Keith Hahn is being sued by the party's own lawyer. Hahn argues that she's the former lawyer. Watch video
EDISON -- The Edison Democratic chairman is being sued right now, but it's unclear whom he'll turn to for advice, because the plaintiff is his legal adviser.
Or maybe that's his former adviser.
Bhavini Shah had served in the unpaid attorney position for for the Edison Democratic Organization, helping advise the party on legal issues. But Keith Hahn, who became the Democratic chairman in June after beating the establishment's pick, told Shah that her services were no longer required -- she'd missed three meetings, Hahn said, and had therefore resigned.
Shah disagreed, saying Hahn never told her about the meetings, and that the committee, not the chairman, has to remove her.
The dispute illustrates the rifts that remain in the Edison Democratic Organization, which has chewed through four mayors in the last four mayoral terms, helping add to unpredictability and dysfunction in the state's fifth-largest town. Another race for the chairmanship is coming up soon, and one of the people urging Shah on in her efforts to fight Hahn -- Lankey administration aide Anthony Russomanno -- might try to unseat him in June.
"Put simply, I don't think that the Edison Democratic Organization is a one-man operation," Shah said. "The chairman making a decision and cowboying this entire organization is not fair to the committee-people."
Hahn, on the other hand, said Monday that the issue is nothing but a distraction.
"There's people who can't get out of their driveways because they haven't seen a plow truck in three days and these idiots are wasting everyone's time and energy on this nonsense," Hahn said. "Unfortunately for the tax-paying public, some people don't think the rules apply to them. That's the culture I'm determined to change."
Shah also has the support of Councilwoman Sapana Shah -- no relation.
"Given Bhavini's solid professional reputation and her high regard in our community, it's unconscionable for anyone to demand her resignation let alone try to terminate her from a voluntary position," said Councilwoman Shah, who is also a committee member.
After Hahn told Bhavini Shah that she'd been terminated, Shah sent a letter to members of the committee, saying that Hahn had told her he wanted someone "more in line with his thinking." Shah said that's not what a lawyer is for.
In response, Hahn thanked Shah for her services but said that she needed to stop using the organization's letterhead.
Both sent copies of the organization's bylaws to bolster their case. It's right there, they said, in plain English.
Shah isn't seeking any money, but instead for the court to intervene and declare that she's still the organization's attorney.
In June last year, Hahn, a patrolman in the police department, beat Russomanno by a committee vote of 66 to 64. Russomanno might try for a rematch. Local attorney Michael F. Lombardi, the father of a current councilman, has also been discussed as a possible candidate for the position.
The chairman runs meetings and sets the tone for the party; this year, the local organization is trying to come together to come up with a consensus candidate for a possible state Assembly and Senate campaign, if Sen. Peter Barnes becomes a judge. If the party is fractured and can't come together on a candidate, the district's largest town might lose out yet again in having statehouse representation.
If this new lawsuit is any indication, unity is still very much an open question.
Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
