"I'm mayor now" said write-in mayoral candidate and founder of Pirate’s Booty Snacks Robert Ehrlich after losing the election for Mayor of Sea Cliff, NY. Then he tried to take over the Village Hall and fire everyone.

Ehrlich received 62 votes out of 1126 votes cast, the rest going to the incumbent mayor Elena Villafane. This is one race that was not too close to call.

Elena Villafane, the incumbent mayor of Sea Cliff, had been running unopposed for her third two-year term when Ehrlich jumped into the race as a write-in candidate a week ago Monday.

After losing, Robert "Big Booty" Ehrlich went to Village Hall and presented a statement asserting his authority as mayor, demanding access to office space, and declaring that the entire Village staff was fired effective immediately.

The village released the following statement:

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Official Statement from the Village of Sea Cliff

On Monday March 10, 2025, at approximately 9:44 AM, an incident occurred at Village Hall involving Robert Ehrlich, Jeff Knox, Arthur Liebold, and an unidentified man. Upon arrival, Ehrlich presented a statement falsely asserting his authority as mayor, demanding access to office space, and declaring that the entire Village staff was fired effective immediately but could reapply for their jobs.

When informed that this claim was invalid and unsupported by law, he was asked to leave Village Hall at which point, Mr. Ehrlich and his associates became increasingly confrontational.

While Village staff remained calm and professional throughout the incident, Ehrlich and his associates raised their voices, used profane language, made outlandish claims, and engaged in direct harassment of Village personnel. Despite multiple requests to leave, they refused, creating a hostile and disruptive environment that required police intervention.

Village staff endured nearly an hour of escalating hostility before Mr. Ehrlich and his associates left and order was restored. The disruption caused significant distress among employees and hindered Village Hall operations.

We appreciate the swift response of law enforcement and the leadership that helped de-escalate the situation. Village Hall remains committed to serving the community with professionalism and integrity while ensuring that appropriate action is taken to prevent future disruptions.

The Board of Trustees wishes to acknowledge the professionalism of the Village Hall Staff. They all comported themselves in a calm and respectful manner while being subjected to intense and outlandish behavior. They are a credit to our Village and demonstrate the motto of “Keep Calm and Carry On.”.

The activities of daily governance are unchanged, and the Village of Sea Cliff continues to operate under the guidance of its duly elected Board of Trustees.

The Village of Sea Cliff takes the safety and well-being of its staff and residents seriously.

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aaron@pigdog.org