Ciattarelli Says He Will Sue Sherrill For Defamation After NJ Governor Debate

Jack Ciattarelli says he is suing Mikie Sherrill over comments she made at this week’s gubernatorial debate in New Jersey.

Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate, and Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, squared off at the final debate of the 2025 governor election on Wednesday. In addition to clashing over issues such as taxes, energy bills, housing and transportation, the two candidates lobbed several fiery accusations at each other.

>> Read More: 5 Takeaways From NJ Governor Debate: ‘Shame On You,’ Candidates Rage

During the debate, Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of misleading people about the dangers of opioid drug abuse when he served as owner of a publishing firm, which he sold in 2017. The allegations first surfaced when Ciattarelli ran against Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021.

“I think you’re trying to divert from the fact that you killed tens of thousands of people by printing your misinformation, your propaganda, and then getting paid to develop an app so that people could more easily get the opioids once they were addicted,” Sherrill said.

The accusation got an indignant reply from Ciattarelli, who called it a “lie” in remarks to reporters after the debate.

Now, Ciattarelli says he intends to sue Sherrill for defamation.

“In a time where political violence and violent rhetoric are becoming all too prevalent, Mikie Sherrill baselessly and recklessly accusing a political opponent of mass murder in a televised debate crosses the line,” a campaign spokesperson for Ciattarelli said.

According to fact-checking website, PolitiFact, there is no evidence that Ciattarelli “killed” anyone.

A spokesperson for Sherrill responded to Ciattarelli’s announcement by accusing him of trying to distract attention away from his role with the company.

“Jack has still not addressed anything about this company he ran, he still has not addressed that app he was paid to develop, because instead he's trying to divert from any accountability, and this is pretty typical of Jack Ciattarelli,” Sherrill’s camp claimed.

The general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Early in-person voting will take place from Oct. 25 to Nov. 2.

The voter registration deadline for the general election is Oct. 14. Check to see if you’re registered here, and register to vote here. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

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