Suzanne Viscomi at the July meeting of the Red Bank Mayor and Borough Council at which she was ousted from the library board of trustees. (Photo by Brian Donohue. Click to enlarge.)
By BRIAN DONOHUE
Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano (Photo by Brian Donohue)
“The Borough Defendants have a custom, pattern, and practice of maligning the reputation of their political opponents and removing them from appointed positions without cause, while ignoring the far-greater misdeeds of those who agree with them politically,” the suit reads.
Viscomi’s complaint, filed Wednesday in US District Court, names as defendants Triggiano, Portman, council members Kristina Bonatakis, David Cassidy, Nancy Facey-Blackwood, Ben Forest and Laura Jannone.
Also named is Julie Flores-Castillo, who is the subject of the alleged statements that led to Viscomi’s ouster, and who is now challenging her for a seat on the board of education.
Portman vowed to fight what he called a “frivolous” lawsuit.
“The Borough welcomes this lawsuit,” he said in an email. “We have nothing to hide, and the facts will speak for themselves. The Borough took decisive and appropriate action in response to xenophobic and racist remarks against a community member—and we would do so again without hesitation. Our only regret is that taxpayers must shoulder the cost of defending against a frivolous lawsuit.”
The full complaint is available here.
The initial allegation, Cohen said, came from former Library Director Eleni Glykis, to whom Viscomi allegedly made the comment.
At the July council meeting, Vicsomi vehemently denied making the statement. A native of Ecuador and the borough’s lone Hispanic elected official, she called the allegations of racism inaccurate and absurd.
She was given no details about the allegation, but says Goldman told her a council member (later revealed to be Triggiano) was pressuring Glykis to make a complaint against Viscomi. Hecht also said Glykis was “distressed” by the pressure, the suit claims.
In the course of the ensuing investigation, the suit alleges, “Ms. Viscomi had no opportunity to confront the Borough’s witnesses against her.”
“There was no credible evidence that Ms. Viscomi made the alleged statement, and no law would have been broken even if she had made the statement, which she did not” it reads.
The library board’s own investigation found the whole thing a nothing burger, the suit alleges.
“The Library Board determined that the allegation was stale and supported solely by inadmissible triple hearsay, i.e., what Castillo heard from Ms. Hernandez, who heard it from Glykis, who heard it from Ms. Viscomi. Thus, the matter was closed,” the complaint reads.
Instead, the suit alleges, the mayor and council hired a second attorney, Cohen, to conduct another probe. That investigation resulted in her ouster at the meeting, which “devolved into a humiliating public character assassination of Ms. Viscomi.”
Viscomi, who regularly live-streams video of public meetings, was left in the position of filming her own removal, with several speakers rising to defend her character and long record of public service.
Sue Viscomi live streams her own ouster from the Library Board of Trustees. (Photo by Brian Donohue)
Glykis, who now works for the Elizabeth Public Library, declined to comment when reached by a reporter in July.
The Borough of Red Bank denied a request made by redbankgreen under the state’s Open Public Records Act for the investigation reports and other documents pertaining to the probe.
Viscomi’s lawsuit comes three weeks before the Red Bank Borough Board of Education elections in which Viscomi and Flores are among four candidates seeking three seats.
Viscomi’s suit also names Flores-Castillo as a defendant, saying she used the fabricated charges on her petitions to enter the race, lied about the charges at an August Board of Education meeting, and defamed her at the council meeting at which Viscomi was removed.
“Castillo colluded with Defendants Triggiano, Portman and the Councilmember Defendants and others to remove Ms. Viscomi from her appointed position, defame and slander Ms. Viscomi’s character, destroy her reputation, harm her reelection campaign for the Board of Education in 2025, and foreclose her ability to successfully apply or run for future appointed or elected positions in the Borough,” the suit reads.
Flores-Castillo, who is closely aligned with Triggiano and Portman, posted to social media this week announcing her support of the two other candidates in the race, incumbent Paul Savoia and Christy Sundquist.
Viscomi’s suit raises the awkward prospect that would be created if both Flores-Castillo and Viscomi are among the top three vote getters: that of two members of the board of education on opposite sides of a federal lawsuit.
In a text message reply to redbankgreen, Flores-Castillo responded to Viscomi’s lawsuit with the following statement:
“I am disheartened that Ms. Viscomi continues to make me relive such a painful experience. I will not be deterred from exercising my free speech or deterred from running for office by xenophobes, racists or any bullies. I will persevere with strength, integrity and purpose.”
redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.
