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NORTH AmERIcAN Newsline APRIL 09, 2021 | The Indian Eye 21

flyer, and Attorney General a June primary – including a pal chairman.
Gurbir Grewal has now em- state Senate candidate who is “Our reasons were quite
paneled a grand jury and sub- implicated by a federal inves- clear: Mr. Bhagia was support-
poenaed documents related to tigation in the dissemination ing a slate of candidates who
a municipal probe of the inci- of the racist flyer in the 2017 were challenging us and our
dent. Edison school board election,” friends and colleagues in the
The Edison mailer prom- Diegnan, Karabinchak and 18th legislative district in this
ised to “Make Edison Great Assemblyman Sterley Stanley June’s primary,” the three said.
Again,” by telling voters that (D-East Brunswick) said in a “We are gratified that we will
the “Chinese and Indians are joint statement. not have to run on the same
taking over our town.” It tar- In another related develop- ticket as Mr. Bhagia, who mul-
geted school board candidates ment, House Energy & Com- tiple press reports have named
of Chinese and Indian de- merce Committee Chairman as a participant in the dissem-
scent, with the word “deported” Mahesh Bhagia Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-Long ination of the racist, anti-Chi-
stamped over their photos. Branch) endorsed Sam Joshi nese and South Asian flyer that
“In light of this and because nization is insulated from any for the Democratic nomination circulated in Edison during the
of Mr. Bhagia’s support for our kind of potential exposure and for mayor on Thursday morn- 2017 election,” Rios, Narra and
opponents, we would have had to protect the integrity of the ing, becoming the latest in a McCullum said. “A federal in-
difficulty running on the same county line,” stated McCabe. growing line of top Democratic vestigation has claimed that
line as Mr. Bhagia,” Rios, Nar- “The involvement of the Office leaders to take sides in the pri- members of Mr. Bhagia’s in-
ra and McCullum said. “We are of Attorney General, coupled mary election. “I have worked ner circle were complicit in this
relieved that we will be instead with news reports that have with Councilman Sam Joshi for disgusting attack on the Edison
running with Councilman Sam alleged Chairman Bhagia’s di- many years and know how hard community. Now, the attorney
Joshi, whom many of us know rect involvement in this matter, he has worked to unite Edison,” general has empaneled a grand
from his years as an effective make me gravely concerned said Pallone, who represents jury to investigate.”
elected official in Edison, and that this ongoing investigation Edison in the U.S. House of Senate Foreign Relations
with his slate of council candi- will pose political harm to other Representatives. “He tirelessly Committee Chairman Bob Me-
dates.” candidates running under our strives to represent every resi- nendez had endorsed Sam Joshi
McCullum is slated to take banner.” dent of his town and to ensure for the Democratic nomination
the seat of Commissioner Ken- McCabe also pointed to a that no community is ever left for mayor of Edison, New Jer-
neth Armwood, who died last decision by Bhagia allies, in- behind.” sey’s fifth-largest municipality.
week at age 46. cluding Mohsin Patel, a school “His commitment and en- “I am proud to be endorsing
Bhagia had secured the en- board member who is among ergy are exactly what the resi- Sam Joshi in the Edison may-
dorsement of the local Demo- the Edison Eight, to forge their dents of Edison need and de- oral primary,” said Menendez,
cratic party he leads, but Joshi own organization line also serve,” Pallone stated. “I will the state’s senior U.S. Senator.
received the organization line played a role in his decision. work tirelessly to elect Sam and “As a former mayor, I know how
after McCabe and other par- It has been a very bad week the entire Middlesex County tough the job is and what it is
ty officials became concerned for Bhagia. Two Democrat- Democratic Organization tick- like to have people counting on
over Bhagia’s alleged role in a ic lawmakers have rescinded et this June and November and you. Sam believes that govern-
2017 racist flyer. One council- their support of Mahesh Bha- strongly endorse his candidacy ment is about lifting people up
man has implicated Bhagia as gia for mayor of Edison, back- for mayor.” and giving everyone a fair shot
the alleged ringleader and At- ing Sam Joshi. Endorsements Pallone, a congressman at success. “
torney General Gurbir Grewal from State Sen. Patrick Dieg- since 1988, has represented Menendez joins Gov. Phil
has now empaneled a grand nan (D-South Plainfield) and Edison since 1992. As head of Murphy, Rep. Frank Pallone,
jury to probe the event. Assemblyman Robert Karabin- Energy & Commerce, Pallone Jr. (D-Long Branch), Middle-
Bhagia, the beleaguered chak follow an announcement heads one of the most powerful sex County Democratic Chair-
Edison Democratic Municipal today that Middlesex County committees on Capitol Hill. man Kevin McCabe and others
Chairman, has been accused of Democratic Chairman Kevin Three Democratic candi- in backing Joshi in the June 8
masterminding a racist flyer in McCabe was giving the organi- dates for Middlesex County Democratic primary.
the final days of the 2017 cam- zation line to Joshi. Commissioner – incumbents “As Mayor, he will be a ded-
paign that Murphy has referred Diegnan and Karabinchak Ronald Rios and Shanti Narra icated public servant, making
to as “offensive.” said they backed Bhagia before and Commissioner-designate Edison Township government
McCabe cited Bhagia’s con- fully understanding that he Chanelle McCullum – have work for every member of his
nection to the scandal – he’s “was working behind the scenes endorsed Sam Joshi in the community,” said Menendez,
one of the Edison Eight that against us, our candidates and upcoming Edison Democrat- who began his own political ca-
were implicated by U.S. Post- against the organization he ic primary. The three officials reer as a school board member
al Inspectors – as justification claims to represent.” said they wrote to the Demo- and mayor in Union City. “I
to deny the line to Bhagia, and “We are disheartened that cratic county chairman, Kevin look forward to helping elect
called Joshi “an effective and the candidates who are clearly McCabe, earlier this week to Sam, his council slate, and the
ethical elected official.” aligned with the Edison Demo- urge him to deny the organiza- entire Middlesex County Dem-
“As Chair, it is my responsi- cratic Chairman Mahesh Bha- tion line to Mahesh Bhagia, the ocratic Organization slate in
bility to ensure that our orga- gia are running against us in embattled Democratic munici- June and November.”

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