Atlantic City elections are never without drama, even when the sides disagreeing claim to have the same goal.
Atlantic County Democratic Chairman Mike Suleiman put out a news release Monday, claiming certain voters are being intimidated and harassed under the guise of an investigation into possible voter fraud.
“I thought we turned the page on this chapter of Atlantic City history after Craig Callaway was sentenced to two years in federal prison,” Suleiman wrote. “Unfortunately, elements in the Atlantic County Republican Party feel emboldened to intimidate and threaten anyone who doesn’t go along with them.”
But there is no hidden agenda, insists Patrick Hurley, who says his private investigation company was hired to look into allegations related to the election.
“Generally speaking, in my observation, the people who react like this are the ones who are dong something, so they choose to create some type of diversion,” said Hurley, a retired longtime Atlantic City police officer who runs COPS LLC out of Galloway Township.
“My people are not harassing anyone,” he told BreakingAC. “They know how to talk to people. They are just gathering facts. That’s it.”
But a cease-and-desist letter Suleiman had the Atlantic County Democratic Committee’s attorney send to Hurley’s company last Friday claims that those being contacted at their homes, work and via text are all Democrats of South Asian descent.
“To the extent that voters are being targeted for ‘investigation’ based on their race, ethnicity, or national origin, we believe such conduct is contrary to New Jersey’s anti-discrimination and civil rights laws,” reads the letter signed by attorney Colin Bell.
Hurley, who was out of the area, said he was unaware of the letter until BreakingAC reached out.
A client hired his company to look into allegations of fraud, Hurley said. He declined to name the client, citing the nature of how he does business.
Suleiman believes it is either Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small’s Republican challenger, Naeem Khan, or the Atlantic County Republicans. He said the answer should come in the ELEC report.
Hurley took offense to the allegations in Suleiman’s press release that labeled him “a MAGA Republican with ties to the Republican County Sheriff.”
“I would like them to cease-and-desist using my name and my company’s name,” he said.
Hurley confirmed he did back Joseph O’Donoghue for sheriff, not based on party but on their long history together growing up in Atlantic City.
“I deal with people,” Hurley said. “I don’t deal with what party they’re involved in, what religion they are or what race they are.”
The letter includes links to Ring video of William Dickerson stopping by a voter’s home, a text discussion and a phone recording.
Suleiman says it’s proof of the targeted harassment.
A photo of the man is included with the letter, with the identification clearly showing the name “William Dickerson.” But he introduced himself as “Andrew” to those he tried to speak with, Bell writes.
He also is heard saying his name is Andrew in the Ring video where he later shows his identification and asks when it can seen clearly for the recording.
His full name is William Andrew Dickerson, explained Hurley, and he goes by Andrew.
“The guy is a pastor,” Hurley said of Dickerson. “He’s one of the nice guys you could ever meet. He’s not a guy who would try to intimidate anybody.”
But Suleiman told BreakingAC that is goes beyond a normal investigation.
“If you question enough people, folks are not inclined to get involved in the democratic process at all,” he said. “I think that’s kind of the endgame here.”
