Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli plans to sue Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill over a debate-night accusation that he “killed tens of thousands of people” through his former business dealings.
Ciattarelli’s campaign called the remark defamatory. A formal complaint is expected soon.
The dispute hinges on whether Sherrill’s claim can be backed by evidence or qualifies as protected political speech. The case may test how far candidates can go in heated debates before crossing into defamation.
According to a report by the New Jersey Globe:
More than 30 pharmaceutical companies, including Oxycodone manufacturer Purdue, were among the funders.
The Murphy campaign called the story “explosive.” Is it?
Probably not, unless the Murphy campaign puts a boatload of money behind TV ads explaining this to voters.
Even the Star-Ledger doesn’t think it was an important enough story to run on the front page of Sunday’s newspaper; instead, it was further back in the Jersey section. Prominent placement on their website only lasted a few hours and by Sunday, it was easier to find a story about a Swiss chocolatier opening a store at the Short Hills Mall on NJ.com.
Ciattarelli’s campaign manager, Eric Arpert, downplayed the controversy during a recent appearance on the New Jersey Globe Power Hour on Talk Radio 77 WABC. “This is a one-day Star-Ledger story behind a paywall,” Arpert said.
Sherrill leveled the charge during Wednesday night’s televised debate. While avoiding a question on New Jersey’s unemployment rate under Gov. Phil Murphy (D), she pivoted to Ciattarelli’s business record.
“My opponent likes to talk a lot about being a businessman, but I think what New Jersey doesn’t know much about is his business,” she said. “How he made his millions by working with some of the worst offenders and saying that opioids were safe, putting out propaganda, publishing their propaganda.”
She claimed Ciattarelli’s company produced materials that downplayed opioid risks and helped develop an app that made it easier for addicts to obtain pills. She tied those efforts to the deaths of “tens of thousands of New Jerseyans.”
The allegation revived scrutiny of Galen Publishing, the medical communications firm Ciattarelli once ran. During his 2021 campaign, The Star-Ledger reported that the company landed a $12.2 million contract with the University of Tennessee College of Pharmacy.
Galen’s role was to produce continuing medical education (CME) materials for pharmacists and other health professionals.
Some of that content echoed industry-friendly positions. One example: materials stating that “the risk of opioid misuse is low among patients with chronic pain who do not have preexisting substance use disorders.” Critics say that language downplayed real dangers.
Ciattarelli’s team pushed back, noting that the project was developed under a university contract, aimed at professionals, and not created as a tool for public marketing.
They also emphasize that Ciattarelli sold the company years ago and had limited input on the CME material. His campaign dismissed the attack as “false and politically motivated.”
Ciattarelli has also pointed to Sherrill’s own record, including her military background, accusing her of using lies to distract from her weak performance and Democratic failures under Murphy.
As the lawsuit moves forward, the legal battle may center on how courts weigh political free speech against provably false and damaging claims.
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I totally support you suing her. The Dems everywhere are slinging mud that isn’t true in order to get votes and after all is done might apologize but the harm is done. Make her pay.
SUE HER!!!!!!!!!!