A candidate for the school board in New Jersey has been exposed for sending abusive and sexual messages regarding Danielle Bellomo, a conservative board member, in a group chat titled “ThisBitchNeedsToDie.”
Revelations of Scott Semaya’s inappropriate texts about Bellomo, which surfaced on social media this week, pertain to a July school board meeting. The unfolding scandal has prompted a police investigation and has caused a stir in the affluent neighborhood of Marlboro.
In one shocking text, Semaya allegedly typed, “Bellomo must be cold—her nips could cut glass right n,” as captured on camera by a fellow attendee.
Immediate backlash ensued, leading Semaya to withdraw from the Marlboro Board of Education race, with his associate Melissa Goldberg following suit.
The controversy, echoing a similar incident in Virginia involving attorney general candidate Jay Jones who suggested violence against a Republican politician, has drawn significant attention in the tranquil community.
“I was absolutely horrified,” Bellomo told The Post. “Finding out about these messages was shocking given the current political climate—it sent chills through me.”
Bellomo, who is a proud supporter of President Trump, describes herself as a dedicated mom of three with a strong stance on parental rights, and believes she is being attacked for her beliefs.
“I’m an advocate for parental rights and for my community, and this has stirred up hatred against me,” she remarked.
Semaya, an accountant with progressive views, was one of five contenders for three open seats on the school board, revealing only “family circumstances” as the reason for his withdrawal. Multiple attempts to reach him for comments have gone unanswered.
“This has impacted my entire family,” Bellomo noted, expressing concern that her 12-year-old son may see the derogatory messages.
In an ironic twist, Bellomo previously served as a Girl Scouts leader for Semaya’s daughter.
“It’s heartbreaking,” she admitted. “To think that he was holding such thoughts while I was volunteering with his children is difficult to accept.”
Currently serving her first full three-year term on the board, Bellomo has faced months of online threats and has reported them to the police.
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While a single shot of Semaya’s phone was shared regarding the “ThisBitchNeedsToDie” group text, Bellomo claims to have seen other images detailing specific threats against her.
“These messages have shown me that they wish for my demise,” she stated, choosing not to share the additional evidence.
Bellomo is seeking a protective order against one individual allegedly from the group chat, Mitesh Gandhi, whose spouse serves on the board. Gandhi has not commented and has directed inquiries to his attorney, who intends to dismiss the protective order.
The offensive group chat reportedly included five men, with current Marlboro school board vice president Chad Hyett also mentioned. Calls for Hyett’s resignation have intensified within the 41,000-strong town.
Hyett had previously lodged an ethics complaint against Bellomo after she shared part of a board email publicly; however, the complaint was not substantiated.
Bellomo asserted that Marlboro Schools Superintendent Michael Ballone “failed to offer protection” during a board meeting that occurred amid the text message controversy.
“The district takes the safety of all school community members very seriously,” declared Ballone. “We maintain a strong relationship with our local police department, and this next meeting will follow the same protocol.”
The town’s Democratic mayor, Jonathan Hornik, condemned the messages as “completely unacceptable,” stating that those involved are unfit for public office.
“Violence and threats against public officials are becoming normalized,” he lamented. “We’ve seen a troubling increase in this behavior, culminating in extreme incidents. This must not continue.”
As the once-quiet town of Marlboro, where home prices average around $850,000, becomes a hotbed of social media outrage, locals have expressed their disgust.
“This individual presents himself as a devoted family man, only to reveal a perverse nature behind closed doors,” wrote former board member Aldo Patruno about Semaya.
“This is atrocious on every level,” remarked another comment online.
“These adult men should be held accountable for making threats against someone’s life,” another user asserted on Instagram.
Semaya and Goldberg were campaigning under an ostensibly nonpartisan slate called Collaborators for Responsible Education, or CORE. The third candidate, incumbent Michael Lilonsky, remains in the race, but has not responded to requests for comments.
Goldberg announced via New Jersey’s Patch.com that she is withdrawing from the board race, citing her inability to commit alongside her other responsibilities.
