Ex-Fulop Aide Sues Jersey City Over Free Speech After LGBT Uproar

A former aide to Mayor Steven Fulop has filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming to be a victim of “wrongful termination, retaliation, and discrimination” for engaging in “constitutionally protected political activities.”

Jonathan Gomez Noriega, a Colombian-born immigrant, had been an aide to Fulop since 2018. However, their close relationship abruptly ended when Gomez’s financial support of his sister’s “hate-filled campaign for Secretary of State of Missouri” was reported by the Jersey City Times on August 2, 2024.

?@StevenFulop it’s ILLEGAL to threaten your employees. Huge lawsuit incoming. God & the truth are with us. pic.twitter.com/n2I6CDl8KT

— Valentina Gomez (@ValentinaForUSA) August 6, 2024

Jonathan’s sister, Valentina Gomez, is a popular far-right social media personality with over 300k followers on X (formerly Twitter). In Jersey City and New Jersey, Jonathan quickly became a political pariah for his sister’s anti-LGBT rhetoric. Less than a week after the Jersey City Times article, he was fired by Fulop.

A press release from Jonathan’s attorney, Giancarlo Ghione of Sekas Law Group, states:

According to the lawsuit, Mayor Fulop initially expressed no concern about Mr. Gomez’s support for his sister’s campaign. However, as pressure mounted from local media and progressive political groups, the mayor began to retaliate against Mr. Gomez, culminating in his termination. The complaint details a series of harassing messages from Mayor Fulop, demanding that Mr. Gomez publicly disavow his sister or risk losing his job.

Additionally, Jonathan Gomez stated “I filed a lawsuit before the federal courts to show that no mayor, governor, or public servant is above the law. My First amendment right was violated. I was retaliated against, coerced, wrongfully fired, and humiliated by the Mayor of Jersey City Steven Fulop, and his staff… Like Elon Musk says, the hammer of justice is coming.”