“Retire or Be Fired!” – Mayor Accused of Bullying 57-Year-Old Employee and Her Disabled Son in Vicious Revenge Campaign
A political firestorm erupted this week after a newly filed Superior Court lawsuit leveled explosive allegations against the town’s recently appointed Mayor Jennifer Kuhn, sending shockwaves through municipal government and leaving residents demanding answers, FAA News has learned.
A longtime township employee claims she was stripped of her titles, confined to her office like a prisoner, publicly humiliated with a police escort out of town hall, and told point-blank by the mayor: “Retire, or I’ll make you go through the termination process.”
Marianne Horta, 57, the former Personnel Officer and Purchasing Agent for Jackson Township, filed an explosive 15-page lawsuit this week in Ocean County Superior Court against the Township, former Mayor Michael Reina, and current Mayor Jennifer Kuhn.
The complaint paints a picture of a brutal, months-long retaliation campaign that began the moment Horta dared to push back against what she says were illegal and unethical actions by Kuhn.
According to the lawsuit, the breaking point came in March 2025 when Kuhn accused a code enforcement officer of misconduct. Horta, doing her job as Personnel Officer, investigated – and cleared the employee. Kuhn allegedly exploded, falsely accused Horta of leaking confidential photos, and the vendetta was on.
What followed, the suit claims, was relentless harassment:
- Stripped of her Purchasing Agent title and $12,000 stipend in August 2025
- Replaced by her 38-year-old assistant who allegedly lacked the qualifications (forcing the township to spend an extra $17,500 on a private consultant)
- Confined to her office and forbidden from leaving – even to speak with other department heads
- Bombarded with nitpicking emails about 20-minute response times and attending meetings she was never assigned to
- Publicly suggested she “just retire” to avoid being fired
Perhaps most shocking: the mayor allegedly went after Horta’s adult son, Anthony, a township recreation department employee who has dyslexia, a speech impediment, and learning disabilities.
The lawsuit claims Kuhn openly mocked Anthony, with one coworker allegedly overhearing a top official say Kuhn planned to “get rid of the retard and his mother by January.” Shortly after, Anthony was demoted and transferred to the Senior Center in what the suit calls clear retaliation through family targeting.
Horta says the abuse became so severe she has required medical treatment for emotional distress.
The 100+ paragraph complaint accuses the defendants of:
- Age discrimination (replacing a 57-year-old with a woman 20 years younger)
- Disability discrimination and associational discrimination (punishing Horta for her son’s disabilities)
- Whistleblower retaliation under New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA)
- Creating a hostile work environment
- Wrongful constructive termination
- Violation of public policy and civil service laws
Horta was placed on administrative leave November 13, 2025 – marched out of town hall by police in front of coworkers – after being accused of minor procedural violations the township had previously ignored.
“Defendants have engaged in a calculated campaign to force Plaintiff out because she refused to look the other way while laws and policies were broken,” the lawsuit states.
The case has been assigned to the Ocean County Superior Court and includes a demand for a jury trial, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and attorney fees.
Legal analysts say that, if proven, these claims could expose the administration to civil liability—and spark major political fallout.
Whether Kuhn can weather the storm remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: this lawsuit has transformed a routine local dispute into a full-blown political scandal - one that could define the town’s future long after the courtroom dust settles.
In the past few years, the town has paid out millions as a result of lawsuits and state complaints from numerous fired employees.
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3 comments:
Kuhn has a reputation of being abusive. You can see it during town meetings. Why is the APP doing puff publicity stores for her?
jen has got to go
Kuhn has got to go!!! Everything she has done to this town is Illegal..
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