EDISON — It’s been a rocky couple of weeks for the Edison Democratic Organization, but according to party leaders, all are on the same page now.
That was the core message of a June 25 announcement from new township party Chairman Keith Hahn and Campaign Chairman Anthony Russomanno.
Earlier this month, Hahn, a township police officer, was elected chairman of the organization by two votes. He succeeded Dr. Thomas “Doc” Paterniti, who led the party for 30 years.
The selection was a surprise to some, who had expected Russomanno — who ran against Hahn for the spot and had a longtime working relationship with Paterniti — to win.
During the election meeting, Council President Robert Diehl, who was the third candidate for the chairman role, bowed out, throwing his support behind Hahn. Diehl said after the meeting that longtime issues within the organization concerning communication and transparency were less likely to be resolved if Russomanno had won.
Russomanno was subsequently selected as the campaign chairman for November’s slate of Democratic candidates, and released a statement saying the candidates would work closely with the Democratic organization
— something Hahn said he tacitly didn’t believe.
“The claim that Russomano and the council candidates will work closely with the Edison Democratic Organization is a boldfaced lie,” he said in a statement on the matter.
Hahn went on to say that he questioned the business practices of the organization’s prior leadership, and said he planned to pursue an audit.
“Russomano is a liability to the campaign of the four council candidates as well as Mayor [Thomas] Lankey’s ability to govern effectively and I will not in any way, shape or form work with Anthony Russomano, Nilesh Dasondi or Sam Khan.”
Hahn pointed out Dasondi, a supporter of Lankey’s mayoral campaign, is a convicted felon who was sentenced in 2011 to six months in federal prison for money laundering, and that Khan had run for mayor as a Republican in the past.
That animosity appeared to dissipate completely just days later, when Russomanno and Hahn made a joint announcement on June 25 to say that they would be working together.
“Thanks to the leadership and effort of [Middlesex County Democratic] Chairman [Kevin] McCabe and Mayor Lankey, Anthony and I have been able to resolve some of our differences, and are committed to working together for the four Democratic council candidates in November,” Hahn said in a statement on the announcement. “I look forward to working with Chairman McCabe, Mayor Lankey and the rest of the team as we move toward the November election.”
Russomanno said after the meeting that it’s his and Hahn’s responsibility to come together and be an example for others still divided within the party.
“We talked things out,” Russomanno said, explaining that it’s been a time of high emotion within the party. “We’re all kind of moving in the same direction.”
He added, however, that division still exists within the party.
“I’ve never seen the party as split as it is,” he said.
Russomanno also said he has no concerns if Hahn wants to do an audit, as he initially indicated after winning the chairman post.
“Our books are open,” he said. “We’re on the up and up.”
Hahn confirmed last week he still plans to pursue an audit, and should have the results in a couple of weeks.
Russomanno said his focus now is the campaign, which will kick into high gear in August. He said he’s held this role for more than a half-dozen Edison campaigns, and he’s familiar with what’s needed. He said he’s planning to raise between $130,000 and $150,000.
The campaign leader said he doesn’t think voters will hold the prior animosity against the candidates, and that he’s optimistic about where the party can go if everyone works together.
“We don’t need any more fighting,” he said. “We all stand for the same ideals.”