In a bizarre turn of events, Robert Ehrlich, the founder of Pirate’s Booty Snacks, faced a resounding defeat in the race for mayor of Sea Cliff, New York, after a chaotic attempt to assert his authority over the village’s local government. Ehrlich’s political aspirations culminated in a landslide loss to incumbent Elena Villafane, who secured her continuing term with a staggering tally of 1,064 votes against Ehrlich’s mere 62 votes on March 18, 2025.
The drama unfolded around a week prior to the election, specifically on March 10, when Ehrlich and a group of supporters purportedly stormed Sea Cliff Village Hall and claimed he had the authority to dismiss village employees. Officials at the event described how Ehrlich demanded access to government space while simultaneously stating that all village staff would be fired but could reapply for their positions.
“While Village staff remained calm and professional throughout the incident, Ehrlich and his associates raised their voices, used profane language, made outlandish claims, and engaged in direct harassment of Village personnel,” a statement from Sea Cliff officials reported to NBC News.
The incident shocked local officials. Bruce Kennedy, the Village Administrator, noted, “To the best of my knowledge, he has never participated in any government entity, in any volunteer agency, any board or commission,” highlighting the unfamiliarity of Ehrlich with local governance.
Ehrlich based his claims on the New York Government Reorganization and Citizen Empowerment Act, asserting that residents had the right to completely replace village government if a petition with 10% support from registered voters was presented. However, the legality of his assertions came into question when he failed to produce the alleged signatures supporting his claims, becoming increasingly confrontational when requested to leave the premises.
After about an hour of this hostility, police intervention was required to escort him and his group from the building. Despite this tumultuous lead-up to the election, Ehrlich still decided to run as a write-in candidate. His decision, however, proved futile against Villafane, who had been running unopposed until Ehrlich jumped into the race at the last minute.
After losing, Ehrlich declared the election results to be “rigged,” asserting that improper measures were taken at polling stations. He claimed that there were instances of voter fraud, stating, “So one of my supporters voted three times. Another one voted four times, and they didn’t even realize that he was coming in that many times.”
The aftermath of the election saw Ehrlich continuing to insist he is the legitimate mayor. “No, I’m mayor now. Why do I have to wait two years? I am mayor at this moment. I can write an executive order,” he quipped in a defiant statement reported by NBC News.
His claims appeared to rest on the notion that he and other residents are empowered to take action against the current administration, which Ehrlich characterized as ineffective in delivering timely services and reviving local businesses. “They really could not care less and do not want businesses to thrive,” he commented, expressing disappointment about the perceived lack of effort to attract foot traffic to Sea Cliff Avenue.
In the wake of the election, Villafane addressed the incident by stating, “I welcome the dialogue. But I’m not sure that doing it in this sort of unorthodox fashion helps the residents of Sea Cliff,” thus signaling her intent to maintain civility and professionalism while dealing with future political discourse.
As the dust settles from this unusual episode in Sea Cliff’s political landscape, it raises questions about governance, community involvement, and the limits of local law. With village officials expressing concern over the incident, residents will have to navigate the aftermath of Ehrlich’s chaotic endeavor while hoping for stability in their local government.
Ultimately, this affair serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in small-town politics and the expectations of community leadership. As for Ehrlich’s future, he may need to rethink his strategies if he wishes to find a legitimate path in local governance.
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