Ex-candidates unsure if they'll take case to court Say primary winner Bolte has not met legal residency requirements BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer KEYPORT - Two politically active men are threatening to go to court to have their former rival barred from the upcoming election. On Sept. 5, Angel Matos and Terry Musson announced they plan to seek an injunction barring Democratic Borough Council candidate Christian Bolte from the November ballot. Convinced the candidate has not lived in the borough long enough to run for public office, Matos and Musson, who lost to Bolte in the spring Democratic primary, have hired East Brunswick attorney Theodore Sliwinski to represent them regarding the matter. "I've reviewed the law and it's clearly in violation," Sliwinski said on Monday afternoon. But so far, no papers have been filed, and according to Bolte, there never will be. "I'll eat cow tongue if they do," Bolte said jokingly on Monday. Bolte said the men have no intention of suing but are simply trying to make her look bad in the newspaper. "They could have done it in May or April before the primary," Bolte said, adding it only costs about $300 to file a complaint in court. Even Sliwinski said he was not sure if the men were ready "to invest" in the matter. "I don't know if they want to take it to the next level," Sliwinski said. Musson confirmed on Monday that cost is a factor. "It's a money thing," Musson said, "and if you take it to court, by the time anything's done, everything's over." In August, Sliwinski sent letters to both the borough clerk and county election commissioner, threatening to file an injunction order. On Monday, Sliwinski said he received a response from Keyport Clerk Allyson Cinquegrana, saying the borough stands by its decision. "If you look at the law, the clerk is wrong," Sliwinski said. He added, "She's not even close to a year," referring to the 12-month residency requirement. But Bolte maintains she is qualified to run. A life-long resident and graduate of Keyport High School, Bolte also co-owns a downtown gift shop. She moved out of town several years ago but recently moved back. In October 2005, Bolte became the contract-buyer for a home in Keyport but did not close on the home until January 2006, according to documents provided by Bolte. "It is my hometown," Bolte said. "It's a shame that in my attempt to do public service this is what happens." And although Bolte and the men disagree over what constitutes legal residency, a public and/or lawful ruling has yet to be determined, largely due to bureaucratic red tape. In July, Cinquegrana said the men had missed the deadline to make complaints, and that "there is nothing in my capacity as clerk to do." At the time, Borough Attorney John Wisniewski said that Bolte had lived in town long enough to run but that even if she hadn't, two other New Jersey lawsuits could be cited to prove the requirement was unconstitutional and therefore not necessary. "It's on the books but it's not enforceable," Wisniewski said in July.