Jack Ciattarelli vows to sue Mikie Sherrill for ‘wild and dangerous’ debate accusation
NEWARK, NJ – New Jersey’s governor’s race exploded into chaos Thursday morning after Jack Ciattarelli announced plans to sue Mikie Sherrill for defamation, calling her televised debate remarks “inflammatory, irresponsible, and false.”
The lawsuit, expected to be filed early next week, follows Sherrill’s stunning claim during Wednesday night’s debate that Ciattarelli “killed tens of thousands of people” through his business activities in the medical publishing industry.
According to Ciattarelli’s campaign, Sherrill’s remarks were not only untrue but “recklessly dangerous” at a time of heightened political tensions.
Defamation fight erupts after fiery debate
The exchange came after a moderator asked both candidates how they would bring jobs to New Jersey. Sherrill used her response to question Ciattarelli’s background as a businessman, alleging he profited from opioid industry propaganda.
“I think you’re trying to divert from the fact that you killed tens of thousands of people by printing your misinformation, your propaganda,” she said. “Families across this state deserve to know more about that.”
The statement stunned the audience, moderators, and press corps, prompting immediate rebuke from Ciattarelli and his campaign team. “Another desperate tactic by a desperate campaign on behalf of a desperate candidate. It’s a lie,” Ciattarelli said afterward.
Rooted in old controversy, reignited in new campaign
Some of Sherrill’s accusations appear tied to a 2021 Star-Ledger investigation by reporter Ted Sherman, which detailed Ciattarelli’s former medical publishing firm’s ties to pharmaceutical funding.
The company produced continuing education material for doctors accredited by the University of Tennessee, including one course suggesting low opioid misuse risk among chronic pain patients. Ciattarelli sold the firm in 2017.
Sherrill also referenced Ciattarelli’s involvement in a 2016 collaboration with a company called ProPatient that developed “Living with Pain,” an online tool designed to help patients communicate with doctors about pain management.
Her campaign argued this platform “made access to opioids easier,” a claim Ciattarelli’s team called “a gross distortion.”
Legal and political stakes rising fast
Ciattarelli’s strategist Chris Russell said the congresswoman’s debate comments “crossed the line,” adding, “Baselessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder on live television is beyond reckless—it’s wild and dangerous.”
The developing lawsuit could reshape the race, transforming what had been a policy-driven contest into a legal and reputational showdown.
Defamation suits between political candidates are rare and difficult to prove, though the charge’s severity may give Ciattarelli’s team a stronger argument for damages.