{"id":336738,"date":"2026-10-23T01:55:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T01:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/political\/i-basically-snapped-new-jersey-mayor-charges-at-resident-during-chaotic-council-meeting.html"},"modified":"2026-10-23T01:55:31","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T01:55:31","slug":"i-basically-snapped-new-jersey-mayor-charges-at-resident-during-chaotic-council-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/political\/i-basically-snapped-new-jersey-mayor-charges-at-resident-during-chaotic-council-meeting.html","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;I basically snapped&#8217;: New Jersey mayor charges at resident during chaotic council meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>  <a href=\"javascript:void(0)\">     <span class=\"overlay\">Video<\/span><\/a> <!--&gt; \n\n<h4 class=\"title\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\">New Jersey mayor erupts at resident during chaotic township council meeting<\/a><\/h4>\n\n \n\n<p>Video captures Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini rushing toward a resident during a heated council meeting before being restrained by others in attendance (Credit: Ryan Elmore\/Pine Barrens Tribune via Storyful).<\/p>\n\n \n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">A <a href=\"javascript:void(0)\">New Jersey<\/a> Republican mayor charged toward a resident during a chaotic township council meeting this week and had to be physically restrained as he shouted threats at the man, dramatic video shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\" class=\"speakable\">Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini, a Republican, rushed toward the resident during Wednesday night's meeting before several people intervened and pulled him away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The resident, Michael Sawka, is a vocal critic of the mayor, according to <a href=\"javascript:void(0)\">WPVI-TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">\"I'm getting you,\" Bianchini can be heard shouting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"><strong>FORMER GAMBINO ASSOCIATE TURNED NEW JERSEY COUNCILMAN ACCUSED OF RUNNING LOANSHARKING RING WHILE IN OFFICE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n  \n\n<p><span>Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini charged toward a resident during a heated council meeting in New Jersey before being restrained by others in attendance.<\/span> <span>(Ryan Elmore\/Pine Barrens Tribune via Storyful)<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Video of the meeting shows Bianchini lunging toward Sawka before being restrained by others in attendance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">As he was removed, Bianchini could be heard shouting additional threats at Sawka, including profanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Following the meeting, Bianchini admitted that he lost his temper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">\"I just basically snapped,\" Bianchini told WPVI. \"I hate to put it this way, but it's a long time coming.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The mayor acknowledged that his conduct was inappropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"><strong>SLAIN NEW JERSEY MOM'S AUTOPSY REPORT RELEASED MONTHS AFTER STABBING DEATH AT HOME<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n--> <a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"> <span class=\"overlay\">Video<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;I should not have said that,&#8221; he told the station. &#8220;That was wrong. It was in the heat of the moment. I&#8217;m not gonna get anybody.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The confrontation happened while a recently fired township employee was addressing the council.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Bianchini and members of his family told WPVI that Sawka and another resident made rude comments toward the mayor&#8217;s wife and daughter, who were seated in the room.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Sawka can be seen gesturing toward the back of the room before making an obscene gesture toward Bianchini, shortly before the mayor charged at him.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;Was it wrong? Absolutely. Was it justified? Absolutely. And I would do it again if I had to,&#8221; Bianchini said.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"><strong>DEMOCRATS FURIOUS AFTER POLLSTER BOOSTING FAR-LEFT CANDIDATES ADMITS FABRICATING SURVEYS: \u2018ABSOLUTE SCUMBAGS\u2019<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>New Jersey Mayor Matthew Bianchini was restrained after rushing toward a resident during a chaotic township council meeting Wednesday night.<\/span> <span>(Ryan Elmore\/Pine Barrens Tribune via Storyful)<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">He added, &#8220;Don&#8217;t attack my family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Sawka denied making comments directed at Bianchini&#8217;s family and said he remained seated during the confrontation.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">&#8220;I&#8217;m just sitting there. I never got up. I sat there the whole time. I was calm the whole time,&#8221; he told WPVI.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Sawka filed a municipal court complaint Thursday seeking assault and <a href=\"javascript:void(0)\">terroristic threats charges<\/a> against Bianchini, according to WPVI.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Police have not said whether they will pursue charges. Fox News Digital has reached out to Pemberton Township police for comment.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">The Pemberton Township Democratic Club responded to the confrontation by saying the township deserves leaders who can &#8220;stay composed and professional&#8221; and urged residents to participate in the <a href=\"javascript:void(0)\">upcoming election<\/a>, in which Bianchini is seeking to retain his position.<\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\"><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span>Video shows Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini rushing toward a resident during a council meeting before several people intervened.<\/span> <span>(Ryan Elmore\/Pine Barrens Tribune via Storyful)<\/span><\/p>\n<p data-layout-index=\"5\">Fox News Digital has reached out to the mayor&#8217;s office for comment.<\/p>\n<p> <!--&gt; --> <\/p>\n<p><i>Michael Sinkewicz is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"javascript:void(0)\"><i>michael.sinkewicz@fox.com<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Article source: https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/i-basically-snapped-new-jersey-mayor-charges-resident-chaotic-council-meeting<\/a>\r\n<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Video Video &#8220;I should not have said that,&#8221; he told the station. &#8220;That was wrong. It was in the heat of the moment. I&#8217;m not gonna get anybody.&#8221; The confrontation happened while a recently fired township employee was addressing the council. Bianchini and members of his family told WPVI that Sawka and another resident made [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[84],"class_list":["post-336738","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-political","tag-political"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336738","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=336738"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336738\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=336738"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=336738"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usa.timesofnews.com\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=336738"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}