Sherrill calls Ciattarelli “complicit” in opioid deaths in New Jersey

New Jersey Democratic State Representative. Mickey Sherrill On Monday, she doubled down on her claim that Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli is “complicit” with opioid companies in the deaths of tens of thousands of New Jersey residents.

Sherrill spoke during a news conference about the opioid epidemic in the Garden State, accusing Ciattarelli of “looking for ways to help people access medications that were killing them” through his ties to drug-assisted training programs.

“I heard that, Jack made millions,” she said. “Opioid companies have made billions and thousands of dollars New Jersey “They were dying.”

When a reporter asked Sherrill whether she still held Ciattarelli personally responsible for the opioid deaths, the state lawmaker initially hedged her response.

Jack Ciattarelli calls on Mikie Sherrill to ‘clean up’ as explosive accusations mount in New Jersey governor’s race

“I think we made the case that Jack is in cahoots with these opioid companies, in league with these opioid companies,” Sherrill said.

The reporter asks Sherrill again: “So you’re saying he killed tens of thousands of New Jerseyans?”

“I think he’s right up there with the people who paid billions of dollars again,” Sherrill replied. “So I think the line is pretty clear.”

Sherrill first made her claims that Ciattarelli contributed to the opioid epidemic during last week’s gubernatorial debate.

‘Reaching despair’: Governor’s debate gets personal after Democrat mocked over cheating scandal

Ciattarelli fired again The day after the debate, he vowed to file a defamation suit against Cheryl.

“Mickey Sherrill is cracked,” Ciattarelli’s chief campaign strategist, Chris Russell, accused in a statement Thursday.

“In doing so, she claimed – twice – that Jack Ciattarelli ‘killed tens of thousands of people, including children,’ a clearly defamatory attack that shocked moderators, the press and the public alike,” Russell added. “At a time when political violence and violent rhetoric have become all too common, Mikie Sherrill baselessly and recklessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder in a televised debate crosses the line.”

Sherrill’s campaign responded quickly.

“Jack’s response is to hide behind a lawsuit, not take responsibility. What is reckless and irresponsible is that Jack Ciattarelli is making millions of dollars profiting from the pain of New Jerseyans — spreading misinformation about the dangers of opioid addiction and developing an app to train patients to ask doctors for more medications,” Cheryl’s campaign communications director Shawn Higgins said in a statement.

Final showdown: Ciattarelli, Cheryl, blast each other on the discussion stage

“While he made millions, Big Pharma made billions, and tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died. He is clearly unqualified to lead and protect this state, and he owes the people of New Jersey answers,” Higgins said.

Ciattarelli, a former state legislator and certified public accountant who founded a medical publishing company before entering politics and winning election as a state legislator, is making his third consecutive run for governor of New Jersey. Four years ago, he attracted national attention when he came close to upsetting the Democratic governor. Phil Murphy.

During his 2021 campaign, Ciattarelli’s association with opioid manufacturers first came to light. Ciattarelli sold his company, which published content promoting the use of opioids as a low-risk treatment for chronic pain, in 2017.

Head here for the latest FOX NEWS reports on the 2025 elections

In a post-debate press conference last week, Ciattarelli claimed Sherrill’s attack was “a desperate tactic by a desperate campaign on behalf of a desperate candidate.”

Sherrill was asked after the discussion if she had evidence directly linking Ciattarelli to opioid deaths, telling reporters, “I think he hasn’t really expressed anything about it. I think there’s a lot that we don’t know. And I think he’s still not very transparent about it.”

New Jersey and Virginia are the only states that retain it State gubernatorial contests The year follows a presidential election, which means the races traditionally attract significant national attention.

This year’s ballot box showdowns are seen as critical early tests of Trump’s popularity and his second-term agenda, and are considered key gauges ahead of next year’s House and Senate midterm elections.

The winner of next month’s election in New Jersey will succeed term-limited Murphy.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

While Democrats have long dominated federal and state elections in blue-leaning New Jersey, Republicans are fiercely competitive in gubernatorial contests, winning five of the past 10 elections.

In the 2025 race, political history favors both parties.

The party that wins the White House tends to lose the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia the following year, which favors the Democrats. But New Jersey Democrats are also trying to buck history, as it has been more than six decades since one party won three consecutive gubernatorial elections in the Garden State.