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Councilwoman Robin Vaughn, who represents Trenton's West Ward, exploded into a screaming 10-minute tirade Saturday during a conference call with other city officials about the coronavirus outbreak, according to multiple media reports.
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 of Trenton released audio of the call on Sunday and its authenticity was confirmed to NJ Advance Media by two city officials who were on the call.
"I have zero tolerance for it,'' New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said during Tuesday's daily COVID-19 briefing.
Grewal said he has to speak in general terms since his office would likely be asked to investigate the conversation.
Gov. Phil Murphy, who called for Vaughn's immediate resignation, said her profane comments are "totally unacceptable."
“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 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 American
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