Linden Mayor Derek Armstead, the subject of a lawsuit alleging he maintained an “antisemitic and illegal” hiring scheme in Linden public schools, released a statement this morning apologizing for some of his offensive remarks while also accusing the man who secretly recorded him of extortion.
According to the original lawsuit, which was filed by former assistant school superintendent Paul Oliveira, Armstead and several top school officials were intent on keeping Linden from “being taken over by Jews.” Oliveira, who recorded Armstead’s comments, alleges that the mayor attempted to keep Jews from being hired for school positions in favor of Black applicants.
Among other things, Oliveira recorded the mayor as saying that his hiring decisions were “what has to happen in order to keep our community being taken over by guys with big hats and curls,” a reference to Hasidic Jews. Armstead acknowledged those comments today and apologized for the offense they caused.
“The Mayor apologizes for comments referencing Hasidic Jews as ‘guys in big hats and curls,’ and remains staunchly committed to diversity and inclusivity in the community,” Armstead’s statement reads. “Armstead was advocating, as he always has, for a workforce that reflects the diversity of the student body.”
But Armstead also accuses Oliveira and his attorney of using the recording to “extort” the city of Linden for $950,000, saying that school officials have reported the matter to the Linden Police Department and that the Union County Prosecutor’s Office should look into it as well.
“Suspicions arise regarding the timing and motivations behind the leak of the recorded conversation, particularly given Armstead’s prominent position in the Democratic congressional primary,” the statement says.
Indeed, Armstead is currently one of eleven Democratic candidates running in the July 16 special primary to succeed Rep. Donald Payne Jr. (D-Newark), who represented the 10th congressional district until his death in April. The district is based in Newark – a city about which, according to Oliveira’s lawsuit, Armstead has unfavorable views.
“It’s a hellhole over there from top to bottom,” Armstead said on Oliveira’s recording. “Because it’s been mismanaged for years, you know, and nobody, nobody’s taking the time to try to figure out how to fix it.”