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west paterson Party time for Sami

By Paul Brubaker
Herald News
Posted on Wednesday September 13, 2006

WEST PATERSON – Sami Merhi, a Lebanese-American whose ouster from the Passaic County Democratic Party line in March received national attention, announced on Tuesday that he and his running mate had ended their independent bids for county freeholder seats.

Merhi’s withdrawal, made eight weeks before Election Day, minimizes any possible split among local Democratic voters – a significant point for all of this year’s political races including the contest for a U.S. Senate seat between Sen. Robert Menendez, D-Hoboken, and state Sen. Tom Kean Jr., R-Westfield.

At the Passaic County Democratic Headquarters on Tuesday, notable party members – including Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., D-Paterson, Sheriff Jerry Speziale, and state Sen. John Girgenti, D-Hawthorne – surrounded Merhi as he read a two-sentence statement declaring the end of his campaign and that of his offline ally, Paterson physician Hector Castillo.

“We have decided to withdraw. This decision marks our re-involvement in ensuring the victory of the Democratic slate in November,” said Merhi.

It was an about-face from Merhi, who had launched his independent campaign with Castillo on June 6, the day of the Democratic primary, after filing an unsuccessful discrimination lawsuit against the Passaic County Democratic Committee in May.

Merhi’s attorney argued that party leaders removed him from the ticket because he was of Arab descent. However, state Superior Court Judge Robert Passero ruled that Merhi’s civil rights were not violated because he had the option of running for the Democratic nomination independently.

Although Merhi’s prospects for victory as an independent contender for one of the three available seats on the freeholders board may have been dubious, Passaic County Democrats have good reason to want to buttress their solidarity by making peace with Merhi.

Menendez, the Democrat at the top of the ballot this November, has been fending off various allegations made by the Kean campaign. One of Kean’s accusations, that Menendez inappropriately assisted a nonprofit organization that was led by a political ally, prompted U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie to open an investigation and subpoena the organization’s records.

Menendez and Kean have remained tied in the most recent polls with approval ratings at about 40 percent.

“Sami’s decision is welcomed by the entire Democratic Party,” said Pascrell, who faces Republican Jose Sandoval, of Passaic, as he runs for his sixth term in the 8th Congressional District.

Matt Miller, spokesman for the Menendez campaign, also welcomed the news of Mehri’s withdrawal. “Today was a positive development,” he said. “In the end, Passaic County is united and that is helpful for every Democrat on the ballot.”

Merhi was removed from the party line in March because of remarks attributed to him at a 2002 fundraiser for Pascrell, where he reportedly said he could not see the comparison between Palestinian suicide bombers who target Israel and the terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.

Even though Merhi has repeatedly said his quote was taken out of context and that he abhors violence against innocent people, Gov. Jon S. Corzine; Assemblyman Gary Schaer, D-Passaic; and Menendez protested Merhi’s candidacy following the PCDC’s endorsement on March 10.

Menendez justified his stance against Merhi’s candidacy during a meeting with the Herald News’ editorial board in August, saying he could not support Merhi’s candidacy if the statements attributed to Merhi were accurate.

When Menendez was asked if it was appropriate to interject his opinion on Passaic County’s choices for candidates, the senator responded, “If I have to run with somebody – yes.”

While Merhi’s removal from the ticket was denounced by the Arab American Institute in Washington, D.C., and received national news coverage, on Tuesday Passaic County Democratic Chairman John Currie described Merhi’s differences with the party as benign as a family squabble.

“We always kept in dialogue during the whole situation. We kept the lines of communication open,” Currie said. “This is something Mr. Merhi and Dr. Castillo wanted to do.”

Merhi, a businessman from Totowa who in June said he would end his independent campaign if he received a governor’s appointment to a state post, said that his withdrawal was not the result of an arrangement made with Democratic leaders.

“We only made one deal. That deal is to be victorious in November,” said Merhi.

Later on Tuesday, Merhi was focused on the future with the Democrats.

“We did have our understandable differences in the past,” he said. “Our goal now is to work for constituents for the future that they deserve.”