Trenton councilman wants censure, resignation of colleague who used anti-Semitic slur

Trenton City Councilman Jerrell Blakeley says he will ask his colleagues to formally censure Council President Kathy McBride for using an anti-Semitic slur at a recent executive session of the City Council and called upon her to resign her council post.

McBride has said an attorney  representing the city in a personal injury claim was “able to wait her out and Jew her down” to settle the case at a lower amount , the New Jersey Globe has learned.

“Because of your outrageous refusal to even apologize for your demeaning comments, I am requesting that you immediately resign your presidency of Trenton’s city council,” Blakeley said.  “Your refusal to apologize brings further dishonor and ill repute to this council and to our city.”

Blakeley sent an e-mail to McBride condemning her statements and her refusal to apologize as “absolutely outrageous.”

“Your reported comment stems from an insidiously bigoted and Anti-Semitic perspective of Jews as parsimonious and cheap,” Blakeley said to his council colleague.  “It is the height of irresponsibility for an elected leader to unfairly racially disparage a staff member and not even apologize.”

Blakeley said that Trenton “cannot tolerate a leader trafficking in dangerous stereotypes that demean our hardworking staff members.”

“Could you imagine the outcry if someone had used a racial slur in a public meeting about an African American or Hispanic staff member?  All racial slurs are demeaning,” the councilman-at-large said.

So far, only Blakeley and Mayor Reed Gusciora have criticized McBride for her comments.

Council Vice President Marge Caldwell-Wilson did not respond to a request for comment.

“As elected officials in a majority minority city, we must take a stand against all forms of bigotry against all people,” Blakeley said.  “Silence means consent.”

McBride answered her cell phone, asked what the purpose of the call was, and hung up when she was asked whether she would resign as council president.