Sherrill doubles down on opioid claim as Ciattarelli labels it ‘slanderous,’ threatens defamation suit
At their Oct. 8 debate and again at an Oct. 13 press conference, Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill accused Republican Jack Ciattarelli of being "complicit" in opioid companies’ role in "tens of thousands" of New Jersey deaths, alleging ties to pharma‑backed training programs and an app that encouraged opioid prescriptions. Ciattarelli denied the allegations, his campaign called the remarks "slanderous," demanded a retraction and apology and said it will file a defamation lawsuit by early next week, while Sherrill dismissed the threat and stood by her claims.
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📌 Key Facts
- At the Oct. 8 final debate (Rutgers/WABC-TV), Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill accused Republican Jack Ciattarelli of profiting from the opioid crisis—saying his ties to pharma-backed training and an app made access to opioids easier and that he was “complicit” in the deaths of “tens of thousands” of New Jerseyans; Ciattarelli denied the claims.
- Sherrill doubled down on Oct. 13 at an opioid‑addiction press conference, reiterating the accusation and, when pressed by reporters, saying Ciattarelli was “right there with the people” who paid billions and repeating the allegation that his actions contributed to large numbers of deaths.
- Sherrill’s campaign (spokesperson Sean Higgins) asserted Ciattarelli was paid by an opioid company to create an app that coached patients to obtain hydrocodone prescriptions; Ciattarelli’s team counters that the app was an online tool for chronic pain patients to discuss options with clinicians and denies he profited from opioid deaths.
- Ciattarelli’s campaign called Sherrill’s statements “slanderous,” demanded a retraction and apology, and said it would file a defamation lawsuit—campaign officials (including strategist Chris Russell) said the suit was expected to be filed by early the following week.
- Sherrill dismissed the defamation threat as “ridiculous,” framing Ciattarelli’s response as an attempt to “shut down” scrutiny of his business ties.
- The dispute over the opioid allegation came amid a bruising, close New Jersey governor’s race (polls described the contest as a toss‑up ahead of the Nov. 4, 2025 election) in which both nominees have traded attacks on wealth, ethics (including Sherrill’s past STOCK Act fine and Ciattarelli’s tax‑return timing), and policy records.
- The allegation and ensuing legal threat unfolded in the broader context of debate season and campaign swings focused on energy costs, property taxes, immigration and political violence, with repeated sharp exchanges between the candidates onstage and on the trail.
📚 Contextual Background
- The Trump administration announced the cancellation of nearly $8 billion in climate-related projects in 16 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
- Fourteen of the 16 states affected by the cancellations had Democratic governors, while New Hampshire and Vermont had Republican governors.
📊 Analysis & Commentary (4)
New Jersey governor debate revealed truth about Democrat Mikie Sherrill. And it’s not good
"A sharply critical opinion piece argues the first New Jersey gubernatorial debate exposed Rep. Mikie Sherrill's evasiveness, lack of transparency, and fiscal irresponsibility — contrasting her with Jack Ciattarelli, whom the author praises as direct and trustworthy."
Checking in on Virginia and New Jersey
"A political commentary tying the New Jersey governor race (ads, debate fights) and parallel Virginia skirmishes to the larger nationalized dynamic around the government shutdown and culture‑war messaging, arguing campaigns should stop trading partisan blows and focus on concrete local policy solutions."
DAVID MARCUS: For Jack Ciattarelli, South Jersey and voter enthusiasm are keys to victory
"A pro‑Ciattarelli opinion piece argues that a combination of strong turnout in South Jersey and higher Republican voter enthusiasm could overcome current polling deficits — responding to the late‑campaign debate and especially the Sherrill opioid accusation described in reporting about Ciattarelli’s planned defamation suit."
New Jersey Gets a Real Race for Governor
"A pro‑Ciattarelli WSJ column argues New Jersey’s governor’s race has become genuinely competitive because of incumbent fatigue and policy failures at the state level, urging Republicans to win by focusing on taxes, public safety and economic reform rather than national culture‑war appeals."
📰 Sources (13)
Ciattarelli team blasts opponent over ‘slanderous’ claim he profited from opioid deaths
New information:
- Sherrill doubled down on Oct. 13 at an opioid‑addiction press conference, reiterating her claim that Ciattarelli profited from opioid deaths.
