Vaughn called Mayor Gusciora a “pedophile” and said he brought “young boys” into City Hall
Washington, DC – Today LGBTQ Victory Fund, the only national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, demanded the resignation of Trenton City Councilwoman Robin Vaughn after she called the city’s openly LGBTQ Mayor Reed Gusciora a “pedophile” and claimed he brought “a bunch of young boys” to City Hall and that they are “sitting up there in the mayor’s suite.” She also said Mayor Gusciora and Councilmember Joe Harrison were not “real men” and “bitches” and that the councilmember “sucks the mayor’s dick.”*
The homophobic tirade by Vaughn occurred during a daily coronavirus briefing for Trenton city officials that quickly devolved into insults, according to The Trentonian. But Vaughn – who was heavily criticized last September for defending a councilmember who used an anti-Semitic slur – was vitriolic in attacking her colleagues.
Mayor Annise Parker, President & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Fund, released the following statement in calling for her resignation:
“Councilwoman Vaughn relied on the oldest and ugliest of stereotypes to launch her homophobic tirade against Mayor Gusciora – much as she did in defending anti-Semitic comments last September. It is now a pattern, and her use of and support of such hateful language proves she is entirely unfit to hold public office. As one of the few openly LGBTQ mayors in New Jersey and one of the first public officials to advocate for marriage equality, Mayor Gusciora has developed tough skin and will continue to lead. But for the many LGBTQ kids in the West Ward who already struggle to take pride in who they are, we call on Trenton city leaders to unite in demanding the resignation of Councilwoman Vaughn.”
“Trenton, like the rest of the nation, is in the midst of a pandemic and it is sad an important coronavirus briefing among elected officials would devolve into such pandemonium. The presiding officer had a duty to call Vaughn to order or recess the meeting when she launched her screaming tirade, her colleagues had a responsibility to end the quorum until civility was restored, and the Mayor should have tempered his response. But what is clear is that Vaughn is toxic and unfit to serve in an elective body.”
Garden State Equality, New Jersey’s statewide LGBTQ advocacy group, also called on Vaughn to resign. Mayor Gusciora is the first openly LGBTQ mayor of Trenton and was the first openly LGBTQ member of the New Jersey state legislature. He was endorsed by Victory Fund in his mayoral and state legislative races.
*Based on the transcript provided by The Trentonian.
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LGBTQ Victory Fund
LGBTQ Victory Fund works to change the face and voice of America’s politics and achieve equality for LGBTQ Americans by increasing the number of openly LGBTQ elected officials at all levels of government.
