GOP Mayor Removed From Office By Own Party, Here’s Why

A mayor in a small New Jersey town was removed from office for objecting to raising the Pride flag at town hall.

Rochelle Park Mayor Perrin Mosca, a Republican, was ‘censured and removed’ from his position after council members from both parties unanimously voted for his removal.

“It all stems from a contentious May 24 Rochelle Park Council meeting when Mosca objected to the town flying a Pride flag outside of town hall for Pride Month,” News 12 reports.

The township committee that voted for Mosca’s removal is made up of majority Republicans.

It was never about toleration but always about forced participation and celebration.

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— Julian Paul (@TN_Bound) June 21, 2023

“A majority had agreed that as a township we would not put up any flags that singled out one group over another group. That should have been the end of the issue,” Mosca said.

News 12 reports:

But instead, it was the end of the line for the Republican mayor, and last week the three other Republicans on the committee joined the lone Democrat who promoted the Pride flag – Councilwoman Linda Boniface – to force Mosca out of the mayor’s chair. Those Republican council members have also accused Mosca of missing council meetings.

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Mosca is still on the ballot for November but will be running for office without support from the Rochelle Park GOP.

Rochelle Park residents had differing opinions surrounding the controversy over the Pride flag.

“That’s not right, everybody’s entitled to their opinion. I say live and let live but everybody has a right to their opinion,” said one resident.

Republican New Jersey Mayor Ousted From Office By Own Party for Objecting to Pride Flag Being Flown Outside Town Hall https://t.co/lCfLHvOEB1

— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) June 20, 2023

“Mosca has embarrassed the township and brought its governance to a screeching halt, threatening two decades of progress,” said Republican municipal chairman Frank Valenzuela.

“Unfortunately, he used his position to create a negative atmosphere guided by his personal ideals versus what is best for the residents of Rochelle Park,” he added.

New Jersey Globe added:

A venomous split between Republicans in Rochelle Park led to the censure and removal of Perrin Mosca as mayor on Wednesday and the withdrawal of GOP party support for his re-election campaign, after calling some elected officials “not good Catholics” for supporting the raising of a rainbow flag during Pride Month and then threatening colleagues who disagreed with him.

cont.

The township committee voted 4-0 to pull the mayoralty from Mosca – Democrat Linda Boniface joined three Republicans; Deputy Mayor Jennifer Appice will serve as acting mayor until a vote for a new mayor can be held at the governing body’s next meeting.

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Valenzuela said Mosca has not been to a meeting since last month.

“Rochelle Park Republicans have always governed as common-sense conservatives,” Valenzuela said. “When I supported Mosca in 2020, I believed he understood and knew the role he was nominated for and believed in the values of good government, common sense, and the best interest of the residents and the township.”

Instead, Valenzuela said he can’t support Mosca for a second term.

The infighting among Republicans could result in Democratic control after the November election. Republicans have a 4-1 majority on the township committee, but three of their seats are on the ballot this year. Mosca and Appice, face Democrats Teresa Judge Cravello and Jorge Martinez and Joseph Scarpa, a former Republican mayor who is running as an independent. In a special election for an unexpired term, Republican Robert Marut is up against Democrat Thomas Miller.

You can watch the May 24th Rochelle Park public township committee meeting below: