RIVER EDGE, N.J. (AP) — An Assembly candidate who dropped out of the race after a book of rants he wrote about gays, breast-feeding moms and others surfaced has resigned from his council seat.
Republican Anthony Cappola resigned from the council Friday, River Edge Mayor Sandy Moscaritolo told The Record.
Cappola acknowledged last week that he wrote the book titled “Outrageous!” 12 years ago but said he wasn’t the same person anymore.
The mayor said that he worked well with Cappola and that Cappola had contributed as a council member, even using his skills as a disc jockey to help at public events.
Republicans denounced Cappola’s language in the book that included saying gay people should keep their “sexual preferences” ”behind doors like normal people do.”
Cappola took aim at numerous groups in the 223-page book, which contained many spelling and grammatical errors.
In one section he stereotypes Asians as bad drivers. In another, he tells breast-feeding moms to “put it back wear in came from!!!”
In a statement last week, Cappola said he was sorry if he offended anyone and he took responsibility for the book.
The Assembly is at the top of the ticket this November, and Republicans hope to challenge Democrats for the majority in the chamber. Democrats now control it 48-32.
The seat in the northern New Jersey district that Cappola had been running for was considered one of a handful of competitive races in the November election.
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