Petty lawfare: monmouth county clerk candidate vows legal fight after election petition rejection

Danielle Bellomo blasted county Republicans after her campaign was blocked from the ballot, setting the stage for a legal and political showdown.

Bellomo’s nominating petition and those of her running mates were denied by county officials
She accused Monmouth GOP leaders of blocking voter choice and defending “entrenched” positions
Bellomo pledged to fight the decision and continue her campaign in the June 10 Republican primary

FREEHOLD, NJ — Danielle Bellomo, a Republican challenger for Monmouth County Clerk, is pushing back after county officials denied her nominating petition and those of her running mates, accusing party leaders of suppressing voter choice in the upcoming June 10 GOP primary.

In a statement released following the decision, Bellomo criticized the Monmouth County Republican Organization (MCRO) and county incumbents, calling the petition challenge an act of “petty lawfare” intended to maintain political control and taxpayer-funded benefits.

“The petty lawfare challenge to the nominating petitions of my running mates and I speaks to the desperation of the county government political machine,” Bellomo said. She likened the local Republican leadership’s actions to what she described as the national Democratic Party’s efforts to stifle political opposition.

Bellomo, who identifies herself as a fiscally conservative Republican, claimed that Monmouth County’s overall spending has increased by $90 million and the county tax levy by $63 million since 2020. She further alleged that salaries and wages in the County Clerk’s office have risen by more than $1 million since her opponent assumed office.

She emphasized her campaign platform as focused on government accountability and tax restraint, stating, “We will fight like hell to win the June 10 Primary Election.”

The Monmouth County Republican Organization has not publicly commented on the rejected petitions or Bellomo’s allegations. The Monmouth County Clerk and Election Board have also not issued a statement on the matter.

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