NJ Lawmakers Sen. Lautenberg, Rep. Holt Settle Lawsuit By Former Election Worker

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The campaigns of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg and Rep. Rush Holt have paid $39,000 to settle a lawsuit by a former election worker who was fired for hiring blacks to campaign in predominantly white neighborhoods.

Angela Genova, a lawyer for both campaigns, confirmed the settlement, which showed up in recently filed campaign finance documents for the New Jersey Democrats. The deal was first reported by The Star-Ledger of Newark.

Genova called the lawsuit "baseless" and "frivolous."

In the suit, Christopher Natsuk said he was fired for hiring black canvassers to go door-to-door for the candidates during their 2008 re-election campaigns in parts of Holt's 12th Congressional District in central New Jersey.

Natsuk says he was told the workers he hired were "demographically undesirable."

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