A New Jersey councilwoman who apologized for anti-Semitic comments in 2019 is being told to resign after reportedly calling Trenton’s first openly gay mayor a “pedophile” and other derogatory names during an outburst, numerous sources reported.
Councilwoman Robin Vaughn, who is a Democrat according to her Twitter bio, went on a vulgar diatribe against Mayor Reed Gusciora during a nearly one-hour call intended to update legislators on the number of coronavirus cases in the state, the Trentonian reported Saturday.
“Continue to suck Reed Gusciora’s d**k all you want to, motherf**ker,” she said according to audio reviewed by the Trentonian.
After Gusciora asked her to name one of the capital city’s “do-nothing” organizations she criticized on Twitter, Vaughn began hurling slurs and curse words, calling him a “pedopile” and accused another city official of performing a sex act on Gusciora.
Trentonians, let’s focus on Mayor @gusciora fueling of the grant monies to those “do nothing nonprofit organizations” run by his friends. Keep your eyes on the CDBG and ESG funding the City received from the CARES Act. This funding is to help the City with the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/ncuasAYzOI
— Robin M Vaughn (@trentonwestward) May 3, 2020
She also referred to him as a “woman” and “bitch ass,” and suggested that the only thing Gusciora brought to City Hall was “a bunch of young boys, and they’re sitting up there in the mayor’s suite.”
Vaughn had also faced censure after defending anti-Semitic statements made by Council President Kathy McBride in September, who said “I’m sad for her that they were able to wait her out and Jew her down for $22,000 with pins in her knee that can never, ever be repaired,” referring to a legal settlement. (RELATED: Ilhan Omar To Join Black-Jewish Caucus Despite Repeated Allegations Of Anti-Semitism)
After initially defending McBride, Vaughn apologized and said, “My comments were wrong. Never was it my intention to hurt, disrespect or demean anyone when I described a racial slur or its usage, as a verb.”
Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s office condemned “the hateful and homophobic comments made by Councilwoman Vaughn in the strongest terms,” according to NJ.com.
“Hateful language is never acceptable, and audio of the Trenton conference call demonstrates multiple parties engaging in an inappropriate and deeply troubling exchange,” the statement added, also requesting Vaughn “resign immediately.”
Democratic Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker also called on Vaughn to resign, the former calling the language she used “downright reprehensible” and the latter saying she has shown a “pattern of intolerance that has no place in Trenton City Council,” according to NJ.com.
Vaughn did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.