Ciattarelli Plans Defamation Suit Against Sherrill

After the final New Jersey gubernatorial debate, Republican Jack Ciattarelli announced he will sue Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill for defamation over her assertion that his former medical‑publishing company downplayed opioid risks and “killed tens of thousands” of people. Ciattarelli’s campaign called the charge reckless and said it will file suit early next week. Sherrill’s campaign defended the claims, citing reporting that the company accepted pharmaceutical grants and published content critics say promoted opioid use, and she also accused Ciattarelli of profiting from an app that allegedly made it easier for addicted patients to obtain opioids. Ciattarelli denied the allegations, called them lies and renewed his questioning of Sherrill about decades‑old Naval Academy disciplinary records, which she again declined to release while defending her service. The exchange capped a tense, closely contested and highly‑spent race marked by sharp clashes over taxes, energy, the Hudson River rail project and concerns about political violence, with both campaigns trading pointed statements as they brace for legal and political fallout ahead of the Nov. 4 election.