Officials verbally spar with man who would not give his name
SOMERS POINT — Vinnie Caputo spent a lot of time disrupting the proceedings of the Somers Point City Council meeting Aug. 14, refusing repeatedly to identify himself and ultimately, after doing so, delivering a tirade based on rumors and beefs people have with the city.
Caputo is a self-styled crusader working under the name Garden State Accountability who makes a habit of attending municipal government meetings “where I expose corruption, challenge government officials, and fight for transparency in our local and state politics,” according to his YouTube channel.
“From town hall meetings to statehouse hearings, I confront politicians who lie, suppress public discourse, and try to silence the truth. I’ve been threatened with removal, denied the right to speak, and witnessed officials bending the rules to serve their own agendas — but I refuse to back down,” according to a statement on his channel, which then goes on to request donations.
His multiple recording devices running, Caputo first approached the podium during public comment on resolutions only, and spent 4 minutes arguing with solicitor Tom Smith and City Council about whether he had to provide his name and address for the record. He was then told his time was up.
“No, thank you,” Caputo said.
“They don’t need to address you, then,” Smith responded. “You have to state your name.”
“No, I don’t. This is my time, and I want to know when the city hall is going to be built.”
Smith told Caputo it was a matter of transparency.
“I’m a member of the public. You guys are public servants; you guys have your names posted. I have my Fourth Amendment right,” he said, mistaking the part of the U.S. Constitution that protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures with the First Amendment, which guarantees free speech, among other rights.
Smith said speakers must identify themselves so City Council knows whom the speaker “may be connected to when you come up and give a speech.”
“If you are going to come to council, you’re going to address council, part of the rules for council are you have to identify … ” Smith said.
“It’s unconstitutional, brother,” Caputo cut in, noting there is case law regarding the issue.
Smith and Councilman Howard Dill both said it was time to move forward.
Raising his voice, Caputo asked if he could have his time.
Both Smith and Councilman Sean McGuigan, operating the meeting as president pro temp, said he could speak provided that he identify himself.
“There’s a certain decorum here and we have a policy in place,” McGuigan said.
“Your policy is unconstitutional,” Caputo replied. “I have a right to my Fourth Amendment, do I not?”
“Can I have my time?”
He was told no, that his 3 minutes were up.
Caputo then stated his name as Garden State Accountability, which is a YouTube channel he operates.
McGuigan rejected that identification and refused to let Caputo speak.
“We’re going to move on with the meeting. You can sit down or we’re going to take steps to move this meeting along,” McGuigan said.
Caputo then asked to see the clock, claiming he hadn’t even started yet. After again being refused, he said he was going to push the envelope.
“I have the right to speak,” he said.
“We have policies in place. I’m not sure what your problem is,” McGuigan said.
Caputo then called it “crazy” and “unconstitutional” but sat down.
City Council candidate Levi Fox followed by apologizing in advance for “adding to the stress of anybody on the dais” before asking why the issue was so acrimonious.
McGuigan reminded Fox that the public comment period was for addressing resolutions on the agenda.
“I don’t know what this guy wants to say about the resolution and I’m curious about the resolution too because I didn’t know what was on it,” he said, referring to resolution 182-2025, which appoints Spiro Harrison Nelson as public private partnership redevelopment counsel.
The partnership is one way the city has been considering pursuing funding to renovate or rebuild City Hall.
“As you know, we are going to have another comment session where you can stand up and talk about any city-related business. You can do that at this time but I am asking you to be specific about the resolutions,” McGuigan said.
Fox then said the only thing he wanted to talk about was “the fact that this gentleman has an actual question and rather than addressing the substance of his questions, we debated him for 3 minutes so that time would run out so that he would not be able to ask the question.”
Fox asked if his time would then start but was told that as soon as he identified himself, the clock started.
“I’m not sure what we’re looking to accomplish, but come on. We got a lot of stuff on the agenda here and a lot of people here who want so speak,” McGuigan said.
“I’ll be back up here once I gather my thoughts,” Fox said.
He returned immediately.
“I’m not done,” he said. “How incompetent does this council have to be that they have to undo a resolution to redo a resolution one month later?”
He was referring to resolutions 184 and 185, which rescinded resolution 169-2025 and then reauthorized the execution of a redevelopment agreement for an upscale condominium project at 90 Broadway.
Smith said it was due to a typo and took responsibility.
Following some grumbles from council, Fox said he was “sorry this is wasting one hour a week that you guys are up here” and took his seat.
Caputo returned to the podium during the second comment period, telling Smith that Daniel’s Law protects his right to remain anonymous. However, Daniel’s Law, which was enacted in November 2020, is aimed at protecting the personal information of public service individuals, including judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers.
Caputo then asked for his time back but again refused to give his name, threatening to file a tort claim if he was not allowed to speak.
“Your job is to sit here and listen to us,” he said, again raising his voice.
McGuigan told him there was no need to raise his voice, to which he replied, “but you’re not listening.”
He asked again when his time starts, identifying himself as “Vinnie.”
“If I give my name, you look up my name and then you find out where I live through the property records here in this town. That’s all I’m going to give you,” he said.
He then identified himself as Benjamin Franklin and John Doe, both of which were rejected.
“I just want my 3 minutes. How far are we going to take this?” he said.
At that point, a group in the front row got up and left.
“He’s making people uncomfortable,” Councilwoman Janice Johnston said.
Caputo continued.
“This is not Nazi Germany, you are not my fuhrer,” he said.
“Now you’re being offensive,” McGuigan said. “Please sit down.”
“Or what?” he responded. “I just want my 3 minutes.”
He approached the podium a third time, finally identifying himself as Vinnie Caputo but refusing to provide a hometown.
“I live on Earth,” he said.
McGuigan granted him his 3 minutes.
“I have some information the public needs to hear. I’ve been told an elected official has used their position for personal revenge and not to serve the people,” Caputo said.
“This includes making threats to local businesses that led to expensive taxpayer-funded lawsuits, pressuring committee members to target certain people, ordering city departments to go after residents as punishment, pushing ordinances based on lies and not facts.
“I’ve also been told that this official has threatened violence toward other city officials during heated council meetings. The sound cuts out when criticism is strong. That’s not just wrong; it’s silencing the public record. You guys can’t do that. Fix it. Get new microphones. Have you heard the YouTube? It’s ridiculous.
“I’ve also heard that they try to block outdoor concerts just because of personal grudges. Someone’s using their power in zoning and planning boards to block projects, even withheld city services from residents as retaliation.
“Why did you guys change the ordinance for city rentals? Is it because you didn’t want that happening across the street from your house?
“Last I checked, this was America and we’re free to do what we want as Americans. We’d like to do what we want with our properties.
“I have heard that this person would be resigning tonight. I already knew that you would be resigning,” Caputo said, referring to City Council President Charlie Haberkorn, who had attempted to step down from the leadership role but lost the bid in a 4-3 vote. “But resigning is not the same as being held accountable. Guess what. We will hold you accountable. The damage, the lawsuits, the loss of trust remains here in the public.
“These allegations may be unethical, possibly criminal, and I’m calling for an investigation by an independent authority outside Somers Point to look into these allegations of corruption,” Caputo said.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
