JERSEY CITY – As a result of a confrontation because he was not allowed to speak, state Assembly candidate Bruce Alston was escorted by police from the Jersey City Council meeting on Feb. 26.
Council President Rolando Lavarro warned Alston several times to keep comments on the subject of two bond ordinances.
Alston, who is running for a seat in the 31st Assembly district, said he was looking for answers to questions, and threatened to filibuster if he had to.
This came after a previous altercation with Lavarro over sticking to the topic and a heated exchange in which Alston challenged Lavarro to have him thrown out.
Lavarro called the police guard to have Alston removed from the chamber saying, “This is at his own request.”
Mia Scanga, who appeared a short time later at the regular public comment portion of the meeting, said, “It is turning into a Gestapo here.”
Lavarro, however, said that it was a matter of keeping order.
This strict protocol was adopted late last year after Lavarro came under fire for allowing extended unrelated comments resulting in very long meetings. Rather than impose a time limit on residents speaking on ordinances, Lavarro opted to be more vigilant in making sure speakers stayed on topic.
– Al Sullivan
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