TOMS RIVER, NJ – Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill, New Jersey Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, Business Administrator Lou Amoroso and the township council is being sued by former business administrator Don Guardian.
In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Guardian claims hostility over himself being an openly gay man led to disparaging and homophobic slurs by former New Jersey State Trooper and his replacement, Lou Amoroso.
Guardian was the first openly gay mayor of Atlantic City before taking the job in Toms River.
According to the lawsuit, Mayor Mo Hill is alleged to have called Guardian a “pillow biter”.
The term “pillow biter” used by Mayor Hill is a reference to the trial of Jeremy Thorpe, where Norman Scott, indicating his reluctant participation in receptive homosexual activity, said “I just bit the pillow, I tried not to scream because I was frightened of waking Mrs Thorpe.”
The term has come into common usage as a derogatory term for homosexual men.
“Defendant, Mayor Maurice Hill, Jr. made disparaging homophobic slurs regarding Plaintiff Donald Guardian including referring to Plaintiff as a “pillow biter”. Defendant, Louis Amoruso called the Plaintiff, Donald Guardian discriminatory names such as “Fucking pervert” and “Faggot.”” the lawsuit claims.
On June 9th, Guardian claims to have been verbally attacked during a zoom meeting between township officials.
“Defendant, Louis Amoruso did not approve of the Plaintiff’s lifestyle as an openly gay man,” the lawsuit claims. “Defendant, Louis Amoruso stated on multiple occasions that he · did not feel “comfortable” around the Plaintiff. Defendant, Louis Amoruso made the statement to multiple individuals including named Defendants that the Plaintiff was a liability and the township needed to get rid of him.”
After the exchange, Guardian suffered from a medical episode and the township conducted the entire meeting without him as he suffering on the floor in another office in town hall.
“After being exposed to the abusive behavior in the meeting, Plaintiff, Donald Guardian participated in the zoom council meeting in his office at the township administration building,” the suit claims. “Plaintiff, Donald Guarclian’s office was physically located in close proximity to the office of the Defendant, Mayor Maurice Hill, Jr. During this council meeting, Plaintiff, Donald Guardian suffered a serious medical incident.”The Defendants conducted the entire meeting that Plaintiff, Donald Guardian generally oversees without him present. While the Defendants conducted the meeting knowing the Plaintiff was not present, Plaintiff, Donald Guardian was left lying on the floor of his office in medical distress.”
While on medical leave, Mo Hill fired Guardian and replaced him with Amoroso.