Fury as Democratic mayor forces GOP candidate's brother to resign from LGBTQ task force for his links to her campaign - and reveals their heated text messages

A New jersey politician is clashing pinch a arguable Missouri Republican pinch a history of anti-gay statements aft he threatened to occurrence her brother for donating to her campaign. 

The conflict has spilled complete into societal media, pinch nan politician publishing matter messages chastising nan candidate's relative and her past responding pinch an angry video and threatening a lawsuit. 

Valentina Gomez, a 25-year-old spot investor, is moving for caput of authorities successful Missouri and has made headlines pinch a bid of viral videos espousing right-wing views.

The gun-toting MAGA campaigner successful May told voters to not beryllium 'weak and gay' and has made videos slamming Juneteenth, Black Lives Matter (BLM), and plans to compensate nan descendants of victims of slavery. She has besides used anti-gay slurs to protestation nan opening ceremonies of nan Paris Olympics. 

It was revealed that Gomez's brother, Jonathan Gomez Noriega, has spent 3 years moving connected nan unit and LGBTQ+ task unit for Democrat Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and nan past six years arsenic nan superior adjutant to nan mayor. 

Gomez announced successful a video Monday that she had recordings of Fulop threatening her brother's occupation pursuing reports he'd donated $1,250 to her run and that she was readying ineligible action.

'Fulop is making him take betwixt his family, aliases his job. Steven, you should've chosen your words much carefully, because you don't sound for illustration a Democratic mayor, you sound for illustration a dictator,' she said.

'You cannot beryllium governor, this is not nan measurement to dainty your employees, aliases immoderate quality being but I will fto nan group decide.' 

She past played nan audio clip complete a photograph of Fulop.

'Jon, if you deliberation that is boldness, I americium gonna' occurrence you. I'm gonna look successful 5 minutes, if not clear wherever you stand, past you're not pinch me, you're pinch her and you can't activity pinch me. Period, okay? Like, that's it, extremity of story. Five minutes.' 

Fulop responded to Gomez's video by posting a lengthy connection to X and attached 4 screenshots of his matter messages telling Gomez Noriega his support of his sister's run was unacceptable.

'Valentina - first your relative WAS an 'at-will' worker for nan metropolis - arsenic of tomorrow he nary longer useful location bc he doesn't bespeak nan values of nan city,' he wrote. 

'Second, You tin spot really powerfully I consciousness astir nan LGBTQ organization and I'll stock nan matter messages we exchanged truthful ppl cognize sick conflict for them erstwhile group are watching and nan aforesaid erstwhile they can't spot what I'm doing.'

The matter messages mostly bespeak Fulop's views successful nan audio recording, showing Fulop trying to dictate what Gomez Noriega should opportunity successful his apology. 

Gomez has responded aggregate times to those condemning her relative pinch her marque of rhetoric. 

After Frank E. Gilmore, a Democrat councilmember successful nan city, said that Gomez Noriega should beryllium removed, Gomez called him a 'felon and a supplier dealer' and said her relative could beryllium amended utilized elsewhere. 

'Yes please! Appoint him to much useful boards alternatively of that cheery s***. He's an American national and tin do what he wants pinch his money. Gotta springiness in installments to Steven Fulop who is nan only Democrat politician that has really done correct for nan metropolis he leads,' she wrote.

Gilmore was jailed astatine 19 for supplier offenses, serving six-and-a-half years successful prison, earlier obtaining a assemblage grade and opening a organization center, past moving for metropolis council, according to Hudson County View.

Gomez Noriega - a erstwhile Olympic swimmer and postgraduate of Columbia aft emigrating pinch his family astatine a young property - posted a connection of his ain Monday afternoon.

'Different beliefs shouldn't disagreement us,' he wrote. 'This rumor touches meal tables crossed America. I take respect, peace, and nan chance to clasp my loved ones, putting family supra authorities and immoderate appointed position.'

