Donald Cresitello is an American politician who served as the
mayor of Morristown, New Jersey from 1977 to 1981 and again from 2006 to 2010.
Career
U.S. Senate
Cresitello launched a campaign for
1982 United States Senate election in New Jersey. He dropped out of the race on May 27 but remained on the June 8 Democratic primary ballot.
Cresitello again ran in Democratic primary for the
2008 United States Senate election in New Jersey against incumbent
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...
Frank Lautenberg
Frank Raleigh Lautenberg (; January 23, 1924 June 3, 2013) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as United States Senator from New Jersey from 1982 to 2001, and again from 2003 until his death in 2013. He was ori ...
, which he subsequently lost, receiving only 10% of the vote.
[Official results for 2008 primary elections, New Jersey Division of Elections]
PDF
, July 11, 2008) He garnered 19,743 votes, or 5.7% of those cast in a field of three. which he subsequently lost, receiving only 10% of the vote.
Mayor
In 1997 Cresitillo switched to the Republican party but lost the mayoral primary to Jay Delaney.
He went on to win the Morristown mayoral election against Scott Whitenack in 2005.
On June 2, 2009 Cresitello lost a Democratic primary challenge from Morristown's zoning board chairman Tim Dougherty.
Freeholder
In 2013 Cresitillo ran in the primary for Freeholder of
Morris County. He did not expect to win since voters normally elect Republicans to the Board.
Immigration policy
Cresitello gained national attention in a controversy regarding
Immigration reduction in the United States
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...
and use of
Immigration and Nationality Act Section 287(g)
Section 287(g) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deputize selected state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law. Section 287(g) allows the DHS and law ...
.
He had been active in reducing the presence of
illegal immigrant
Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...
s in Morristown. He attempted to have police officers deputized as immigration officers. He asked federal authorities to assist local police in cracking down on illegal immigration in the town and on employers that hired illegal immigrants. He wrote a letter to then-United States attorney
Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
in this effort. In 2007, a rally at which he spoke saw violence and arrests. in his attempts to have local law enforcement officials coordinate with federal authorities is consistent with
Section 287(g) of the
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cresitello, Donald
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
Politicians from Morristown, New Jersey
New Jersey Democrats
Mayors of Morristown, New Jersey
20th-century mayors of places in New Jersey
21st-century mayors of places in New Jersey