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New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli reaffirmed his plans to sue his Democratic opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, over her allegedly defamatory claim that he contributed to the deaths of “tens of thousands of New Jerseyans” during the opioid crisis.
“It’s a baseless, reckless lie,” Ciattarelli said Tuesday on “America’s Newsroom.”
“I just got approval yesterday from the regulators that we can go ahead with our lawsuit immediately, which is what I plan to do. … We’re not going to tolerate that kind of lie. The whole campaign has been based on a stack of lies.”
Ciattarelli made his initial legal threat after a debate earlier this month, when Sherrill fired off the accusation that he “made his millions” by “working with some of the worst offenders and saying that opioids were safe.”
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, left, during an interview in New York on May 2, 2025. Jack Ciattarelli, right, speaks during an election night event in Bridgewater Township, N.J., on Nov. 3, 2021. (Victor J. Blue/Getty Images (left); Mark Kauzlarich/Getty Images (right))
“[He was] putting out propaganda, publishing their propaganda while tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died,” Sherrill said at the time.
“And as if that wasn’t enough, then he was paid to develop an app so that people who are addicted could more easily get access to opioids. And so as he made millions, as these opioid companies made billions, tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died,” she added.
Ciattarelli fired back, accusing Sherrill of showing apathy toward the fentanyl crisis related to illegal immigration under the Biden administration.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli, left, looks on as Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill speaks during the final debate in the New Jersey governor’s race on Oct. 8, 2025, in New Brunswick, N.J. (Heather Khalifa/AP)
Ciattarelli’s campaign strategist, Chris Russell, released a statement shortly after the debate announcing the legal action, prompting a response from Sherrill campaign communications director Sean Higgins:
“Jack’s reaction is to hide behind a lawsuit, not to take responsibility. What’s reckless and irresponsible is Jack Ciattarelli making millions of dollars profiting off the pain of New Jerseyans — publishing misinformation about the dangers of opioid addiction and developing an app to coach patients to ask doctors for more drugs,” Higgins argued.
“As he was making millions, the Big Pharma companies made billions, and tens of thousands of New Jerseyans died. He is clearly unfit to lead and protect this state, and owes the people of New Jersey answers,” he added.
Sherrill also doubled down on the claims during a press conference about the opioid epidemic.
“So you heard it, Jack made millions,” she said. “The opioid companies made billions, and thousands of New Jerseyans were dying.”
When pressed by a reporter on whether she believed Ciattarelli was personally responsible for the opioid deaths, she said, “I think we’ve laid out the case that Jack is complicit with these opioid companies, in league with these opioid companies.”
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When pressed again, she replied, “I think he is right there with the people that again paid billions of dollars, so I think that the line is pretty clear.”
Ciattarelli’s pursuit of a defamation case comes as the contentious New Jersey governor’s race enters its final week before Election Day.
Ciattarelli pointed to past Republican success in New Jersey’s gubernatorial races, noting that GOP candidates often come close or win narrowly in their first attempts, and said he believes he has a shot at victory.
“A win is a win, and I believe we’re going to come out victorious,” he said.
Fox News’ Peter Pinedo, Greg Norman and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
