In a deposition recently given by Mayor Mike Reina in the Oros Bais Yaakov lawsuit against Jackson Township, Reina apparently threw his colleagues and his erstwhile “Jackson Strong” residents overboard, perhaps in an effort to save his sinking career.

During the deposition, Reina was asked, under oath, whether he agrees that testimony given at Jackson Township Council meetings in favor of enacting anti-Orthodox ordinances was made by people who are “ignorant and anti-Semitic.”  Reina’s response: yes, noting that “It would be a fair statement.”

Reina admitting that much of the hostile attacks that led to Jackson Township enacting new laws that make life difficult for Orthodox Jews was in response to ignorance and hate is not surprising and yet unexpected.

Sources tell TLS that many of the Jackson officials who helped push through the ordinances expected Reina to back them up publicly and privately. But with this deposition, it seems that Reina decided to throw them overboard, stating under court ordered oath that what they voted to approve was driven by the wishes of anti-Semites.

This should cause major issues for Jackson Township, not only in the Oros Bais Yaakov lawsuit, but in the Agudath Israel lawsuit as well. In both, the plaintiffs allege that Jackson enacted policies that discriminate against Orthodox Jews. Reina has now admitted that they are right.

While it is laudable that Reina did not lie when under oath, his coming clean raises an obvious question: why hasn’t he said this publicly?

Why didn’t the mayor of Jackson say publicly, for all to hear, that Orthodox Jews are being discriminated against?

Why is the Justice Department not investigating?

Why are the Freeholders silent?

Where is Ocean County Prosecutor Brad Billhimer in all this?