Jonathan Gomez, an aide to Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, has lost his job after supporting his sister Valentina Gomez’s controversial campaign for Missouri secretary of state. Valentina Gomez gained attention for her inflammatory remarks against the LGBTQ+ community during her campaign. Despite finishing sixth in the GOP primary with less than 8% of the vote, Valentina Gomez’s campaign drew criticism in New Jersey due to her brother’s political connections.
Jonathan Gomez, who was part of Jersey City’s LGBTQ+ task force, faced backlash for financially supporting his sister’s campaign. Local activist Megan Ixim noted that while Jonathan Gomez cannot be held accountable for his sister’s actions, his recent donations to her campaign signified his alignment with her controversial views. “That, to me, is a clear representation that Jonathan is not only supportive of his sister but agrees with her ideology,” Ixim stated.
Kayla Burell, a Jersey City resident, emphasized that true allies to the queer community would recognize the problematic nature of supporting such a campaign. “You can still love your family member and be interested in their lives without abandoning your values,” Burell remarked. Mayor Fulop decided to remove Jonathan Gomez from his duties, citing a breakdown in trust.
gomez controversy leads to job loss
“Beyond obviously the disagreements philosophically, ethically, morally, he doesn’t have the ability to do the job anymore because none of the people would trust him,” Fulop commented. Some argue that Jonathan Gomez’s termination violates his free speech rights, and Valentina Gomez hinted at a potential lawsuit.
However, labor attorney Nancy Erika Smith clarified that political appointees are often subject to dismissal if their views clash with those of the elected officials who appointed them. “It gets around the First Amendment because it’s balancing the will of the voters,” Smith explained. Labor attorney Andrew Dwyer added that political appointees can be terminated for holding views contrary to their employers.
“What if, for example, it turned out somebody was a member of the Klan? I think the mayor would be able to say, I’m not going to have a member of the Klan in my administration,” Dwyer said. Jonathan Gomez’s termination reflects the expectation that political appointees support the values of the administration they serve.
As for Valentina Gomez, her future in politics remains uncertain, but her recent campaign has left a lasting impression.
- NBCNews.”GOP candidate who torched LGBTQ-inclusive books finishes 6th in Missouri primary”.
- Them.”The Candidate Who Told Voters Not to Be “Weak and Gay” Lost By an Embarrassing Margin”.
- NewJerseyMonitor.”A bigot lost her election and her brother lost his job. I’m not shedding any tears.”.