Jerry Speziale says his Independent slate will fight Passaic County's 'party bosses'

For his upcoming primary battle against the Passaic County Democratic Organization, former Sheriff Jerry Speziale has called in backup.

He announced that a full slate of county commission candidates have joined his ticket for sheriff in the June 4 primary to oppose the candidates supported by party boss John Currie and other Democratic Organization leaders. The slate called “Team Speziale Democrats for Passaic County” includes Sean Duffy of Wayne and Paterson residents Derya Taskin and Pedro Liranzo.

“Our entire team believes in a Passaic County that works for everyone, and not just the whims of the county machine bosses,” said Speziale, the Paterson public safety director. “New Jersey needs to wake up and stop letting a few party bosses dictate to them, and our team is running in this election to bring real representation to the people of Passaic County.”

Speziale's ticket will be up against a slate fronted by Thomas Adamo, a chief in the Sheriff's Office. That ticket includes longtime Commissioners Cassandra "Sandi" Lazzara of Little Falls and John Bartlett of Wayne and newcomer Rodney De Vore of Paterson, a grade-level coordinator in the Office of Student Success for Passaic County Technical-Vocational Schools.

Duffy said he joined Speziale's slate because he believes in an "open, honest government that puts people first" and that he has issues with the current "party line" primary system that puts power in the hands of party bosses.

A former member of the Wayne Board of Education, Duffy is a captain in the Paterson Fire Department. He is also the son of longtime Passaic County Commissioner Terry Duffy, first elected to the board in 2004 and a prominent figure in Passaic County Democratic politics.

"I have been around public service my whole life and seen up close the difference we can make for people when we put their interests first instead of following along with the political machine," Duffy said.

Taskin, the chief executive officer of Paterson's Taskin Bakery, is a Turkish immigrant and the board president of Paterson's Museum and its public library. A former deputy mayor in Paterson, she is also an executive committee member for the National Coalition of Turkish-American Women Political Action Committee.

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Also an immigrant, Liranzo came to Paterson from the Dominican Republic in 1992. A small-business owner, Liranzo formerly served as the city’s chief transportation inspector. Like Taskin, he was also once Paterson's deputy mayor.

“It’s clear that our Hispanic community needs more representation in county government, and I’m running to become that voice,” he said. “For too long, the county party has ignored the needs of our community. I am running because we need a stronger voice that comes from all ethnic groups so that all the people of Passaic County are represented, and I know that with Jerry Speziale’s leadership, we will accomplish those goals.”

Both candidates for sheriff have been racking up endorsements in recent weeks, while also facing criticism from opponents for their past Republican ties. Adamo, who until recently was a registered Republican, has been gaining endorsements from elected Democrats in Passaic County municipal governments and within the Sheriff's Office, according to releases from his campaign. Speziale, who endorsed Republican Rep. Dan Meuser while working as chief of police for the city of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, has been backed by a number of labor and trades groups- in the area.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jerry Speziale says his slate will fight Passaic County 'party bosses'