Jonathan Gomez Noriega, a former aide to Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop has filed a lawsuit agains the mayor and the city, claiming on social media that “the hammer of justice is coming.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“Today, I filed a lawsuit before the federal courts to show that no mayor, governor, or public servant is above the law. My First amendment [sic] right was violated. I was retaliated against, coerced, wrongfully fired, and humiliated by the Mayor of Jersey City Steven Fulop, and his staff,” he wrote on X.
“This is not about a job, or a political party. This is about our constitutional right to freedom of speech. Steven Fulop and the mayor’s office tried to use me as a political pawn to further his campaign for governor of New Jersey, but this only backfired tremendously, by bringing a national spotlight to the wrongs he had just committed. Like Elon Musk says, the hammer of justice is coming. So to all Americans. Speak the truth, and put God and family before anything.”
Gomez Noriega, who also served on the volunteer LGBTQ+ Task Force for the city, was terminated in August after he donated to his sister the campaign of his sister Valentina Gomez, who finished in sixth place in an eight person Republican primary field for the Missouri secretary of state.
Her campaign received some national attention for routinely posted social media videos attacking the LGBTQ+ community and Fulop and Gomez Noriega, who were close friends at the time, had a falling out after he refused to publicly denounce her.
Valentina Gomez warned that this would spurn a “huge lawsuit” at the time, but responding to a question from HCV just days later, Fulop did not express any concerns or regrets.
“I would got a step further John and say that his responsibilities in government, working in our office, where he was an at-will employee – meaning he didn’t have civil service protection, not union protection – was dealing with the diversity issues around Jersey City,” the mayor said on August 7th.
“Meaning that he could no longer fulfill that job because of a lack of trust, I feel pretty comfortable that we’re in an okay place. I feel certain we’re in an okay place legally, no issues on that.”
Today, Gomez decided to test that theory in federal court, filing a five-count, 37-page lawsuit in U.S. District Court, as The Record first reported.
“During Mr. Gomez’s employment, Mayor Fulop and other staff members frequently joked about Ms. Gomez’s social media posts and her conservative views on current American issues. Defendants were fully aware, even prior to the early August news reports, of Ms. Gomez’s political stances on these controversial issues and of Mr. Gomez’s support for her political campaign,” the lawsuit contends.
“Mr. Gomez made it known to Mayor Fulop and Jersey City employees that he disagreed with his sister’s political rhetoric but still chose to engage in protected activity by supporting his sister’s campaign as a Republican because they are family.”
While Gomez Noriega was initially removed from the LGBTQ+ Task Force, he was eventually fired, unlawfully, according to his lawyer, Giancarlo Ghione, as he wrote in the suit.
“Mayor Fulop wrongfully terminated Mr. Gomez for Mr. Gomez’s political support of Ms. Gomez’s political campaign in violation of Mr. Gomez’s right to political association,” the court filing asserts.
” … Throughout the course of Ms. Gomez’s campaign, [Chief of Staff John] Minella would play campaign videos of Ms. Gomez for the office to view while Metro would laugh at the video’s contents.”
Gomez Noriega, through the suit, also contends that he was used as a “political pawn” in Fulop’s pursuit of the governor’s seat, noting that he is running as a progressive Democrat and his termination came after County Executive Craig Guy, the chair of the county Democrats, called for him to be fired.
The lawsuit alleges retaliation against constitutionally protected free speech, civil rights violations, discrimination, defamation, and slander.
As a result, he is seeking compensatory, nominal, and punitive damages, as well as interest, costs of suit, attorneys’ fees, along with any other relief the court deems just and equitable.
“I don’t fear pedophiles, criminals & much less crooked politicians like @StevenFulop,” Valentina Gomez wrote on X today.
“Now New Jersey, and the whole world knows the kind of weak man that you are.
If it wasn’t for @X, nobody would know about this injustice, thank you @elonmusk
& @mayemusk”
City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione, who is a defendant in the suit, said the lawsuit is meritless, echoing Fulop’s sentiments from August.
“This lawsuit has no merit. Jonathan was an at-will employee, and part of his responsibilities were focused on the LGBTQ Community along with diversity and inclusion.” she said in a statement.
“Once he decided to partake in a hate-filled campaign, the community in Jersey City no longer wanted to work with him, making him unable to do his work responsibilities. It’s as simple as that, and we wish him luck in his next chapter.”
Valentina is repulsive scum who came in 6th. It’s clear the voters rejected her, so now she’s in it for the grift. Kind of like an even more detestable Kari Lake.
What ever happened to Mrs. Fulop’s contriversial cannabis biz in Hoboken ?