Dems’ Quick Replacement of Milam Quizzed

VINELAND – March 1 was the morning after the night before for Democratic leaders in Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland counties. What seemed sweet Feb. 28 turned sour March 1 over the retirement of First District Assemblyman Matthew Milam and naming his replacement, an Iraq War veteran who lost a leg in combat.
The prior evening, Milam announced his immediate retirement, citing business reasons, before a crowd of party faithful at Cosmopolitan Restaurant here. Green Creek Army veteran, former Sgt. Robert Andrzejczak was nominated by acclamation to replace him.
Barely were the words out of Milam’s mouth than Sen. Jeff VanDrew asked the crowd to watch a video of Andrzejczak with Oprah Winfrey as he recovered from losing his leg. In short order, a banner was unfurled in back of the stage proclaiming, “Van Drew Team” Van Drew, Albano, Andrzejczak. The trio linked hands and united in a victory-style pose. The crowd cheered.
Cape May County Chairman James Pickering Jr. was called on stage; he asked and got consent for Andrzejczak to take Milam’s place from his county’s committee. Cumberland County Chairman Bob Balicki was then summoned. As he took the stage and took the microphone, Pab Sungenis, a Cumberland County committeeman, requested to voice “a point of order.” He stepped onto the stage and began to question about what it was to be a “real Democrat.” A few minutes later, the microphone was taken from him, and he left the stage.
Republican chairmen, Michael Donohue from Cape May County, and Bob Greco of Cumberland County, were quick to issue statements chiding the action of their political foes. The second release called into question whether state law had been followed in the immediate replacement of Milam with Andrzejczak.
They wrote, “The move appears to be a clear violation of state law. The county chairmen were required to properly notice a meeting of the duly elected Democratic County committee members in the First Legislative District and tell them the reason for the meeting was to fill a vacancy for State Assembly, not Sen. Van Drew.”
The GOP statement noted state law dictates such a meeting “cannot occur until there is a vacancy for at least one day after the notice is given, yet all the news reports indicate Assemblyman Milam announced his resignation last night and then the vacancy was immediately filled on the spot. That is a clear violation of the law.” They cited NJSA 19: 13-20 that deals with such matters.
Shortly after 4 p.m. on March 1, Van Drew told the Herald, “Yesterday’s was an emotional and spiritual vote (for Andrzejczak). It was wonderful to have a big endorsement…The opponents are trying to put a negative spin on it,” he said.
Asked whether he was aware of that statute, Van Drew said he was “informed as long as we had a majority of the committee, we may be fine.”
However, the senator said there are now plans to “go before all county committees” to secure endorsements not only for the newcomer but also for needed endorsements of both incumbents. “We will do it again by letter of the state law,” said Van Drew. Armed with those, the trio will carry their party’s banner in the November general election.
In the interim, Van Drew said he expects Andrzejczak will be sworn to the vacant Assembly seat by late March.
Van Drew challenged the statement that committee members were unaware of the reason the meeting was being called. “Everyone was given notice,” he said, and added, “They were noticed there would be a brief county committee meeting. They were noticed.”