(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) A Republican mayor in New Jersey was removed from his position after he refused to fly the gay pride flag.
Rochelle Park Mayor Perrin Mosca refused to fly the gay flag over the town hall because he said that it singles out and privileges a particular group, Townhall reported. City Council members from both parties agreed to strip Mosca of his title.
But according to Mosca, everyone had agreed that no particular group would get to fly a flag on public property.
“A majority had agreed that as a township we would not put up any flags that singled out one group over another group. That should have been the end of the issue,” Mosca said.
He also suggested that “private flags do not belong on public property,” and that only the American flag, state flag and township flag were viable. All others, including the LGBT flag, would only cause division.
But instead of receiving support for his moderate position, Mosca was forced out of his position by a Democrat and three Republicans.
Residents of Rochelle Park condemned the Council for its belligerent behavior.
“That’s not right, everybody’s entitled to their opinion,” one resident said. “I say live and let live but everybody has a right to their opinion.”
According to a local paper, the Daily Voice, Mosca had also run into trouble with the local Republican party.
GOP Municipal Chairman Frank Valenzuela said that he “embarrassed the township and brought its governance to a screeching halt, threatening two decades of progress.”
Valenzuela also accused his fellow Republican of using his position “to create a negative atmosphere guided by his personal ideals versus what is best for the residents of Rochelle Park.
Mosca, a local high school teacher, said that people must “consider the political motives” of Valenzuela, who is “struggling for relevancy within the Republican Party.”
Deputy Mayor Jennifer Appice took over until the Council can decide on a more permanent solution.