'I do not and will ne'er discriminate against ANY quality being. I americium an Olympic Swimmer, a Graduate of Columbia University School of International Public Affairs, and person been loyally serving nan group of Jersey City for complete six years.'

He past announced he was formally stepping down from nan LGBTQ+ task force, but said he looks 'forward to proceed serving nan group of Jersey City'.

'I whitethorn not work together pinch everything my sister says, but I emotion her. It's this benignant of boldness—stepping up for my family and maintaining our relationship—that makes our state strong,' he said.

'Political differences should not destruct families.'

A petition calling for Gomez Noriega's resignation from nan task unit had achieved complete 300 signatures, while Congressman Rob Menendez - nan boy of convicted New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez - commended nan calls for him to resign and Gomez's attacks connected Gilmore.  

It remains unclear if Gomez Noriega will clasp his occupation arsenic an adjutant to nan mayor, though Fulop's connection suggests he will beryllium removed from his position entirely.

Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione, a spokesperson for nan city, told NJ.com they person 'made it explicitly clear that nan views expressed 1,000 miles distant successful Missouri are shameful and person nary spot present successful Jersey City.'

DailyMail.com has reached retired to a Wallace-Scalcione for further remark connected Gomez Noriega's occupation status.

In a statement, Valentina Gomez added: 'Family complete everything! It’s very hypocritical that location is simply a task unit for conscionable 1% of nan population.' 

She wondered why location were nary akin task forces for veterans, constabulary aliases firefighters aliases 'families that person stayed together'.

The metropolis website says nan extremity of nan task unit is to 'provide adjacent opportunity to each of its divers employees, residents, and businesses.'  

Valentina Gomez - who besides came present from Colombia and is simply a immense protagonist of Donald Trump - has emerged  successful a divisive predetermination season, successful which authorities astir race, gender and intersexual identities person go front-burner issues — and for immoderate candidates, a vote-winner. 

Gomez is moving for Missouri caput of authorities arsenic a Republican. As nan authorities is heavy red, it's apt that nan victor of nan Republican superior will prevail successful nan wide election

The incumbent, Republican Jay Ashcroft, is moving for Missouri governor, leaving nan spot open.

Gomez has attracted acold much attraction than her competitors simply for her arguable stances and provocative videos.

One showed her jogging done nan mostly LGBTQ vicinity of Soulard successful St. Louis successful May, wearing a bulletproof vest and telling voters to not beryllium 'weak and gay.'

In February she shared footage of herself mounting 2 LGBTQ-themed books connected fire, characterizing nan texts arsenic 'grooming, indoctrinating and sexualizing'.

'When I'm Secretary of State, I will BURN each books that are grooming, indoctrinating, and sexualizing our children. MAGA. America First,' she wrote connected X .

After Instagram removed nan video, Gomez told HuffPost she was: 'Just for illustration President Trump,' adding: 'I americium 1 of nan astir suppressed voices connected Instagram.'

Gomez has antecedently said 'don't beryllium gay,' erstwhile referencing 'countries that prohibition rifles, guns aliases moreover flamethrowers,' arsenic reported by power position WCPT.

Her societal media bio reads: 'Jesus is King. MAGA. America First.'

She opposes vaccine mandates and nan 'transgender agenda.'

Gomez has besides expressed admiration for Andrew Tate, who is accused of quality trafficking successful Romania.

She worked until precocious successful finance astatine Nestle Purina.

Gomez has garnered a estimation for wading into blimpish civilization warfare issues

She precocious attacked Dylan Mulvaney, who said astatine a Missouri Jesuit college. She called Mulvaney 'a dude' pinch 'a penis.'

Since nan caput of authorities serves arsenic nan main elections charismatic successful Missouri, Gomez has floated plans to revamp nan voting system.

She says nan 2020 predetermination was stolen from Trump, which whitethorn pass her scheme to 'remove physics voting machines to successfully modulation towards cosmopolitan insubstantial ballot manus counting,' per her run website.

She besides supports deploying nan National Guard to show polling places successful Missouri.