Political struggle results in Venezia recapturing the Democrat line for the primary election

BLOOMFIELD — Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia will run in the upcoming June 7 Democratic primary election under the Essex County Democratic Committee banner. Venezia was given the party line by Democratic County Chairman Leroy Jones on Thursday, March 31, according to both men.

The party line had originally been given to Councilman Joseph Lopez by Bloomfield Democratic chairman Peter Strumolo, which would have meant that Venezia would be running a campaign without party support. That would have made his re-election bid a more uphill battle.  

Both candidates have their own slates of three running mates who are seeking three council-at-large seats. According to Venezia, in a Friday, April 1, telephone interview, Jones provided him with a letter authorizing his candidacy under the party banner the day before. The letter will be filed in the Bloomfield municipal clerk’s office by Monday, April 4, at 4 p.m., when all candidates’ petitions are due.

The primary election will narrow the Democrats to a single mayoral candidate and three candidates for the open council seats. That slate will then face the Republican candidates, and any independent candidates who might enter the race, in the general election on Nov. 8.

Jones characterized the 11th-hour change in the party line as “bizarre.”

He said on Tuesday, March 29, that Strumolo, Venezia, himself, and Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., met in his Newark office because, according to Jones, the Bloomfield mayoral campaign was becoming too heated.

“I wanted to work out a compromise to keep the Bloomfield Democratic Party intact,” he said in a Friday, April 1, telephone interview.

In a March 10, 2016, letter to The Independent Press editor, Strumolo accused Venezia of wasting millions of taxpayers’ dollars and for having “created a culture in his administration that fosters corruption,” as reasons why the Democratic Party could not support him for mayor. A recent political flier, distributed within Bloomfield, quotes this letter, saying Venezia is supportive of indicted Bloomfield Councilman Elias Chalet, and a nephew to the councilman, who is a convicted felon. Both Venezia and Chalet are pictured on the flier, as is a pair of handcuffed hands holding  a stack of money. Chalet has been indicted for bribery in official conduct. He is alleged to have taken $15,000 for his support on a council vote.

At the Newark meeting, Jones said he proposed that the incumbents run for re-election under the Democratic banner: Venezia for mayor; and Lopez, Wartyna Davis and Carlos Pomares, for council.

“Pete didn’t like that arrangement,” Jones said, referring to Strumolo. “He wanted to think about it. But Mike had no problem with it. That’s how we left it.”

According to Jones, two days later, on Wednesday, Strumolo wanted a sit-down to discuss more options.

“I said to him that the proposal that we had was pretty much it,” Jones said. “But out of respect, I’d hear him out. He made some recommendations.”

After a discussion, they decided to run only Venezia for mayor plus three Strumolo candidates, and three Venezia candidates, for the three council seats.

“The contest would come down to the three highest vote-getters,” Jones said. “I thought that was quite fair. We called Michael, he listened to the proposal and wanted to talk to his folks. They said OK.”

On Thursday morning, Jones thought he had an agreement. But Strumolo called to tell him that Lopez wanted to still run for mayor, off-the-line.

“I never got a chance to speak to Mr. Lopez,” Jones said.

Strumolo asked for more time.

“I thought it was getting to be too much,” Jones said.

Strumolo called again to inform Jones that Lopez would be his candidate and run off the line. Jones called Venezia to tell him Strumolo’s decision.

“Pete and company walked away from the line,” Jones said.