Delea Files Complaint Against Cunningham

Fifth ward council candidate Scott Delea has filed a complaint against his opponent, incumbent Peter Cunnigham, with the Election Law Enforcement Commission of New Jersey.

Delea said he believes that Cunningham—who has been endorsed by Mayor Dawn Zimmer—is involved with a political committee called "Move Hoboken Ahead." ELEC reports show that Cunningham, as well as the other candidates on the mayor-endorsed slate, have contributed $1,000 each to Move Hoboken Ahead.

Besides the donation, Delea didn't provide other proof of Cunningham's involvement with the management of the committee. Political candidates are allowed to donate money to political committees, but not permitted to manage them.

"It appears Peter Cunningham, an incumbent Hoboken Councilman, is directly or indirectly involved in the management or control of this Continuing Political Action Committee in violation of the law," Delea wrote in his complaint, in which he requested an investigation into Cunningham.

Delea made his announcement to local press in his office on Eleventh and Grand Streets. The complaint is attached to this article.

In a phone interview, Cunningham countered that Delea's claims are unfounded and—with less than a week until the elections—called it an "eleventh hour tactic."

"There's absolutely no violation here," Cunningham said. Cunningham said that he has no management role in the political committee. "It's the mayor's," he said about Move Hoboken Ahead.

Delea also implied that Cunningham was trying to hide his involvement with the political committee. "Why isn't he playing fair?" Delea said.

When asked if he knew about the foundation, and existence, of Move Hoboken Ahead, Cunningham said he did. "We all knew about it," he said, adding that he has no further involvement with the committee.

Delea said he hasn't spoken to other candidates about this issue and didn't specify whether or not his complaint applies to the other five candidates who have donated to Move Hoboken Ahead.

Treasurer of Move Hoboken Ahead, Forde Prigot, said on Wednesday that he and the chairperson of the committee, Drew Moss, are the only ones who are able to write checks and decide how money is spent. "Peter Cunningham is not the chair and not the treasurer," Prigot said.

Move Hoboken Ahead, the political action committee in question, was founded in February. Among the committee's activities was a city-wide poll for the six mayor-endorsed candidates and a mailer.

Delea's complaint was sent to ELEC and to the Attorney General's office on Tuesday night. He said he would be following up during the day on Wednesday.