Garden State Equality (GSE) Executive Director Christian Fuscarino resigned this week after it came to light that he’s been charged with assault AND child endangerment.
“While my loved ones & I have been working through this moment together with care and love, the press has turned a deeply personal situation into a public headline,” Fuscarino complained in a social media post announcing his departure from GSE, the state’s most prominent LGBTQ+-$#&### organization.
But not everyone agrees that this is a “deeply personal situation,” not just in light of the seriousness of the allegations but also owing to the fact that GSE has received millions in taxpayer dollars.
“Assaulting a child is never a private matter. Based on information revealed yesterday, allegations of abuse within a foster home here in Monmouth County became known more than a month ago,” Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger and Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn of LD13 explained in a press release. “The public deserves to know why it took so long for this information to come to light. Was this delay handled differently due to the individual’s position or relationships? We hope not, but these questions must be answered promptly, because even the perception of preferential treatment is deeply troubling and undermines trust in the system meant to protect our most vulnerable children. Anything less further erodes public confidence and fails the children who depend on the State for protection.”
“As public officials of the State of New Jersey, we stand unequivocally with children who have been abused, and we refuse to remain silent when those entrusted with their care betray that trust,” the pair continued. “Every child deserves to be safe and protected in their home—especially foster children who are placed in these homes by the State under the promise that they will be shielded from harm. We are praying for the children who were victims of this incident and hope they do not suffer long-lasting impacts on their lives. These children were entrusted to the State for protection, and this is yet another painful example of a system failing those it is meant to safeguard.”
