Drunk driving ex-NJ mayor, husband forged signatures to get on Democratic primary ballot: prosecutors

A disgraced ex-New Jersey mayor — who was busted for driving drunk with her toddler in the car — and her husband allegedly forged supporters’ signatures to get her name on the Democratic primary ballot before she lost in a landslide.Lumberton Township Committeewoman Gina LaPlaca and Jason Carty were charged with fraudulently getting the 47-year-old politician on the ballot as part of her reelection bid in the south-central New Jersey municipality, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office announced Tuesday.The troublesome couple, who both “collected signatures,” allegedly put people’s names on a nominating petition supporting LaPlaca and signed for them without their consent ahead of the June 3 primary vote.Multiple individuals who appeared to support the controversial politician told investigators they did not sign or authorize anyone to endorse LaPlaca’s run on their behalf, officials said.LaPlaca signed the petition swearing she “personally circulated the petition [and] that such petition was signed by each of the signers thereof in his/her own handwriting.”Carty then submitted the falsified petition to the Lumberton Township clerk.Officials did not reveal how many signatures the couple forged, but specified LaPlaca wouldn’t have made the ballot without them.“Without the fraudulent signatures, the investigation revealed, LaPlaca’s petition would have lacked the requisite number of signatures required to be a candidate for the primary,” the county prosecutor’s office said.LaPlaca, who was one of three candidates vying for two spots in the Democratic primary, garnered a measly 323 votes, finishing dead last.She was effortlessly defeated by current Mayor Terrance Benson and former committeewoman Kendra Hatfield, who received 1,100 and 1,052 votes, respectively.LaPlaca was charged by summons with Making a False Statement Under Oath, Knowingly Filing a False Petition, two counts of Tampering with Public Records or Information and Falsifyi...