New Jersey Councilwoman Apologizes For Profanity-Laced Tirade
MAHWAH, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) - A northern New Jersey councilwoman has apologized for a profanity-laced tirade aimed at the mayor that included two middle fingers that was streamed live online. But the finger pointing over who was at fault continues.
Mahwah Councilwoman Lisa DiGiulio on Thursday night apologized for her "extremely unprofessional'' conduct at the council meeting three weeks ago. She said she has never done anything like that and she told more than two dozen high school students who attended the meeting that it's not the way to act.
DiGiulio told The Record newspaper she still feels threatened by Mayor Bill Laforet and will apologize to him when he apologizes to her.
Laforet was silent during the meeting. But he told the newspaper the events "were disgraceful.''
"I don't think anyone would agree that that's the appropriate behavior in a council meeting," Laforet said in March.
Councilman Steve Sbarra said council members were all pretty upset that the mayor fired Public Works Director Ed Sinclair, who was Laforet's political opponent three years ago. When they wanted to reinstate him, the mayor suggested some had a conflict of interest because they were political allies.
Sinclair was fired by Laforet over pornography found on a Department of Public Works computer. Council President John Roth said the members just didn't think there was proof Sinclair was responsible for it, CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported.
Recall Petition Looks To Re-Examine Firing Of Mahwah Public Works Director
Laforet said Sinclair had a "core support" on the council, which voted Sinclair back into his job.
As WCBS 880's Levon Putney reported, the town clerk has certified a recall petition to get Sinclair his job back and Laforet thinks he should get it early next week.
"The process allows me to respond with a 200-word response," he told Putney.
But the council isn't the only ones fighting to get Sinclair his job back. Dr. Annette Freund is not on council and is leading the effort to get 4,000 signatures to get the recall question on the November ballot.
"It's not a story about porn, it's a story about him [Laforet] and years of mismanagement and poor decisions," Freund said.
She suspects the firing of the director was payback, not over alleged porn and says that was the last straw.
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