Two days after a Trenton councilwoman made homophobic remarks against the city’s mayor during an extended, profane rant on a coronavirus conference call, New Jersey’s top political leaders are calling for her resignation.
Councilwoman Robin Vaughn, who represents the West Ward in the capital city, exploded into a screaming 10-minute tirade Saturday during a conference call with other city officials about the coronavirus outbreak. Vaughn called Mayor Reed Gusciora a “pedophile” and accused another city official of performing a sex act on Trenton’s first openly gay mayor. She also referred to him as a “woman” and a “bitch a**.”
The city released audio of the call on Sunday and its authenticity was confirmed by two city officials who were on the call. NJ Advance Media did not publish the audio due to the explicit nature of its content.
“Hateful language is never acceptable, and audio of the Trenton conference call demonstrates multiple parties engaging in an inappropriate and deeply troubling exchange,” Alyana Alfaro, a spokesperson for Gov. Phil Murphy, said in a statement. “Governor Murphy condemns the hateful and homophobic comments made by Councilwoman Vaughn in the strongest terms.
“Our elected officials must be held to the highest standard and these remarks fly in the face of her office,” the statement continued. “The Governor believes she should resign immediately.”
Murphy’s call for Vaughn’s resignation was joined by U.S. Sens. Bob Menedez and Cory Booker.
“The language used during that meeting and on that recording is appalling, downright reprehensible and unfitting of anyone holding public office,” Menendez said in a statement. “Such hateful and homophobic rhetoric has no place in our public discourse and must be condemned in no uncertain terms.”
“From her previous defense of anti-Semitic rhetoric in 2019, to her hateful words used against the LGBTQ community this weekend, Councilwoman Vaughn has shown a pattern of intolerance that has no place on the Trenton City Council,” Booker said. “The sentiments she expressed are contrary to our values as New Jerseyans and as Americans.”
Vaughnhas not returned calls to her cell phone requesting comment on Sunday and Monday morning.
Friday, December 20, 2019 - Trenton Fire Department promotes 8 in a ceremony at City Hall. Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora delivers remarks.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Vaughn’s comments were also condemned by U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman.
“There’s no place for elected officials who hurl homophobic slurs," Coleman said. “It’s disgusting and the people of Trenton deserve better."
“Effective governance requires a level of mutual respect between individuals charged with representing members of the public. When a conversation devolves to the point that homophobic slurs and criminal allegations of child abuse are thrown around, when you disparage a colleague’s parents, governing is no longer possible," the statement said. "I am even more appalled at the perpetuation of completely ignorant stereotypes of the LGBTQ community by someone elected to lead. During a difficult time like this, the City of Trenton needs leadership that reflects the seriousness of the situation it finds itself in, not this.”
In an interview on Monday, Gusciora said Vaughn’s behavior is “completely unhinged and irrational” and reflects a pattern of conduct.
“This is just repeated behavior by her. At some point, it begs the question, when is enough?” Gusciora said.
The remarks by Vaughn on the call were prompted by a disagreement on ways to proceed with a $3 million in federal grants from the Community Development Block Grant Program.
Councilman Joe Harrison tried to intervene as Vaughn and Gusciora engaged in a heated debate, but he instead found himself in the cross-hairs.
Harrison called Vaughn a “crazy person” in which she replied: “Why don’t you go find your father, Joe Harrison?” an apparent reference to his absent father.
Harrison responded, “Be careful what you say, ugly."
The back-and-forth between Harrison and Vaughn continued for minutes. Harrison also called the councilwoman “Radioactive Robin,” an apparent remark about her sudden outbursts.
In an interview Sunday, Harrison said his use of the word “ugly” referred to Harrison’s behavior. He said her comments were “embarrassing” and “what the city of Trenton does not need.”
“I didn’t curse once, she didn’t stop cursing,” Harrison said, defending his role in the confrontation. “To me, personally, I take offense that you go after the mayor and make comments like that. Politicians should be working for the benefit of the community and not cursing people out. It’s totally crossing the line.”
Vaughn would eventually call the mayor a “pedophile” and also accuse Harrison of performing a sex act on Gusciora.
This isn’t the first time Vaughn has been the subject of controversy.
In September, after Council President Kathy McBride used the phrase “Jew her down” when referencing a city attorney, Vaughn swiftly defended McBride’s use of the anti-Semitic slur. Vaughn then issued an apology, calling her defense of the comments “an error of my judgment.”
The state’s most prominent advocacy group for the LGBTQ community, Garden State Equality, has also called on Vaughn to step down.
“Councilwoman Vaughn is unfit to serve the people of Trenton," Christian Fuscarino, the executive director of Garden State Equality, said in a statement. "There’s no need to parse words here: for her hateful anti-LGBTQ language and defending the anti-Semitic slurs of others, she must resign. Her words are an attack on the diversity of Trenton’s community, the city’s elected leadership, and our state as a whole. Any decent-minded New Jerseyan who believes in the success and future of our state’s capital should denounce this hateful rhetoric and call for her to step down immediately.”
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Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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