Thursday, October 14, 2004

Republican Committee of Union County
Phil Morin, Chairman
908-709-1450

Union County Democrat Freeholder Candidate Resigns His Position - But Refuses to Withdraw From Election

In the wake of the arrest last week of Freeholder John Wohlrab, the Union County Democrats announced today that Wohlrab was resigning from the Freeholder Board "effective immediately." Wohlrab was arrested last week by the Linden Police Department on charges stemming from alleged domestic abuse. Wohlrab, a governmental affairs employee of Waste Management, Inc., was appointed last year to file the unexpired Freeholder term of Senator Nick Scutari. "The Union County Democrats have sunk to a new low in using the legal system to manipulate the electoral process and disenfranchise the voters of Union County," said Phil Morin, Union County Republican Chairman.

The Union County Democratic Committee has set a meeting for Tuesday evening to select a replacement for his vacant freeholder seat. Wohlrab, a candidate for this seat in the November election, has refused to withdraw his name from the ballot but has indicated, if elected, he will not serve. "First Toricelli, then Suliga and now Wohlrab," said Morin. "Through this latest ballot sleight-of-hand, voters from Elizabeth to Springfield to Plainfield are being disenfranchised by the Union County Democrat machine's manipulation of this freeholder seat." Wohlarb's seat was originally vacated when then-freeholder Nick Scutari filled the Senate seat of Joe Suliga following an arrest for alleged public intoxication and harassment of a female casino patron.

"This arrogance tops even Jim McGreevey's 90-day resignation notice," stated Morin. "We have entered a new low where manipulation of elections by New Jersey Democrats has become the norm. Wohlrab - a living, breathing individual intends to stay on the ballot, but has already refused to serve - before he is even up for election."

"The people of Union County will not let the Democrats highjack another election. We deserve better and until we send the all-Democrat freeholder board a message, they will continue to thumb their collective nose at the residents of this County, " Morin said. "I join with our Republican Freeholder candidates Joe Renna, Patricia Quattrocchi, Frank Arena and Bruce Paterson in calling upon Freeholder Wohlrab to withdraw his name as a candidate from the election. And I further call upon the Democrats to leave this seat vacant until the people have cast their vote on November 2nd."