Candidate's Military Service Continues to Fuel County Clerk Race

Morris County Clerk Republican Party candidate James Vigilante says his U.S. Air Force service was attacked again by fellow candidate Ann Grossi.

Vigilante, a nine-time decorated Air Force veteran and current Air Force reservist from Parsippany, appeared at a candidates' debate held at the Montville Senior House late last week. He claimed Grossi’s campaign manager, Steve Roman, sat among the audience and fired questions at Vigilante regarding his military service.

According to the candidate, Roman asked Vigilante about the $125 per day he earns as a reservist first sergeant and then criticized him for accepting pay from the military while also trying to run for a government position.

Vigilante recently announced that . He said that his military paycheck, even with a county clerk salary, is not the same as "Grossi accepting both a public salary and a public pension at the same time."

"She will continue to receive a taxpayer-funded pension of $21,516.48 from the state of New Jersey," should she win the job of clerk, he said. “It is sad that Grossi and her campaign team would stoop this low and plant themselves in the audience of a fair and balanced debate forum to assail my service to our country."

Told of Vigilante's latest accusation, Grossi, currently a member of the Morris County Board of Select Freeholders and a Parsippany resident, told Patch that her campaign manager is Freeholder John Cesaro, who also hails from the township.

"It's a shame that Mr. Vigilante has to run a campaign like this, rather than on issues," she told Patch. "Other than that I have no comment."

This is not the first time this particular complaint has arisen between the two Parsippany-based candidates.

Vigilante accused Grossi of disrespecting his military service at a late March candidates' forum in Mt. Olive.

The 18-year reservist, who served in Afghanistan, characterized what he calls "the continued efforts of Ann Grossi and her campaign to degrade my military service" as "despicable."

"It is a smack in the face to me and my fellow veterans who serve this country," he said. This is the real Ann Grossi, speaking from both sides of her mouth. Whether I win this election or not, Ann Grossi should not be the person representing the Morris County clerk’s office.”

He went on to urge Morris County veterans to refuse to cast their votes for her.

"Stand against Ann Grossi to show her our service to our country is important to the people of Morris County, New Jersey and the United States of America,” Vigilante said.

Other clerk candidates running in the June 4 primary are Republicans Jefferson Township Council member Michael Sanchelli, Denville accountant Zbigniew Nowacki and Chester attorney Laurie Bogaard and Democrat Terry O’Connor Redwine of Butler.