Clark Mayor Apologizes For Using Racial Slurs

Clark Mayor Sal Bonaccorso has apologized for racist and misogynist comments captured on secret recordings, saying in a video posted online that he is “embarrassed and ashamed.”

Bonaccorso initially said he didn’t make the comments until he was exposed

An investigation last week by NJ Advance Media revealed the Clark mayor’s statement and that the township paid more than $400,000 to conceal those recordings under a 2020 legal settlement after a whistleblower threatened a lawsuit.

Apology

Bonaccorso’s apology is the first time he had publicly acknowledged using the slurs, which included the N-word and “spooks,” to describe Black people.

“I’m here today to say I’ve made mistakes, and I’d like to apologize for the pain I’ve caused to the residents of Clark, my family, my friends, and all those that were offended by my comments. They had a right to expect more from me,” Bonaccorso said in the nearly 5-minute video.

“I deeply apologize for my hurtful and insensitive language,” Bonaccorso said. “It was wrong. I am embarrassed and ashamed to have spoken that way about a race of people.”

Clark Mayor exposed

Bonaccorso vehemently denied until he was exposed.

Two years ago, the township concealed the allegations by quietly agreeing to pay a whistleblower and his attorney $400,000 under a legal settlement. The whistleblower, Lt. Antonio Manata, was also allowed to remain on the payroll for more than two years without working at an additional cost of $289,700 in salary alone. In exchange, he turned over the recordings to ensure they would not be disseminated and agreed not to file a lawsuit that would have brought them into the public eye.

In July 2020, six months after the parties signed the settlement, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office seized control of Clark’s police department, citing “credible allegations of misconduct” among its leadership. Since then, Matos and Teston have been on paid administrative leave, as has a captain, Vincent Concina, whom Manata accused of retaliation.

County prosecutors and the state Attorney General’s Office say the investigation continues.

Governor Phil Murphy says Bonaccorso should resign.

“The Governor believes that Mayor Bonaccorso should resign immediately,” Mahen Gunaratna, Murphy’s communications director, said in a statement. “His hateful language has no place in society and his behavior has irreparably damaged his ability to lead Clark Township.”