Reporter Apologizes For Mobster Joke About Middletown BOE Prez

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — One of New Jersey's leading political reporters has apologized for making a joke referencing the Mafia and Italian-American mobster Al Capone in regards to Middletown school board President Frank Capone.

This comes as America grapples with the Uvalde, Texas school shooting. Capone, a frequent critic of Gov. Phil Murphy, said he wants Murphy to reimburse school districts for putting armed police officers in schools, something Middletown schools just announced this week they plan to do starting in September.

Capone's suggestion was highlighted in Thursday morning's Politico newsletter, New Jersey Playbook, a well-read insiders' news round-up written by reporter Matt Friedman, one of the state's most respected political reporters.

"Will Capone arm them with Tommy guns?" wrote Friedman in this headline round-up of the state's top news.

A few hours later, Middletown Mayor Tony Perry took to Twitter to criticize Friedman for what Perry said was a joke about Capone's Italian ethnicity.

"It is completely unprofessional for a journalist to discriminate and mock anyone’s ethnicity. This type of rhetoric is completely uncalled for and both ⁦@politico⁩ and ⁦@MattFriedmanNJ⁩ should apologize to ⁦@Frank_Cap1_BOE⁩," tweeted Perry, a Republican.

"It is completely unacceptable for any journalist to discriminate and mock someone's heritage because of their last name. As an Italian American, I had to deal many times with the mob stereotypes," commented former Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore, also Republican, on Facebook. "I'm proud to be an Italian American and disgusted by the media's consistent portrayal to get a laugh."

Within minutes, Friedman responded to Perry and apologized: "He’s right. I took an easy headline shot without taking into consideration the ethnic implications. Not even a funny headline. I regret it," said Friedman.

"I should take stereotypes into consideration and here I didn’t. So it was a mistake," Friedman later tweeted.

Friedman did not comment to Patch. As regular readers of his morning Playbook know, he often makes puns and jokes about various elected officials across the state.

"I acknowledge that Mr. Friedman apologized for a very distasteful comment," Frank Capone said. "There is no place in this world for hate or discrimination."

The Middletown school district just announced this week they are placing armed retired police officers in all Township schools starting in September. The school district will bear the cost of paying the 16 armed officers $35 an hour and they will be in the buildings for the entire school day, five days a week.

On Wednesday, Middletown BOE president Capone said he thinks Gov. Phil Murphy, along with the state teachers' union should reimburse NJ school districts for the extremely high cost of hiring armed security guards.

Initial report: Middletown Will Place Armed Retired Police Officers In All Schools