Mayor of Bergen: “My heart is with Maplewood”

The Democratic mayor of a small, progressive-leaning Bergen County town, Kristine Morieko, has sharply criticized Democratic elected officials in Maplewood for abandoning their support for Deborah Engel for mayor in January because of her unwillingness to challenge Rep. Mikie Sherrill to support (D-Montclair) for governor.

Morieko says the move “fails the sniff test.”

“Such tactics undermine the democratic process we work so hard to uphold in our local communities,” said Morieko, who is supporting Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) for governor. “This incident raises concerns about the integrity of the democratic process in Jersey.”

Morieko, who chairs an all-female, all-Democrat Glen Rock town council, wants the all-Democrat Maplewood Township committee to “reconsider its decision, reflect deeply on this incident, and take steps to ensure that future political engagements are inclusive.” “Transparency, respect and a commitment to our shared democratic values.”

Her statement is clearly aimed at Sherrill, who promised that “transparency is one of the most important issues she will focus on.”

But Sherrill’s local supporters on the Maplewood Township committee, not the candidate or her campaign team, were involved in pressuring Engel.

Two gubernatorial candidates, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, have already criticized Maplewood Democratic officials for tying Engel’s rise to the mayoralty to the support of a particular candidate.

“The residents of Maplewood have suffered,” Morieko said. “My heart goes out to Maplewood to help them find a solution to this ugly matter.”