in the ballot lawsuit, but Moor said “proper ballots” should be counted.
“I have said from day one, and I will say it until it is over with. I think every proper ballot should be opened and counted,” said Moor.
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