Spotswood mayor asked police to remove Black man from municipal building, lawsuit says

Spotswood Mayor Jackie Palmer has asked a Superior Court judge to seal a whistleblower lawsuit filed against her by a borough patrolman that alleges she "personally sought to stymie" his career "by preventing him from being promoted and repeatedly criticizing/badmouthing him to essentially anyone who would listen."

Among the examples that Richard Sasso Jr., who has been with the Spotswood Police Department since 2012 and serves as president of the Spotswood PBA Local 225, has cited in the 45-page lawsuit as proof of the "prevalent corruption" in the mayor's office, is his investigation into an April 2022 incident when Palmer became irate when police did not remove a Black man from the municipal building and the alleged coverup of her actions.

Sasso also alleges that Palmer "uses her position to assert convoluted and misplaced power over any and all municipal employees, including but not limited to the law enforcement officers serving in the (Spotswood Police Department)" and "knowingly violates whichever municipal and state ordinances stand between her and her personal desires and whimsically abuses her power as Spotswood Mayor on an almost daily basis."

The explosive 45-page lawsuit, filed Jan. 11 and amended on Jan. 15 in Middlesex County Superior Court, also names the borough as a defendant as "Spotswood sits idly by with deliberate indifference, and allows J. Palmer to act however she desires without any interference or negative consequences."

“We do not comment on active litigation,” said Stefani Schwartz, the attorney representing the borough and the mayor.

The mayor also said she had no comment because it's active litigation.

In the motion requesting the lawsuit be "immediately deemed confidential and sealed from the public," Schwartz argues that the documents, available on the state Judiciary's website, reveal "privileged" information on personnel matters, Internal Affairs investigations, employee medical information and "other sensitive and confidential information."

Schwartz also argues the lawsuit contains information protected by the attorney-client privilege.

“Although the sealing of a public court document is an extraordinary remedy, such relief is warranted in these circumstances," Schwartz wrote in her brief supporting the motion.

If the judge rejects the motion to seal the lawsuit in its entirety, Schwartz asked the court to redact the confidential information "to protect the privacy interests of the individuals involved and the integrity of municipal functions and processes."

Schwartz also contended that Sasso "is improperly using such information for personal economic gain."

Patrick Toscano, Sasso's attorney, wrote in a brief opposing the motion that the request to seal or redact the lawsuit from public view is a "blatant yet unconvincing attempt to further conceal Palmer and Spotswood's egregious and continuous illegal misconduct from the public."

"Simply put," Toscano continued, (Palmer and Spotswood) do not want the public to know that Palmer is drunk with power."

He continued that their "desperation cannot be more obvious."

Superior Court Judge Christopher Rafano will issue a ruling on Feb. 2

'I don't need BLM and KKK fighting on our front steps'

In the lawsuit, Sasso alleges that in his investigation of the "racially-charged" incident in April 2022, he interviewed the Black resident who told him that he was approached several times by "a clearly aggravated" Palmer.

Sasso alleges that in surveillance he reviewed he saw Palmer "being extremely antagonistic" and telling the resident he had to listen to her because she "is the mayor."

The surveillance also shows Palmer ignoring a police captain's advice to stay in her office rather than approach the man, Sasso alleges.

When the resident returned to the municipal building six days later, police were dispatched to the building because unnamed municipal employees felt unsafe because the resident was there, the suit contends, and they asked for police escorts to their offices.

But, during that time, the suit says, Palmer went on a "verbal tirade" because the man was not removed from the building.

The mayor allegedly said, "everyone is going to get an (expletive) chewing because if I (expletive) call downstairs and say get this (expletive) guy out of here," according to the lawsuit.

"I don't give a (expletive) if (expletive) Spotswood is on fire, there's got to be someone downstairs that can two foot this (expletive) stairs to find out what's happening," the lawsuit quotes the mayor.

After police called the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office to confirm the resident could not be ejected from the building because it would a violation of his civil rights if he were not committing a criminal act, Palmer was informed on the direction from the authority that oversees all police departments in the county, the suit says.

But Palmer became "immediately hostile" and made "inappropriate comments, " Sasso alleges, including "we need to control the perception of what's happening" and "I don't need BLM and the KKK fighting on our front steps over this."

The suit alleges that Palmer had the municipal administration initiate an Internal Affairs investigation into the police officers who were present because their body cameras recorded Palmer's comments.

That was done, Sasso said, as a legal strategy to block any potential Open Public Records Act requests for video footage during the incident. One of the officers has left the department.

