Resident Threatens Suit When Silenced at Council Meeting

A Parsippany resident said she will talk with an attorney and the American Civil Liberties Union to pursue legal action against township Attorney John Inglesino and the Town Council after she was denied the chance to speak Tuesday about allegations levied against the administration.

At Tuesday's agenda meeting at Parsippany High School , as with each of the body's gatherings, President Brian Stanton announced that residents had a five-minute limit to speak "on any subject." The first person to come to the public microphone was Pat Petaccia, a Republican Municipal Committee member and a resident known for being an outspoken critic of town government.

"At the last Town Council meeting [on March 19], I directed questions to Mayor [James] Barberio," she said. "I was told I would get answers in the press the next day. I still haven't gotten those answers. So I'm going to ask this question again tonight: Were you in attendance on Jan. 13..."

Inglesino interrupted her.

"Ms. Petaccia, the purpose here is to ask questions," he said. "The purpose is not to harass or to take continued gratuitous shots at the integrity of the people who sit up here [on the dais]."

Petaccia was intending to ask questions about the night of Jan. 13, when, as Stanton said before the council at its March 12 meeting, he, Mayor James Barberio and Inglesino met at Town Hall with council candidate Dr. Louis Valori to allegedly discuss creating a $50,000 per year media relations position for Valori within the Parsippany Police Department .

On March 3, Valori alleged that the mayor offered him a job at the January meeting in exchange for not running for office . 

However, Stanton has insisted that any allegations regarding a quid pro quo are false.

Valori told Patch that he took his allegations first to the state Office of the Attorney General and then to the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office for investigation. The two agencies said they will neither confirm nor deny that a probe is under way.

"You're out of line," Inglesino told the resident. "Ms. Petaccia, you don't have time on this subject. You have asked questions that have nothing to do..."

"Freedom of speech," she countered angrily. "I have freedom of speech."

"You may exercise that speech, but not at this meeting," Inglesino said. "Mr. Valori has made unsubstantiated allegations that the mayor has directly addressed."

A prepared statement from Barberio was received and published by Patch on the afternoon of March 20, 17 days after Valori made his charges public.

In that statement, the mayor called the allegations "false and defamatory" and shared his opinion of his political opponents' motives. 

"Ms. Petaccia, I'm directing, I'm suggesting that the mayor not answer your questions," Inglesino said. "Your answers are out of order. They are harassment-oriented. You called the municipal building, threatening the mayor..."

The woman laughed in the lawyer's direction.

"Frankly, you're out of order," he said. "You're out of line, and that's the end of it."

"Yes, Mr. Inglesino, according to you," she replied. Then she turned to Stanton, the meeting's presiding officer. "Brian, would you control this situation?"

"Ms. Petaccia, you don't have time on this question," Inglesino reiterated.

"We've set the clock; OK, continue," Stanton said.

"Brian, I'm asking you the question," Petaccia said, trying again. "Was Mayor Barberio ..."

"Ms. Petaccia," Inglesino interrupted. "Your questions... This is not an opportunity for you to stand there and take potshots at the integrity of people who sit here."

"I'm not taking potshots..."

"That's exactly what you're doing!" the lawyer responded.

"I am a taxpayer!" she shouted. "Excuse me, Mr. Inglesino, I am a taxpayer of Parsippany! I am a taxpayer who has the right to go to meetings."

"Ms. Petaccia, if you want to play politics, then play politics outside of this chamber," he said. "This is not a place for political speech."

After insisting that her questions were legitimate and not political, a furious Petaccia pointed at Inglesino.

"Tomorrow morning, you are going to have a suit against you for denying my right — freedom of speech," she said. "You have no right to deny me, Mr. Inglesino."

She then pointed at the council members who sat silently during the exchange.

"You have all taken away my freedom of speech," she said. "I am going right to my attorney."

Many in the audience applauded her.