- Ciattarelli strategist Chris Russell called Sherrill’s remarks “slanderous,” demanded a retraction and apology, and described the app as an online tool for chronic pain patients to discuss options with clinicians.
- Sherrill spokesperson Sean Higgins asserted Ciattarelli was paid by an opioid company to create an app that coached patients to obtain hydrocodone prescriptions.
- Sherrill dismissed the defamation threat, calling it “ridiculous,” and framed Ciattarelli as trying to “shut down” scrutiny of his business.
- At an Oct. 13 campaign stop in Clifton, Ciattarelli vowed day‑one orders ending sanctuary policies, scrapping cashless bail, and exiting a regional carbon initiative.
NJ Dem Mikie Sherrill doubles down on claim that Ciattarelli ‘complicit’ in opioid deaths of thousands
New information:
- Sherrill publicly doubled down at a Monday press conference on claims that Ciattarelli is "complicit" with opioid companies in deaths of "tens of thousands" of New Jerseyans.
- When pressed by a reporter if she was saying he "killed" tens of thousands, Sherrill replied he was "right there with the people" who paid billions, reiterating the accusation.
- Sherrill’s campaign alleged Ciattarelli profited by publishing misinformation and developing an app that coached patients to ask doctors for more opioids.
- Ciattarelli’s campaign reiterated plans to file a defamation lawsuit, calling Sherrill’s comments reckless.
NJ Republican Ciattarelli threatens to sue Sherrill over opioid claim
New information:
- Ciattarelli’s campaign says it will file a defamation lawsuit against Mikie Sherrill over her debate claim that he contributed to 'tens of thousands' of opioid deaths.
- Campaign strategist Chris Russell said Sherrill twice asserted Ciattarelli 'killed tens of thousands of people, including children' and called the remarks defamatory.
- The campaign says the lawsuit is expected to be filed by early next week.
- Sherrill’s specific allegations included ties to pharma-backed training programs and developing an app that made access to opioids easier; Ciattarelli denied the claims during the debate.
NJ Showdown: Ciattarelli piles on Dem rival after heated debate with scathing new ads
New information:
- Ciattarelli released two new TV/streaming ads hours after the final debate, focusing on Sherrill’s wealth and past disclosure issues.
- Campaign says it is spending $2 million to run the spots on broadcast, cable and streaming.
- Ads feature clips from Sherrill’s May interview on The Breakfast Club; Ciattarelli quips, “Who wouldn’t know if they made $7 million.”
- Ciattarelli again highlighted Sherrill’s prior $400 STOCK Act late-filing fine; Sherrill responded that she doesn’t trade individual stocks and has been transparent.
‘Getting desperate’: Governor debate gets personal after Democrat is mocked for cheating scandal
New information:
- Ciattarelli mocked Sherrill over a Naval Academy cheating scandal, saying, “I got to walk at my college graduation.”
- Article cites NARA records, described as improperly unsealed, showing Sherrill did not walk at the May 25, 1994 commencement and was omitted from the program; Sherrill says she was disciplined for not reporting cheating, not for cheating herself.
- Ciattarelli alleged Sherrill paid federal fines for stock-reporting violations and traded defense stocks while on House Armed Services; Sherrill denied trading individual stocks and said she has gone “above and beyond” on ethics.
- Tax-return dispute: Ciattarelli said he released 12 years of returns; Sherrill said he released them right before the debate and noted he did so after her fines were paid.
Final faceoff: Democrat, Republican nominees in key race for governor blast each other on debate stage
New information:
- Second and final Sherrill–Ciattarelli debate held Oct. 8 at Rutgers/WABC-TV in New Brunswick.
- Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of profiting from the opioid crisis, claiming his ties to pharma-backed training 'killed tens of thousands.'
- Ciattarelli alleged Sherrill 'broke the law' over past STOCK Act disclosure fines tied to late reporting of stock trades.
- Ciattarelli said he gives President Trump an 'A' for his second-term performance and cited disagreement with Trump over the Empire Wind offshore wind project; Sherrill graded Trump an 'F' and called Ciattarelli '100% MAGA.'
