The campaign is considering a lawsuit alleging that those who signed may not have known that DeStefano was unaffiliated with a formal tea-party group, according to Runyan's campaign consultant, Chris Russell.
The research did unearth one nugget. Marshall Spevak of Cherry Hill signed one of DeStefano's petitions. Spevak lives just doors from Adler, and was active in Adler's freshman House campaign in 2008. His father, Eric, has contributed to Adler campaigns and is an administrative law judge for the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Neither returned calls for comment.
According to Runyan's forces, Spevak's signature is evidence that Adler is behind the DeStefano candidacy. It's a cynical, underhanded move intended to scuttle Runyan, they say.
Adler's forces deny that they propped up DeStefano, who - like Runyan - is a first-time candidate.
DeStefano "is a fraudulent Trojan horse candidate who ended up on the ballot with significant help from Democrat operatives close to Congressman John Adler," Runyan's campaign contended in a statement.
Without proof that Adler and DeStefano are in cahoots, the campaign has used the court of public opinion to attack DeStefano.
"What I don't get about this is, who cares?" DeStefano said last week. "I have every right, as an American citizen, to run for any office I want."
He said an acquaintance of one of his son's friends had circulated the petition that Spevak signed. He was unable to produce the acquaintance for an interview with The Inquirer.
In a tight race, a third-party candidate can suck just enough votes from a major-party contender to tip the result.
