Republican mayor physically charges at resident
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Pemberton Township Mayor Matthew Bianchini charged at critic Michael Sawka and was restrained by a councilman.
The mayor refuses to apologize and faces re-election on November 3.
Background
Matthew Bianchini is the Republican mayor of Pemberton Township, New Jersey, in office since January and running for re-election on November 3. Michael Sawka is a township resident described as a frequent and vocal critic of the mayor. The confrontation occurred during a council employment hearing for a recently fired township employee, and video of it was captured by a reporter for the Pine Barrens Tribune, a local newspaper. Bianchini has a history of confrontation since taking office, including telling a councilmember to "shut the fuck up" during a May budget dispute.
How it unfolded
- Oct 21, 2026At a Pemberton Township Council meeting, Mayor Matthew Bianchini got up from the administration desk and charged at resident Michael Sawka, a vocal critic seated in the audience, and had to be held back by several people.
- Oct 21, 2026Bianchini was physically restrained and removed from council chambers by Councilman Perry Doyle, a retired township police officer, while shouting "I am getting you – I am fu\ing get you!" The confrontation happened while a recently fired township employee was addressing the council during an employment hearing.
- Oct 21, 2026Sawka called for Bianchini to resign and to be arrested; police were called into the meeting and followed the mayor into the room next to the chamber.
- Oct 22, 2026Bianchini wrote online that he would not apologize, saying his wife and daughter were "physically and verbally attacked" and that his actions were "probably" wrong but "absolutely" justified.
- Oct 23, 2026Bianchini told WPVI that he would "do it again if I had to," while also saying he should not have made the threat.
- Nov 3, 2026Bianchini, a Republican, is seeking re-election.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Bianchini says he "basically snapped," that his wife and daughter were attacked, and that "any good husband, any good father, would've done just what I did," while conceding the threat itself was wrong.
- Public
- Sawka says the mayor threatened him on video and audio, called for police to arrest Bianchini for assault, and demanded the mayor resign.
- Party
- Bianchini's family members say Sawka has antagonized the mayor and his family for months in Facebook posts and made rude comments toward the mayor's wife and daughter at the meeting.
Still unverified
Sawka allegedly insulted Bianchini's wife and daughter at the meeting and then made an obscene gesture at the mayor, according to Bianchini and his family; Sawka's account says he only waved his hands at the family behind him and did not say a word. It is unclear whether any formal action or disciplinary steps are planned after the incident.