PATERSON — A Superior Court judge last week dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit filed by Darris Jacobs, a Paterson housing inspector, who claimed his city supervisor cursed at, yelled at, insulted, and bullied him.
Lawyers representing the city and the supervisor, David Gilmore, filed separate motions asking the judge to toss the lawsuit on the grounds that Jacobs had not engaged in any whistleblowing activity that would qualify him for protection under New Jersey’s conscientious employee law.
Jacobs’ lawyer argued in court papers that the inspector deserved whistleblower status because he was trying to expose harassment by Gilmore.
The judge, Bruno Mongiardo, on March 3 ruled in favor of the City of Paterson and Gilmore. Mongiardo dismissed the case “without prejudice,” meaning Jacobs could file a revised complaint against the city and Gilmore.
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“He tried to equate my requests for him to do his job to bullying,” Gilmore said on Tuesday about the case. “We have work to do and I want people to do their work.”
The court battle represented a rare instance in which two longtime adversaries — Gilmore and Mayor Andre Sayegh — were on the same side.
“Our law department has been aggressive in defending the city against lawsuits and has been successful in obtaining dismissals,” Sayegh said of Mongiardo’s ruling....
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