Leroy Truth, who has been active as a YouTuber for over half a year, The attack on Union City Mayor Brian Stack has rubbed him the wrong way.
But last week, Through letters, Stack has engaged voters and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco in the fight. A community post titled “Put yourself in my shoes.”
Froup’s response was scathing, and included medical advice.
The letter does not mention Fulop or Sacco by name, but calls Fulop a “candidate with statewide political ambitions” and Sacco an “outdated political boss from North Bergen.”
He went on to slam them as “cowards” and claim they helped orchestrate attacks on gonzo YouTube journalists.
The spat is just the latest development in the increasingly fractious relationship between Mr. Stack and Mr. Sacco and between Mr. Stack and Mr. Fulop, who is supporting Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a possible challenger to Mr. Fulop in next year’s gubernatorial election.
But Froup’s response to Stack’s letter took on a new tone.
“Firstly, I have never met or spoken to Leroy Truth,” Fulop began. “It has long been clear that Brian has been delusional and his recent actions, including sending this letter, suggest he may be suffering from a more serious mental illness. I hope that for his own sake and that of his constituents, he receives the help he needs.”
After hearing Fulop’s words, Stack suggested Jersey City’s mayor “take a look in the mirror and reveal who Steve Fulop really is.”
He suggested that “someone of Mr. Furop’s stature, who is the mayor of Jersey City and running for governor, would be one of the first to condemn what’s going on.”
What Stack, who is also a state senator, called “what’s going on” in Union City is an intensification of verbal abuse and accusations from new critics of the mayor, the latest of which is a widespread flier accusing Filipovski of covering up a sexual assault and committing corruption, a common tactic.
The YouTuber, whose real name is Leonard Filipovski, was arrested this month after refusing to remain at the podium at a Union City City Council meeting. He was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
The city’s attorney said the mayor had received death threats. Filipowski’s video led him to file a lawsuit against the mayor, police department, and city commission, claiming that his arrest violated his First Amendment rights.
In March, Filipowski was filming a video of an event at Stack’s campaign office when, as he was being hustled outside, City Commissioner Wendy Grullon collapsed to the floor, crying like a small child demanding attention.
Grullon filed a complaint against Filipovski with the city, alleging he pushed her to the ground, an accusation not supported by video footage of the incident. In a letter to constituents, Stack called it an “assault,” while Filipovski called it a “fake fall.”
Stack said he decided to send the letter to voters because he knew rumors were spreading around the city and raising questions.
“People are hearing about this,” he said. “People are asking me, ‘What’s going on here?’ I felt it was important to address my constituents.”
Sacco said he interpreted Stack as playing the victim “by falsely accusing me and other political leaders of something they had nothing to do with.”
“For years, Brian has demonstrated a self-centered approach, one that he willing to abandon for all to satisfy his insatiable hunger for power,” said Sacco, who decided not to run for state Senate in 2022, where he is assigned to the same district as Stack as a result of new legislative maps based on the U.S. Census.
Filipovski denied Stack’s assertion that Sacco and Fulop cooperated with the investigation and raid.
“He’s literally trying to make this up because he thinks it’s an opportunity to hurt Steve Fulop and help Josh Gottheimer,” Filipowski said. “He’s lost his mind and a lot of people are aware of it.”
