New Jersey sheriff resigns after racist remarks captured on tape

A New Jersey sheriff has resigned after he was caught on tape making racist remarks about African-Americans and the state’s attorney general.

The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office said Friday in a statement to NorthJersey.com that Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino and four of his undersheriffs resigned, effective immediately.

{mosads}The statement made no mention of the offensive remarks, stating only that Sheriff’s Office Chief Kevin Pell would lead the department until Gov. Phil Murphy (D) appointed an interim sheriff.

In a recording first reported by WNYC News earlier this week, Saudino can be heard making derogatory remarks about black people and disparaging Murphy for his policies and rhetoric. The recording, according to WNYC News, was from Jan. 16.

“He talked about the whole thing, the marijuana, sanctuary state … better criminal justice reform,” Saudino says in the recording. “Christ almighty, in other words, let the blacks come in, do whatever the f— they want, smoke their marijuana, do this, do that, and don’t worry about it. You know, we’ll tie the hands of cops.”

The remarks caught the attention of numerous local politicians, including Murphy, who demanded Saudino’s resignation on Thursday.

“Without question, the comments made on that recording are appalling, and anyone using racist, homophobic, and hateful language is unfit for public office,” Murphy told WNYC in a statement. “If indeed that is Sheriff Saudino’s voice on the recording, he must resign.”

New Jersey state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D) told NorthJersey.com that she plans to ask the state’s Democratic Party chairman if Saudino, who previously identified as a Republican but switched parties prior to his most recent run for office, could be expelled from the party.

“I want it made very clear,’’ Weinberg said on NJTV. “This is completely opposite from what the Democratic Party stands for, what Gov. Murphy stands for and what the legislature stands for.”