Embattled New Jersey Mayor Gina LaPlaca is facing growing calls to resign days after she was busted on St. Patrick’s Day for allegedly driving drunk while picking her toddler son up from daycare.
Outraged residents of Lumberton Township packed a committee board meeting on Thursday to rally against the 45-year-old Democrat, who was absent from the event.
“There is a huge black eye and black cloud over our town right now,” local business owner Amy Callahan said during the public comment portion of the hearing, according to WCAU.
“I do believe that we need to move forward as a community and for us to truly turn the page. I believe that cannot occur with her on our council,” Callahan added.
The frustrated resident’s comments were in response to an email she received from LaPlaca confirming that she would not resign from her mayoral position, which she has held for the past 3 years.
“I will not be resigning my position. Our community needs to be more kind and understanding about people trying to better themselves. As we all know, there is a huge black eye and black cloud over our town right now,” the email obtained by Fox 29 read.
LaPlaca was not in attendance at the meeting after she and her husband, Jason Carty, separately confirmed she was getting help for her addiction.
The former Anheuser-Busch regional director claimed her work for the town hadn’t been affected by her legal woes.
“Despite my issues, which I am working diligently and responsibly to address and improve myself, my work for Lumberton has NEVER suffered or been neglected nor will it be,” LaPlaca said.
LaPlaca’s fellow committee member Terrance Benson sided with the residents and called for her resignation.
“My personal opinion is for the mayor to step down and to heal herself,” Benson said.
Concerned residents weren’t given ease to the fact their mayor was still in charge while away seeking treatment.
“She shouldn’t be here, shouldn’t be the mayor,” one resident said.
Public comments weren’t limited to the public comment portion of the hearing as throngs of people raced to LaPlaca’s social media accounts to call for her step down.
“You are a disgrace, and danger to not only your child, but the public. Resign in shame, and get your life together!” one commenter wrote.
“Before selfishly endangering your child drunk driving. #resign,” another wrote.
LaPlaca, the chairwoman for the township’s Democratic Party, was first elected to the Lumberton Township Committee in 2020.
She was elected mayor by the five-person committee in 2022 and won reelection in 2023 and 2024.
There is no charter or law that allows the remaining committee members to remove her from office, the township’s attorney told the disgruntled crowd Thursday.
“She was elected by you and the only way for her to be removed is for her to resign or for you to take whatever action you deem necessary to move forward with a recall election,” the attorney said, according to the outlet.
Police were alerted to LaPlaca’s alleged erratic behavior by another motorist who said the politician failed to maintain her lane and almost crashed into a utility pole.
LaPlaca told officers she had picked up her 2-year-old son from daycare and brought him home.
She admitted to being drunk and there being an opened container of alcohol in the car.
Police arrested and charged her with driving under the influence, reckless driving and endangering the welfare of a child.
She was released with a summons to appear in court on April 28.
Carty confirmed in a since-deleted Facebook post his wife’s drinking problems and called for compassion as she sought treatment.
“Please ignore the exaggerated political hyperbole and keep in mind her passion for helping others. This should not erase all the things she has accomplished for our community,” Carty wrote.
The couple share their toddler son along with LaPlaca’s stepson from Carty’s previous relationship.
