A New Jersey school board candidate has come under fire after being caught sending cruel and vulgar texts about his conservative opponent.
Scott Semaya, 38, allegedly sent the jaw-dropping messages about Danielle Bellomo, 38, during a Marlboro school board meeting in July.
They were both among the five candidates battling for the three open seats on the Marlboro Board of Education.
Semaya, who allegedly holds liberal beliefs, took cheap shots at the MAGA mom in a group chat named ‘This B**ch Needs to Die,’ according to a damning photo shared by former board member Aldo Patruno.
‘Bellomo must be cold – her nips could cut glass right n-,’ Semaya was allegedly pictured writing to the group.
The vile sentiment was leaked on social media over the past week, sending shockwaves through the school board and members of the well-off Marlboro community.
‘When I found out about the messages, I was absolutely shocked, especially with the climate of our country. It sent chills down my spine,’ Bellomo told the New York Post, claiming Semaya sent other horrific messages.
‘These text messages are the first time I was able to see they don’t want me alive.’
Danielle Bellomo (pictured), 38, claimed she was being targeted for her political beliefs
Scott Semaya (pictured), 38, allegedly sent the jaw-dropping messages during a July school board meeting
Semaya, who allegedly holds liberal beliefs, took cheap shots at the MAGA mom in a group chat named ‘This B**ch Needs to Die’ (pictured)
The group chat allegedly involved five men. A source told the NY Post it included Chad Hyett, the Marlboro school board vice president, and Mitesh Gandhi, whose wife is on the board.
Amid the controversy, Semaya and his running mate, Melissa Goldberg, have dropped their board election bids, citing personal reasons.
‘After what has been a grueling 18 months, I would like to share that Melissa Goldberg and Scott Semaya have dropped out of the election,’ Bellomo wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
‘Hate has no place in Marlboro, and the actions of Scott Semaya and the other men in that group chat should never be tolerated. I am happy that we have ended this cycle of hate.’
The next day, Marlboro’s Democratic mayor, Jonathan Hornik, addressed the alleged inappropriate behavior.
He said the texts were ‘completely unacceptable’ and said ‘those responsible are clearly not equipped to hold public office.’
‘We can disagree with one another without resorting to hate, anger and violence, and I call upon all those in positions of responsibility, regardless of political affiliation to condemn this inexcusable and outrageous behavior,’ he wrote.
Hornik said Marlboro police have launched an investigation into the alarming incident, which Bellomo believes was politically motivated.
Bellomo (pictured) claimed board members have been targeting her for several months
Bellomo (left) felt personally attacked by Semaya, as she was once his daughter’s Girl Scout leader
Signs calling for a ‘boycott’ against Bellomo have also been posted outside of Marlboro schools, including the one her daughter attends, she claimed
‘I’m a proud and unapologetic advocate for parental rights, for my children, for our town and our state and for that they have this hate for me,’ Bellomo told the NY Post.
The mother-of-three took Semaya’s allegedly despicable comments against her as a personal blow, as she said she was once his daughter’s Girl Scout leader.
‘This is heartbreaking for me. This is what he was thinking when I was volunteering with his children – it’s a hard pill to swallow,’ she told the NY Post.
She also worries that her own 12-year-old son will come across the messages.
While public light was shed on the situation when the messages were leaked online, Bellomo claimed she had been the target of vicious online attacks for months and had filed multiple police reports.
Bellomo said she even has a protective order against one of the men who was allegedly in the group chat, Ghandi. His lawyer told the NY Post they are working to dismiss the order.
Based on her social media, she has been publicly feuding with Hyett and other board members for months. In June, she claimed they voted to deny her ‘right to attend professional development.’
Hyett had filed a formal complaint about Bellomo, claiming she posted a photo of a private school email on Facebook. But his claim was never substantiated by the commission.
Bellomo (pictured) said the messages made her realize ‘they don’t want me alive’
Amid the controversy, Semaya dropped his board election bid, citing personal reasons
Signs calling for a ‘boycott’ against Bellomo have also been posted outside of Marlboro schools, including the one her daughter attends, she claimed.
While Semaya has taken a step back from school politics after the horrendous texts emerged, community members have repeatedly blasted him on social media.
‘This guy presents himself as a father and family man to the public only to then conduct himself like a pervert and criminal on a group chat during a BOE Meeting,’ former board member Patruno posted.
Current candidate Kerry Ann Jankowski wrote she is ‘heartbroken’ by his behavior.
‘As a mom, wife, daughter, and volunteer, my heart hurts – but not nearly as much as what Danielle Bellomo is enduring,’ she said.
Senator Ted Cruz has even reacted to the scandal, calling Semaya’s alleged actions ‘wrong and evil.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Bellomo, Semaya, Ghandi and Hyett for comment.
