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The New Jersey mayor who had to be restrained after charging at a vocal critic during a township council meeting admitted that he “just basically snapped” — but “would do it again.”
Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini, 59, said it was inappropriate to lunge at the constituent during a heated exchange Wednesday — but was equally “a long time coming.” according to WPVI-TV.
“Was it wrong? Absolutely. Was it justified? Absolutely,” he insisted. “And I would do it again if I had to.”
Resident Michael Sawka was seen in footage from the meeting waving off comments reportedly made by Bianchini’s wife and daughter — before flipping off the mayor.
Bianchini then charged at Sawka while screaming “I am getting you, I am f—ing getting you!,” and had to be restrained by Councilman Perry Doyle Jr., a retired cop, and Kenneth Gerber, who had recently been fired from his post as community development director, the report said.
The incident came as Gerber accused the Republican’s administration of wrongdoing during an employment appeal, video showed.
The leader of the Philadelphia suburb of 28,000 issued a half-hearted mea culpa to the outlet Thursday.
“I should not have said that,” Bianchini reportedly said. “That was wrong. It was in the heat of the moment. I’m not gonna get anybody,” he said.
Still, “Don’t attack my family. I think any good husband, any good father, would’ve done just what I did.”
Sawka, for his part, maintained he did not direct comments towards Bianchini’s family and called for the GOP mayor to resign and face charges in connection with the altercation.
“I’m just sitting there,” Sawka reportedly said. “I never got up. I sat there the whole time. I was calm the whole time.”
“His family behind us started saying stuff. I turn around, and I start waving my hands, like kinda just – why don’t you all just shut up? I didn’t even say a word; I just was waving my hand.”
Bianchini claimed that Sawka had been harassing him and his family both online and in person ever since he was elevated to mayor following the resignation of his predecessor.
“Mr. Sawka has been a thorn in this township’s side for a number of years. I’m not the first mayor he’s attacked,” Bianchini reportedly said. “This gentleman’s life is all about me. He spends endless hours day after day posting stuff about me, negative posts about me, lies about me, and it’s gotta stop.”
Sawka claims that he is actually the victim of personal attacks from the mayor’s family and had only been outspoken to promote responsible financial stewardship of the township’s coffers.
“My biggest thing – all I’ve ever been trying to do is show that we’re wasting money,” Sawka told the outlet.
Bianchini is up for election this year, facing a challenge from Democrat Belinda Fontanez, and Republican Councilman Dan Dewey, who is mounting a write-in campaign.
Sawka was sitting next to a man wearing a Dewey shirt and incurring glares from the mayor and other administration officials before the fracas broke out, according to the footage.
The Post has reached out to the administration for comment.
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