Vaughn alleges Blakely assaulted Muschal’s wife
TRENTON >> Facing a possible censure from her colleagues, Robin Vaughn is going on the offensive.
In a message she shared with The Trentonian, Vaughn declared war on at-large colleague Jerell Blakeley, accusing him of “assaulting” councilman George Muschal’s wife, Theresa, during a heated confrontation last month following a budget meeting.
Theresa and George Muschal and Mayor’s chief of staff Yoshi Manale, who were all in the room when the confrontation occurred, all said Blakeley never laid a finger on the councilwoman’s wife.
Theresa said Blakeley was “in my face” but never put his hands on her at any point.
Blakeley dismissed the allegation as “pure lies” and threatened to sue Vaughn for defamation.
“In a time when young black men are criminalized, I’m shocked an African-American woman would attempt to criminalize a young black man,” he said. “It is very disturbing that she would attempt to traffic in very, very dangerous stereotypes. I demand a public apology for her lies and deception.”
Vaughn wasn’t giving in to her colleague’s demand.
She said in a phone interview Monday that she “absolutely” stood by her accusation.
She went on to falsely accuse The Trentonian of targeting her for ridicule and threatened to sue, incensed at the newspaper dubbing her “Radioactive Robin,” a playful moniker capturing her colleagues’ well-established reluctance to work with her and keep her at a distance.
The West Ward councilwoman also claimed the newspaper opened itself up for litigation by publishing an exchange she had with Blakeley in which he called her a “lunatic” as they hurled insults at each other.
“At the end of the day, I feel as though if folks want to be selective, and take sides, and be biased, you can proceed with that, and I’ll take action on that. … I deal in facts. F.A.C.T.S.,” Vaughn claimed. “You set yourself up for a lawsuit. My name is Robin. My last name is Vaughn.” who continued talking over the legislative leader.
A censure resolution would have to be brought before the legislative body before it is voted on.
As of Monday, it was unclear if that resolution was being drafted, and council president McBride didn’t respond to a phone call seeking comment. others.
Muschal “made a snappy remark,” Manale said, and it “devolved from there.”
The chief of staff remembered Theresa Muschal rushed to her husband’s defense, at one point calling Blakeley a “pretty boy.”
Both George and Theresa said Blakeley was in Theresa’s face but kept his hands to himself during the argument.
“If he touched her, I wouldn’t be here,” Muschal said.
Manale, who was in the “middle” of the fray, didn’t recall Blakeley getting in Theresa’s face. He said he and a member of the mayor’s detail step in between and attempted to separate the sides.
The chief of staff said Vaughn, who was now making a big fuss about the exchange, “was in the corner laughing the entire time. She thought it was hilarious.”
Vaughn claimed during her interview that she heard Muschal yell for Blakeley to “get your hands off my wife.”
She claimed to see Blakeley put his hand on Theresa’s shoulder — an allegation rebuffed by the alleged victim.
Council president McBride intervened, telling Blakeley to stop grandstanding, Theresa said, alleging Blakeley told her, “You got a problem [with me] because I’m educated.”
The argument spilled into the second-story concourse outside the conference room.
As the two councilmen exchanged words, Theresa again came to her husband’s defense.
Blakeley shouted for Muschal to “get his gun and shoot me,” Theresa Muschal recalled, stating he also dared the South Ward councilman to sic his dog on him.
“He just turned into the Tasmanian devil,” Theresa said. “He never put his hands on me. If he put his hands on me, he’d be sorry.”
Manale said he and the mayor’s security detail finally corralled Blakeley and ushered him back into the conference room.
He said Blakeley never assaulted Theresa.
“I was standing right there the whole time,” Manale said, calling the interaction “a little more heated version of a council meeting.”
Blakeley admitted making statements he regretted but insisted he and Muschal sat next to each other at the next meeting “like nothing happened.”
Muschal, who has a penchant for getting rowdy at meetings (he and former council president Zach Chester once nearly came to blows), seemed unfazed by the encounter.
He wouldn’t compare the situation between him and Blakeley to what happened with Vaughn and McBride at last week’s meeting.
“It’s all about fairness. The meeting was over,” Muschal said about the Blakeley bug-out. “Vaughn was out in the open public forum. Two different things.”
Blakeley accused his onetime ally turned new arch enemy Vaughn of pettifogging the issue.
“The fact of the matter if she continues to make such outrageous lies, I’ll be forced to retain counsel,” he said. “It’s not true. You can’t just make up lies when it’s convenient, when you’re embarrassed, based on your despicable behavior. This is an attempt to deflect from her immature and embarrassing conduct. I’m not on trial here. I’m not the one being considered for censure. Robin Vaughn is.”