Matthew Bianchini

Introduction

Matthew Bianchini is the Republican mayor of Pemberton Township, a municipality in Burlington County, New Jersey, appointed to the job by township council earlier this year after his predecessor’s resignation and now running to retain the seat in the November election. On October 21, 2026, during a township council meeting, Bianchini charged across the room at resident Michael Sawka while shouting “I am getting you, I am f—ing getting you!” and had to be physically restrained and escorted out of the room. Sawka has since filed a municipal court complaint seeking assault and terroristic threats charges against him.

Background Information

Bianchini was appointed mayor by township council earlier this year to fill a vacant seat after the former mayor resigned; absent an election win, he would complete his predecessor’s term through the end of the year. His administration fired Kenneth “Kenny” Gerber, the township’s Community Development director and a retired police chief, roughly two weeks before the incident, replacing him with Joshua Ward, a councilman who resigned that seat to take the town hall job — a move that raised questions in the community. The October 21 meeting was an employment appeal hearing at which Gerber was pleading his case to be reinstated, accusing Bianchini’s administration of wrongdoing; township Business Administrator Rosemary Flaherty defended the firing, alleging Gerber mismanaged his department and engaged in “locker room talk” in the office — claims Gerber and his allies contend are politically motivated retribution tied to his friendship with rival GOP candidate Dan Dewey. Sawka, a part-time lawyer, is a constant Bianchini critic who says his activism is meant to highlight what he considers questionable government spending.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Complaint filed — no criminal charges yet. Bianchini ran at a resident mid-meeting while shouting a threat, was restrained and removed, and now faces a municipal court complaint for assault and terroristic threats. He says the threat was wrong but “justified,” refuses to apologize, and will not resign. Police have not said whether charges will be pursued.

Per footage captured by Pine Barrens Tribune reporter Ryan Elmore and the township’s own meeting video, the hearing turned combative as Gerber made his appeal and critics in the audience — including Sawka and another resident wearing a shirt endorsing rival GOP candidate Dan Dewey — clashed with the mayor and Township Engineer Jennifer Harris. After a heated exchange, video of the meeting shows Sawka waving his hand toward the mayor’s family, seated behind him, and making an obscene gesture toward the mayor — the moment Bianchini says was his breaking point. “The breaking point for me was when he turned around and looked at my daughter and did a hand gesture toward her where I stood up. He looked at me, gave me a smile, gave me the finger and I just snapped,” Bianchini told NBC10. Sawka denies making comments toward the mayor’s family: “I never got up. I sat there the whole time. I was calm the whole time,” he said.

An enraged Bianchini then bolted across the room at Sawka, shouting “I am getting you, I am f—ing getting you!” as onlookers restrained him. Councilman Perry Doyle Jr., a retired cop, struggled to hold the mayor back — with Gerber, the fired police chief, among those physically holding him — before he was escorted out of the room, at one point carried out while still shouting toward Sawka. Two police officers, including a K9 unit, arrived to wrestle control of the raucous meeting. Sawka demanded the mayor’s arrest on the spot: “He just threatened me! That’s on video! That’s on audio! I want the police here to arrest him for that threat. That’s assault!” he shouted. Residents objected when the governing body sought to remove him from the meeting, and those involved in the altercation were ultimately asked to leave.

Public Reaction and Consequences

Sawka filed a formal municipal court complaint the next day alleging assault and terroristic threats, and said he wants Bianchini to resign and sign something pledging never to be involved in politics again — adding he might withdraw the complaint if the mayor resigns. “If he’s gonna do that in public, being like that, that’s kind of crazy,” Sawka told NBC10. The Pemberton Township Democratic Club said the town “deserves to have leaders in place who are able to stay composed and professional [and] treat community members and each other with respect.” Bianchini conceded the outburst was wrong but refused to apologize, writing on Facebook: “I will not apologize for my actions last night. If you attack my family, as that resident did last night, I will act,” and “Were my actions wrong? Probably. Were they justified? Absolutely!” In broadcast interviews he doubled down: “Was it wrong? Absolutely. Was it justified? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Absolutely,” and “Don’t attack my family. I think any good husband, any good father, would’ve done just what I did.” He called the confrontation “a long time coming,” saying he “just basically snapped” after what he describes as months of targeted harassment of his family by Sawka — a characterization Sawka rejects.

Current Status

No arrest has been made and no criminal charges have been filed. Sawka’s municipal court complaint seeking assault and terroristic threats charges against Bianchini was filed October 22; the Pemberton Township Police Department has not said whether it will pursue charges, and did not respond to NBC10’s inquiry. Bianchini says he does not believe his actions warrant criminal charges, has “no intention” of resigning, and is continuing his campaign for the mayoralty in the November election, weeks away. The claims in Sawka’s complaint are accusations in an unadjudicated court filing, not findings.

Impact on Their Career/Life

A mayor who was appointed to unite a polarized township now heads into an election weeks away as the central figure in a viral video of his own threat, with his restrained exit and shouted words captured on the township’s own meeting footage and broadcast nationwide. His refusal to apologize — framed by him as a family-defense principle — has set up the dispute as a campaign issue against the backdrop of the unresolved firing appeal that sparked the meeting, the rival GOP candidacy of Dan Dewey backed by allies of the fired director, and a pending court complaint that could yet produce criminal charges.

Sources

NY Post, “Fuming NJ mayor charges at resident during fiery meeting: ‘I am f–king getting you!’”, October 22, 2026 — source
NBC10 Philadelphia, “Pemberton Township mayor confronts resident during council meeting”, October 22, 2026 — source
ABC7 New York, “Video shows Pemberton, New Jersey Mayor Matthew Bianchini charging at resident during council meeting”, October 22, 2026 — source
PIX11, “‘I’m [expletive] getting you’: NJ mayor restrained after charging at resident”, October 22, 2026 — source
Shore News Network, “Pemberton mayor snaps and charges resident at town hall meeting”, October 22, 2026 — source
Shore News Network, “Bianchini lunges at resident before being held back — mayor’s act caught on camera”, October 22, 2026 — source