Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis is asking Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, his June 10th primary opponent, for a debate for the second time in eight days, with the response nearly identical to what it was last week.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“This is simple, Frank. Come out from behind your bosses and handlers and face the people you want to serve,” Davis said in a statement.
“Your record over these last decades is indefensible and it’s time you are held to account. Sending Lenny from Connecticut to do your dirty work doesn’t get you a free pass.”
The Peninsula City mayor is referring to a May 10th meet and greet at a North Bergen liquor store where he was paid a visit by Leroy Truth, who real name is Leonard Filipowski, who asked him about court cases often discussed by Schillari during the campaign.
“Unfortunately, Schillari’s handlers have no positives they can point towards in the Sheriff’s almost thirty years in a leadership position, so they continue to resort to their gutter politics and Trump-style tactics,” Davis added.
Filipowski, who has previously said he is not a paid political operative, deferred comment to Schillari, who said through campaign spokesman Paul Swibinski that he would be happy to debate once Davis discloses text messages and discovery.
Specifically, related to Stacie Percella, who received a $450,000 settlement for two cases, one involving Davis allegedly sending her sexually explicit text messages and another that alleged a hostile work environment and sexual harassment from a former colleague and her former boss during the Mark Smith administration.
The other involved ex-Bayonne City Hall worker Sincerrae Ross, who received a $500,00 jury award for a hostile work environment on May 1st that was vacated by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Espinales-Maloney on May 5th, both as HCV first reported.
In both instances, Davis was dismissed as a defendant.
Swibinski also cited a pending gender discrimination suit filed by former Bayonne Business Administrator Melissa Mathews as another reason why Davis is not fit to be sheriff.
“We again call on Mayor Davis to direct the Bayonne Law Department to immediately release all documents, discovery, depositions, emails, text messages, and photographs related to these sexual harassment cases against him and his administration,” he stated.
“These documents will show that Davis admitted sending these disgusting messages. That’s why Davis refuses to release them. Show us the documents Jimmy and let’s have a real debate.”
Frank is too afraid to debate and his own agency refuses to endorse him. That should tell the public everything they need to know about his leadership.
Jimmy Davis was, is, and always will be an absolute scumbag. The lowest of the HCDO low
Frank the “Rug” speaks out against political patronage and nepotism, yet he seems to overlook the current state of his own department. He is the only sheriff in HC who has begun hiring Sheriff Investigators, a political title that circumvents civil service regulations.
A quick glance at his political contributions filed with the Election Commission reveals much: Election Commission Contributions. https://www.njelecefilesearch.com/SearchContributionByContributor
Moreover, he has not been transparent with his voters about the number of harassment complaints filed during his administration, nor the retaliation faced by employees who lack political connections.
How can he claim to protect victims of sexual harassment, when he has failed to safeguard victims within his own administration? Don’t just take my word for it—this is a matter of public record. This has a cost eventually to the taxpayers.