Spotswood mayor: 'I absolutely can't stand you'

Sasso's lawsuit details an alleged pattern of actions taken by Palmer against him "in retribution and retaliation" for his role in her husband's departure from the department. Kevin Palmer is now Domestic Preparedness Planner for the Middlesex County Office of Emergency Management.

In parts of the lawsuit not targeted by Schwartz for retraction, Sasso alleges that Kevin Palmer "resented" Sasso as far back as 2013 and he began having "negative and retaliatory interactions" with Jackie Palmer in 2015, before she became mayor, when Sasso was assigned a new vehicle when her husband wasn't.

"Who do you think you are?" she allegedly told Sasso. "You're disrespectful and you should know your place."

On New Year's Eve in 2015, the lawsuit alleges, Palmer "verbally accosted" Sasso outside the fire department.

"Oh God, why are you here?" the lawsuit quotes her. "I absolutely can't stand you. … I really hate you."

More: Woodbridge parking dispute springs defamation lawsuit by Spotswood cop against neighbors

The lawsuit alleges that in November 2020, after she was elected to a four-year term as mayor, Palmer told then-Mayor Edward Seeley that she would never promote Sasso because of "what he did to my family."

After she became mayor, the lawsuit contends, she asked to meet with Sasso, who handled the department's communications equipment, to ask for a new portable radio for her and the borough administrator to monitor borough channels. When Sasso said it would be a misuse of $10,000 of taxpayer money, the lawsuit alleges she said, "I'm the (expletive) mayor."

The lawsuit also alleges that after she became mayor, Palmer ordered the then acting chief to rewrite the department's promotional policy to give the mayor the power "to influence any and all promotions."

"The new policy benefited those whom the mayor favored, as the policy named the mayor as the "appointing authority," Sasso alleges, arguing that it violates borough ordinances and was designed to block his advancement in the department.

In April 2022, Sasso alleges, the department administered a promotional exam, and he was told that "Palmer interjected herself into the grading of the examination."

Sasso overheard others saying that Palmer had given Sasso the lowest grade, when in fact, Sasso was told he had actually received the highest average essay score, the suit charges.

In April 2023, the PBA held a meeting to discuss Palmer's merit as mayor and the members unanimously voted "No confidence in the mayor or her administration."

Sasso, as local PBA president and with the consent of members, privately reported the vote to the administration, saying the union would announce the vote publicly, and offered to work on any issues during the six-month period before the public announcement.

The lawsuit alleges the borough never attempted to remedy the issues raised by the PBA.

In September 2023, Sasso inadvertently learned that Palmer had opened another "improper" investigation against him, alleging he was releasing confidential information, an allegation that Sasso denies.

On Nov. 30, 2023, Sasso received a suspension notice, which advised he was the target of another Internal affairs investigation for allegedly tampering with the municipal HVAC unit and official misconduct

The lawsuit alleges that Sasso's suspension was an act of direct retaliation against him by Palmer and her administration for Sasso reporting issues to the state Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health and the borough receiving the violations.

Spotswood lawsuits piling up

One section of the lawsuit that Schwartz has targeted for retraction refers to issues referring to Internal Affairs matters involving Kevin Palmer, the former borough police officer who is now the mayor's husband.

Another section of the lawsuit targeted by Schwartz refers to former Police Chief Michael Zarro and his lawsuit against the borough.

In their joint lawsuit, Zarro and current Chief Philip Corbisiero, then a captain, alleged they were victims of harassment and a hostile work environment and accused former Mayor Edward Seely and former Business Administrator Dawn McDonald of misconduct. Zarro received an out-of-court settlement for $350,000 and Corbisiero received $120,000.

Sasso's litigation is the latest in a series of lawsuits filed by Spotswood police officers against officials in the 2.4-square-mile borough with a population of 8,000.

Last year Brittany Johnson, the borough's first female police officer, filed suit against Palmer, Police Chief Philip Corbisiero, Sgt. Nelson Nichols, Patrolman Ozman Dikiz and the borough, alleging she was the subject of discrimination, retaliation and harassment because of her gender. That suit is still pending.

Also still pending is a lawsuit filed by officers John Fedak, Nicholas Mayo and Edward Scharpley in June 2020 against McDonald, Seeley and the borough, alleging they were the victims of a hostile work environment, harassment and retaliation.

In addition, a May 28 trial date has been set for a lawsuit filed in 2021 by McDonald against the borough, Zarro, Corbisiero, Seeley and others claiming she was the victim of harassment, defamation and retaliation.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Spotswood NJ mayor asked cops to remove Black man from town hall: suit