Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy has never been shy about discussing a 2004 incident where a political rival photographed him nude outside his home and a recent article by The Star Ledger unveils some new details.
Healy explained that three young girls were banging on trash cans outside his house, so he wrapped a towel around himself before going outside to see what the ruckus was about.
“Three Hispanic girls, young kids,” he told Ledger reporter Tom Moran. “So I go out on the porch and they pulled the towel off me. Now I start laughing, and then they started doing other stuff. I said, ‘I’m old enough to be your grandfather … It was filthy, I chased them away, and I just sat down.”
The new information conflicts with The Jersey Journal story that initially covered the 2004 incident, where a former Healy spokesman said the mayor returned home from a party around 3 a.m. after having several drinks. When he heard a disturbance outside, Healy went out to see what was going on and the photograph was taken.
Regardless what actually happened that night, Healy told Moran that he was guilty of any wrongdoing on the evening in question.
“Listen, I like to eat, drink, sing, dance and laugh,” he says. “And I make no apologies for any of the above.”
Councilman Steve Fulop, Healy’s main opposition in the upcoming May 14 mayoral election, told Hudson County TV that several Hispanic Jersey City elected officials plan to hold a press conference addressing Healy’s latest comments on Monday at noon in front of City Hall, located at 280 Grove Street.
Stay tuned to Hudson County TV for complete coverage of the event tomorrow.
