Roseland Councilmen Jacobs and Tsilionis Announce Resignations Following Inappropriate Text Messages

by Carolyne Volpe Curley / Carolyne@WestEssexNOW.com
Published 11:31am

CREDIT: Carolyne Volpe Curley

ROSELAND, NJ - Essex County Republican Chairman Al Barlas, Roseland Mayor John
Duthie and Roseland Republican Chairman Mary Comito announced today that Councilmen David Jacobs and Tom Tsilionis have resigned.
​
The Republican group stated that the recently revealed text message exchanges between Jacobs and Tsilionis were "offensive and indefensible."

​Their prepared statement continued:

---

"Regardless of circumstance, racial and ethnic based comments
have no place in our accepted discourse.

We condemn any disparaging comments in any form against any group or individual based on race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability.

After offering their sincere apologies, Jacobs and Tsilionis both resigned their positions on the Roseland Borough Council effectively immediately.
​
Roseland residents deserve all of our attention and our efforts without distractions or political fighting. It is our hope that those who have used this regrettable incident to score political points will stop and allow us to get back to the business of serving the people of Roseland."

Resigning Councilman Thomas Tsilionis contacted West Essex Now with his own letter found here:
​

• Resigning Roseland Councilman Thomas Tsilionis Details Reasons Behind Recent Borough Struggles

Sign up for Daily and Breaking News Emails