Anthony Cappola has spoken out about the decision by his former running mate Mark DiPisa to not attend the Wednesday night LD38 assembly debate in Bergen County.
DiPisa’s decision came after fallout with Cappola over a book he wrote called “Outrageous” that included hateful speech against minority groups and homosexuals. When the book was unearthed, Cappola dropped out of the race but prohibitive expenses have left his name on the ballot. Since his name is still there, Cappola has decided to continue his run, without the support of his running mate or the Republican Party.
According to Cappola, DiPisa’s absence took away from the debate’s mission to provide the public an opportunity to hear from candidates that will appear on the November 3 ballot.
Cappola, who sat next to opponents Assemblyman Joe Lagana and Tim Eustace at the debate, said that he felt DiPisa’s choice not to attend was a “cowardly” one.
“I thought Mark’s choice not to show was a cowardly choice, but that is his choice,” Cappola told PolitickerNJ. Cappola also said that h also felt that comments read by the moderator from DiPisa unnecessarily attacked him.
DiPisa’s statement read: “I think its telling that despite spending thousands on television and mail attacking comments made by Anthony Cappola, [Eustace and Lagana] would chose to validate [Cappola’s] candidacy and his views by sharing the stage with him tonight.”
According to Cappola, he “didn’t understand” the motivation for the words in DiPisa’s letter.
“I thought that, even through his letter, and what he has been doing for weeks on end. has just been smearing my name beyond the book,” Cappola said. “He knows I am not a bad person, he knows I don’t hate Asians. He has hurt me, he as hurt my family and I don’t understand the infatuation with my history.”
