Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is calling for Councilman Michael Jackson’s resignation following an incident in a City Council meeting Tuesday night.
Video from the meeting appears to show Jackson shoving a police officer and getting in the face of fellow Councilman Luis Velez.
People who were at the meeting told News 12 that Jackson was pointing fingers and making threats.
"Councilman Jackson's behavior is deeply disturbing and utterly unacceptable. No one in City Hall should be subjected to intimidation or violence. His actions are almost incomprehensible,” Sayegh says. "Paterson deserves representatives who uphold values of respect, professionalism, and civility. Jackson's consistent disregard for these values undermines our community's trust in its elected officials."
Jackson says that the mayor is calling for his resignation because he is pointing out all of Sayegh’s deficiencies.
"This city has received over $150 million in tax credits that was supposed to create opportunities for people and it has created absolutely nothing for the residents of the city. The city's in the worst condition that it's been in in the last 20 years. The violence is at an all-time high," the councilman says.
Jackson is also calling for the mayor himself to resign.