Robert Ehrlich, the inventor of everyone’s favorite puffy, cheesy snack Pirate’s Booty, added to his lore this week. In addition to being an owner in Holiday Cocktail Lounge, the iconic East Village dive bar, a new job is now on his resume.
This one is located about an hour’s drive over in Nassau County, in the tiny town of Sea Cliff, where he is an infamous resident. One that is now at the center of political controversy: Ehrlich, 66, has self-proclaimed himself mayor of his sleepy seaside village of 5,000, per News 12.
At a contentious Sea Cliff town hall meeting on Monday, just a week before its mayoral election, Ehrlich boldly declared his authority as a write-in candidate. Among his first orders of business as self-appointed mayor: demanding office space and firing the whole village staff (though they can reapply for their positions). Baffled village officials reportedly called police to quickly diffuse the scene before Ehrlich exited out the door. “I have so many great ideas. I love Sea Cliff from the bottom of my heart, and I don’t want this to go in the wrong way,” per a promotional video posted by Ehrlich.
How did we get here? Ehrlich claims he found a legal loophole to reach mayor-ville, turning to an obscure New York state law dubbed the Citizen Empowerment Act to create what he calls the “Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff Residents” — and proclaim himself its mayor. (Per the state of New York, a successful dissolution of village government requires 10 percent of its population — or 500 people in Sea Cliff — to sign a petition.)
Ehrlich’s claim to food fame is Pirate’s Booty, the airy corn-and-rice snack he founded in 1987. The popular pantry staple made Ehrlich rich, to say the least; B&G Foods bought Pirate Brands for $195 million in 2013, and Hershey scooped up the cash-cow conglomerate for a whopping $420 million in 2018.
The status of Ehrlich’s controversial political title remains unclear. “The activities of daily governance are unchanged, and the Village of Sea Cliff continues to operate under the guidance of its duly elected Board of Trustees,” per a statement on Facebook. Sea Cliff residents are encouraged to vote on Tuesday, March 18, with incumbent Mayor Elena Villafane running unopposed. “We can’t risk a write in winning this election,” comments one resident.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