- Debate focused on energy costs, property taxes, immigration, and the ongoing federal government shutdown.
Latino voters who backed Trump could be a key factor in NJ governor's race
New information:
- A new poll frames the New Jersey governor's race as a toss‑up with weeks to go until the Nov. 4, 2025 election.
- UnidosUS Action Fund (the political arm of UnidosUS) is expected to endorse Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill.
- Reporting highlights shifts in Latino voting: Trump made significant gains in heavily Latino cities (e.g., Paterson, Passaic) between 2020 and 2024 and turnout among Latino voters declined from 2020 to 2024.
Blue state gubernatorial nominees trade barbs over crucial issue weeks ahead of Election Day
New information:
- Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill launched a digital ad labeling Jack Ciattarelli 'high tax Jack' that spotlights a comment by Ciattarelli’s running mate Jim Gannon.
- Gannon told the lieutenant‑governor debate (quoted) that 'we have to look at' taxing millionaires because they 'many times...are employers,' a line the Sherrill ad seizes on.
- Ciattarelli publicly told Fox News Digital (Oct. 2 interview) he would not raise taxes: 'There will be no tax increases under Governor Ciattarelli' and said he has a specific plan to decrease income and property taxes.
- Sherrill subsequently issued a campaign release committing to not raise the sales tax.
How Mikie Sherrill’s family made millions after she was elected to Congress
New information:
- Quiver Quantitative net‑worth estimate of $14.61 million for Mikie Sherrill.
- Reported net‑worth ranges moved from $730,000–$4.3M in 2019 to $4.8M–$14M in 2024.
- A Washington, D.C. townhouse bought in 2021 for $1.5 million is cited as a major contributor to the wealth increase.
- Noted $400 fine in 2021 for a late STOCK Act disclosure regarding her husband’s stock trades.
- Statement that her husband (banker Jason Hedberg) earns more than $2 million per year.
Affordability takes center stage in New Jersey gubernatorial race as nominees spar over sales tax
New information:
- Sherrill issued a post-debate campaign statement saying she will not raise the state sales tax if elected: "it’s off the table for me and I will not raise the sales tax as your governor."
- Article cites New Jersey Board of Public Utilities projection that monthly electricity bills were expected to rise 17%–20% as of June 1, a concrete affordability data point used in campaign arguments.
- Notes Greater Garden State (DGA-backed) ad branding Ciattarelli "High Tax Jack" and Ciattarelli's campaign response including a dedicated website to debunk the claim.
Republican aiming to flip blue state rips Dem rival for blaming 'everything on Trump’
New information:
- On‑the‑record campaign‑trail interview in Fort Lee (Sept. 24, 2025) where Ciattarelli accused Sherrill of 'blaming everything' on President Trump and offered a pointed flat‑tire metaphor.
- Ciattarelli emphasized local issues (property taxes, public safety, education, energy costs) as central to his campaign and argued they are not driven by the president.
- Details on Ciattarelli's outreach stop: meeting with voters of Korean heritage in Fort Lee and repeated lines used on the primary trail (e.g., the 'drinking game' quip about mentions of Trump).
From Kirk to Kimmel: Fiery NJ debate spotlights political violence and free speech
New information:
- Ciattarelli criticized Sherrill for voting yes on the U.S. House resolution honoring Charlie Kirk and then issuing a statement critical of Kirk’s views.
- Sherrill invoked Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension, arguing free speech protections should apply to Kimmel and to herself.
- Moderators asked whether candidates support a New Jersey bill to designate political violence as a hate crime; Ciattarelli voiced support while pressing Sherrill for a direct answer.
- Sherrill’s post‑vote statement on Kirk was quoted: she opposed his ideology but affirmed constitutional free speech protections.
- Both candidates framed broader positions: Ciattarelli emphasized lowering the temperature and unity; Sherrill said she will defend free speech while condemning political violence.
Candidates clash over Trump, costs and political divisions in New Jersey governor's debate
New information:
- Debate date/location: Sept. 21, 2025, Rider University, Lawrenceville, N.J.
- Ciattarelli expressed support for Trump’s budget plan, ending DOE, and revising vaccine policies, while describing himself as independent.
- Both candidates condemned political violence and defended free speech amid tight security following national tensions.