A Republican State Assembly candidate for the 38th District, who initially dropped out of the race over a slur-filled book he authored, responded to the controversy at a campaign forum Wednesday night.
A view of the state Assembly chambers at the Statehouse in Trenton as Gov. Chris Christie gives the State of the State Address in January. (Amanda Marzullo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
"I'm going to get right to it and address the 800-pound gorilla in the room," said Anthony Cappola, the only Republican to attend. "In my 20s as a young comedian, I wrote a raunchy, insensitive, often hurtful satirical book."
Cappola said he was not a bigot despite the language in his self-published book "Outrageous."
"I say comedian not to try and get me a pass," he added. "I am a comedian now and I was then, but I chose to write that book and I take full responsibility for it."
"I don't hate Asians," Cappola said. "I don't hate gay people."
The other Republican candidate, Mark DiPisa, did not attend the forum. In a statement read by the League of Women Voters moderator, DiPisa criticized Democrats for showing up at the Paramus High School forum.
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"They chose to validate his candidacy and his views by sharing the stage with him," DiPisa's statement said, referring to the Democrats.
While Cappola spent much of his opening statement addressing the book, Democratic incumbents Joseph Lagana and Tim Eustace never referred to the controversy.
Most of the debate focused on policy issues, including the school funding formula, pensions, transportation funding, taxes and flood control.
The candidates were asked why Republicans did not vote to overturn vetoes by Gov. Chris Christie. Cappola said he "wasn't in the room" and didn't know why lawmakers didn't override the governor on Port Authority transparency legislation.
"That's on their conscience," Cappola added. "That's what they thought was the best thing to do."
Lagana said Christie had a hold over the GOP caucus.
"I can tell you exactly why they didn't vote to override the veto; because they were told not to," he said.
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Republican lawmakers have been unwilling to go against Christie on bipartisan bills, the Democrat added.
"What we have seen since [Christie's] presidential aspirations is that he's more likely to do what's good for people in the Midwest and elsewhere than what's good for people in New Jersey," Lagana said, referring to a gun control bill.
Eustace said he and his fellow Democrat were not party-line voters.
"We stand up for our constituencies and sometimes that gets us in trouble, but it's worth it," Eustace said.
Cappola, a former teacher, called for reforms to the state school funding formula to help lessen the tax burden on suburban districts.
"We have a spending problem," Cappola said. "Not a revenue problem."
Lagana and Eustace also called for changes to school funding. Eustace said the governor should fully fund local districts.
"We support additional funding for our schools and unfortunately it's been cut out of the budget," Lagana said.
The candidates all said they supported funding Planned Parenthood for women's health services, but Cappola said more transparency was needed in the organization.
The 38th District is considered one race where Republicans could pick up seats in the State Assembly.
Cappola said Oct. 1 that he was dropping out of the race after a report by POLITICO New Jersey detailed the candidate's 2003 book.
The deadline to remove Cappola's name from the ballot had already passed and Republicans filed a lawsuit to replace him with Oradell attorney Fernando Alonso. The party dropped its effort over the $200,000 cost.
Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
