WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ — In the theater of politics, betrayal often wears a smile, and subversion rarely announces itself. Sometimes the most dangerous deception isn’t an outright lie — it’s a performance, rehearsed and executed with precision. This is the story of Jarrett Branch, Jack Ciatarelli, Mike Crispi, Mike Byrne, and Mario Kranjac — and the game of subversion that they played with the trust, the truth, and the loyalty of the America First voters in New Jersey.
Jarrett Branch once stood at the right hand of Jack Ciattarelli, managing his campaign in previous election cycles and carrying the banner of his ambitions. When Jack lost in 2021, the story on the surface was simple: blame the manager, move on. But that was the cover story. Beneath the surface, the two were still aligned — and together, they plotted a strategy for 2025.
Their plan hinged on misdirection. In public, Jarrett distanced himself from Jack. He grumbled about strategy, claimed disillusionment, and most importantly, appeared to shift his support to another candidate: Mario Kranjac. Jarrett didn’t just nod at Mario from a distance — he signed his petition, praised him in public, and used his respected role within a supposedly nonpartisan organization, TP USA Faith, to validate Mario’s campaign.
But it was all a mirage.
This wasn’t just political maneuvering — it was subversion. Jarrett’s endorsement of Mario was never real. It was bait. The goal was to fracture the opposition — to siphon off enough votes from the rising grassroots energy challenging Jack, and weaken it just enough to give Jack a path to victory.
Along the way, failed operative and fake candidate Mike Bryne and Mike Crispi lent their voice and platform to help Jarrett promote Mario. Whether successfully or not, Mike and Mike amplified Mario’s message, helping to legitimize the decoy campaign and draw the attention of America First voters away from Jack’s strongest challenger, Bill Spadea.
There was even some collateral damage. People like conservative campaign manager Ariana Brown and perennial congressional candidate Billy Prempeh were reduced to the role of pawn or useful-idiot puppets when they signed petitions for Mario.
Then, right before the election, Jarrett made his move. The mask came off. The betrayal was complete. He officially endorsed Jack once again, hoping to unify just enough support to carry their scheme across the finish line.
The damage was done. Trust was exploited, the system was gamed, and voters — especially those who believed in the integrity of TP USA Faith — were left licking their wounds.
This tale is a stark reminder: not all betrayals happen with a knife in the back. Some come with applause, endorsements, and the careful choreography of political theater. But at their core, they are still betrayals — of trust, of principle, and of the people’s right to honest leadership.
