Cinnaminson Solicitor Resigns From Trenton Role

CINNAMINSON, NJ — Cinnaminson’s solicitor has resigned from his position as Trenton’s redevelopment attorney over anti-semitic remarks made by the city’s council president.

“I am an American, and I am a Jew,” Stuart Platt said in his resignation letter provided to Patch on Friday. “I am resigning because of the disgraceful and shameful anti-semitic remarks that were in fact made by the Council President of the City of Trenton, Kathy McBride.”

Platt, who was appointed to serve as Cinnaminson’s solicitor in January, is referring to comments made by McBride when she said officials were able to wait out a Jewish attorney that was working with the city and “jew her down.” The comments were made in a closed session meeting, but became public after The Trentonian obtained a recording of it.

“The vitriolic and hateful anti-Semitic comments were exacerbated by Councilwoman Robin Vaughn, who defended McBride by saying the word ‘Jew’ is a verb and then claiming not to know that it is an anti-semitic slur,” Platt said in his letter, which he submitted on Thursday. “Tripling down on this high level of ignorance and stupidity were statements made by Councilman Greg Muschal who … said these are just statements of speech and have been the accepted level of communication in his family. As an American-Jew, I cannot and will not represent anti-Semites.”

A representative of Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora’s office wasn’t immediately available for comment.

“On behalf of the mayor and the rest of township committee, we are extremely proud to have such tremendous representation from not only a skilled attorney, but a better person,” Cinnaminson Deputy Mayor Ryan Horner said.

McBride, a Democrat who is not Jewish, apologized for her comments, 6 ABC reports. The comments centered around a negotiation between the city and Jewish attorney Peter Cohen.

Muschal has also apologized, Gusciora told WHYY. The comments were condemned by Gov. Phil Murphy and local officials.

In his letter, Platt said he has spent his life fighting anti-semitism, and was a member of Gov. Jon Corzine’s Commission on Holocaust Education. He has served on various boards and committees in Camden County, and is on the board of the South Jersey branch of the Anti-Defamation League.

He said anti-semitic words have resulted in violence against Jews in the past, and urges the words of local officials can’t go unchecked. In 2018, there were 200 incidents of anti-semitism in New Jersey, ranking it third in the country, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

Platt called his resignation “unconditional” and said he will never serve the City of Trenton while those officials are in office.