NJ GOP Welcomes Former Sheriff Ousted Over Racist Rant

Former Democratic Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino resigned last year after a tape obtained by WNYC caught him making racist remarks about black residents and state attorney general Gurbir Grewal, who is Sikh. Now, Saudino is being welcomed back to political life — by Republicans. 

Saudino received "enthusiastic applause" when he addressed the Bergen County Republican Organization meeting Tuesday night, according to the New Jersey Globe, which first reported Saudino's reemergence. 

"I think he can support the Republican platform and Republican ideals, and I think he will be helpful to our candidates just as any other candidate would be," Jack Zisa, the chairman of the Bergen County Republican Organization, told WNYC. "He's got more contacts than most other Republicans."

Saudino's racist rant was captured by a source in the room shortly after he returned from Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy's inauguration ceremony in January 2018. The tape, obtained and broadcast by WNYC in September, was his reaction to the governor's proposals on legalized marijuana and protections for immigrants:

"Christ almighty, in other words let the blacks come in, do whatever the fuck they want, smoke their marijuana, do this do that, and don't worry about it. You know, we'll tie the hands of cops."

Saudino also alleged that Attorney General Grewal — who once worked alongside him as Bergen County prosecutor — only got the job in the Murphy Administration because of "the turban." And Saudino mused about whether Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who is unmarried, is gay.

At the time, Gov. Murphy — who is the leader of the state Democrats — called the remarks "appalling" and said Saudino must resign. Elected Bergen County Democrats followed suit. Saudino apologized, saying the remarks "are not representative of the person that I am," and he quit a day later along with all four of his undersheriffs. A few weeks later, a new sheriff was elected in a special election — Anthony Cureton, the leader of the local NAACP.

Zisa, the county Republican chairman, said that Saudino recently changed his registration back to Republican because he's "disillusioned" with the Democrats, who have become "anti-law enforcement."

"He has declared himself as a Republican, and the Republican organization will always be inclusive of people who want to promote Republican ideals," Zisa said. He doesn't expect Saudino to run for office again, but he thinks that Saudino can assist Republican candidates and fundraise for the party.

Zisa said he only heard "snippets" of the tape "that was artfully released."

"You often see snippets of police action that looks very much against law enforcement, but when you see the whole thing you understand the entire action of the incident so it becomes more evident of what happened," Zisa said. 

Saudino has never disputed the authenticity of the recording. (The entire five-minutes provided to WNYC is available here at the bottom of the page.)

Zisa said that in Saudino's 47-year law enforcement career, he has never heard of allegations of misconduct, racist or otherwise, against him. "I've never seen any action and certainly I'm not aware of any action that indicated in any way he was anything other than a righteous, straight-shooting guy," he said.

Other Republicans are separating themselves from the Bergen County Republican party. As GOP leader in the lower house, Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick is one of the two highest-elected Republicans in the state. He said: "Anyone is allowed to register as a Republican, but I certainly do not believe he represents the Republican party, and I don't think he represents the thoughts of the Republican party, and we certainly don't need him to be a spokesman for the Republican party." 

The state party chairman, Doug Steinhardt, released this statement: "At the NJGOP we're building a broad and diverse coalition to help steer our state in a better direction. This organization will never tolerate bigotry or racism."

Saudino was first elected to sheriff in 2010 as a Republican before he switched to the Democrats.

The county GOP is promoting his return on its Facebook page. Several commenters oppose the GOP welcoming Saudino, not because of the racist rant, but because he's a "rat," as one put it, who previously spurned local Republicans for the Democrats. 

The sheriff's department is the largest law enforcement agency in New Jersey's most populous county. As sheriff, one of Saudino's primary duties was to run the county jail, which detains hundreds of immigrants through a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In an unusual restriction, immigrant detainees there are not allowed to hug their loved ones who visit. 

New Jersey Republicans are also dealing with another issue related to racism this year. A candidate for surrogate in Morris County, Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, is standing by his 2008 remarks that African Americans should be thankful for slavery.