Lumberton Deputy Mayor Gina LaPlaca, who is on the ballot this year, was arrested on Friday night for assaulting her husband, political activist Jason Carty.
Carty, a government affairs consultant, was also arrested in the incident, which occurred in their home around 11:30 PM.
LaPlaca has faced domestic violence allegations involving different relationships over the years, although what appeared in police reports at the time is disputed by Carty.
An incident report filed in 2017 revealed a verbal argument after “LaPlaca arrived home intoxicated,” police records show. Carty, then her boyfriend, left the house they shared with his young son voluntarily.
Carty told the New Jersey Globe that he was “the bad guy in that incident.”
“I was the one at fault. We were both drinking,” Carty said. “While Gina was in college, she was the victim of domestic violence by her boyfriend. She is a domestic violence survivor.”
Carty had also reported a previous domestic violence incident involving LaPlaca, but he also disputes that.
“I never reported any domestic violence incidents. The police came to the house for an argument and no was charged and no allegations were made,” he said. “I was the bad guy in that incident and I agreed to leave the house at the time.”
LaPlaca and her running mate, Terrance Benson, face Republicans Mark Galey and Christopher Tommins in the November 7 general election.
Benson did not immediately respond to a text message sent to his cell phone.
A former Assembly staffer and lobbyist, LaPlaca was the Democratic nominee for State Assembly in the 8th district in 2019. She is the Neptune Township administrator. It’s not immediately clear if the charges against LaPlaca will result in her suspension from her post, which includes supervision of the local police department. Mayor Keith Cafferty declined to comment.
LaPlaca, a former mayor, and Carty are due to appear in court on November 20, although her position as deputy mayor will likely necessitate a change in venue.
“In both this most recent incident and in 2017, I was unequivocally the victim – of first verbal and then physical abuse at the hands of my partner. Sadly these are not my only experiences with domestic violence – I suffered brutal physical and sexual abuse for nearly nine months at the hands of a man I dated during law school – he was ultimately convicted of assault after I ended the relationship and he broke into my apartment to attack me,” LaPlaca said. “I am appalled and disgusted that anyone would use my history as a DV survivor against me for political gain, and it is truly despicable that victim-shaming is still in vogue in 2023. Situations like this are why so many victims are afraid to come forward.”
Carty made the following statement early Sunday evening.
This story was updated at 5:47 PM with comment from LaPlaca and at 6:02 PM from Carty.