New Jersey ‘MAGA mom’ school board member targeted in 'vile' text scandal: ‘They wanted me dead’
Danielle Bellomo a mother-of-three and New Jersey conservative school-board member remembers the moment she first saw the text message that would change her life She can t die soon enough When I read those words She can t die soon enough ' it stopped me in my tracks Bellomo informed Fox News Digital in an unique interview I unfailingly knew there was disagreement politically but I never really wrapped my head around the fact that they in fact desired me dead Bellomo a Marlboro Township Board of Coaching member mother of three and longtime society volunteer is now at the center of a event that has shaken her suburban New Jersey district and sparked outrage across the parental-rights movement nationwide A Monmouth County judge this week extended a temporary protective order against Mitesh Gandhi the husband of another school board member after reading aloud a series of text messages allegedly written by him The messages included a group chat titled This B---- Demands to Die MOTHER SAYS ALLEGED STALKER WHO KILLED HER DAUGHTER SHOULD BE TRIED AS AN ADULTIn one of the text threads Gandhi allegedly referred to Bellomo as a lying c--- and wrote Mission is to just let her die by herself lol Another viral message part of what was dubbed Nipplegate in October appeared to show former board candidate Scott Semaya typing during a society meeting Bellomo must be cold her nips could cut glass right n with a finger about to press the 'o' on his phone's keyboard Fox News Digital has reviewed screenshots of the alleged messages That image spread rapidly online last month drawing condemnation from parents and even Sen Ted Cruz R-Texas who called the comments wrong and evil Two candidates involved in the chat later dropped out of the school board race It surprised me that it reached that level Bellomo declared But it didn t surprise me that conservatives stand behind one another The parental-rights movement is strong Bellomo has spent more than a decade volunteering in Marlboro Township schools She says she ran for the board to sponsorship curriculum transparency and parental rights not to become a target I got involved in the school boards because I m an evolving volunteer in our society I ve been involved with the parent organization that I account for going on years she explained So I saw the school board as the next step in furthering my involvement in the district and I desired it to enhance my children s educational experience while they were in the K- district I never imagined that it would have led to this CONSERVATIVE MOM SUED FOR CALLING DEI FACILITATOR 'WOKE' CELEBRATES AS DEFAMATION SCENARIO TOSSEDThe threats changed everything inside her home My son is almost a teenager He used to go places with his friends now he asks if someone is going to come to our house she commented My -year-old cries if she thinks I have a board meeting My youngest keeps asking if I m safe Her oldest son saw the coverage of grown men sharing lewd messages about Bellomo's body on social media That was humiliating for him she declared He s a middle-schooler His friends saw it It has affected every part of our life According to Bellomo online hostility in town isn t new but she stated she believes this has crossed into something far more serious There s consistently been Facebook drama people arguing she commented When I realized that there wasn't just one but two different communications and possibly you know who knows how a multitude of more where one communication is a group chat that was titled 'This B---- demands to die ' and then the other is authentically plans and that there's a mission and the mission is to watch me die or to have me die alone It really just takes it to a whole different level It's like this is not just normal disagreement LAWMAKER TARGETED WITH DEATH THREAT AFTER CONDEMNING RACIST SIGN AIMED AT WINSOME SEARSThe judge overseeing the protective-order hearing refused to dismiss Gandhi s request to end the order allowing Bellomo s protective order to continue through January when a full trial will be held Under New Jersey law a harassment-related protective order can be extended if a judge finds an ongoing pitfall to the petitioner But at the criminal level Bellomo says the Marlboro Police Department referred the event to the Monmouth County Prosecutor s Office which declined charges I was disheartened but not surprised she mentioned We have a Democrat prosecutor The police recommended charges but he didn t follow through Bellomo says the most of painful part has been the response or lack thereof from her own school district One of the text threads she proposes was sent during an in-person board meeting while she sat just feet away Our township has policies If someone is a threat they re not supposed to be allowed on school property she reported Our superintendent Dr Michael Ballone did nothing Our board president Brian Cohen did nothing They chose not to implement the policies that are already in place LISTEN UNHINGED VOICEMAIL EXPOSES LEFT-WING CANDIDATE'S DEATH THREATS AGAINST GOP SENATOR The Marlboro Township Community Schools MTPS takes the safety and measure of all board members staff students and families extremely seriously Ballone wrote in a message to Fox News Digital Administration has responded accordingly to Mrs Bellomo's concerns including her expressions of feeling unsafe by working with the Marlboro Police Department the entity responsible for ensuring all Marlboro residents including Board members are protected We also added to our internal safety protocols which cannot be disclosed publicly Ballone added MTPS believes in maintaining a secure setting for everyone Two fellow board members Annette Siewert and Valentina Mendez were the only colleagues who stepped in she explained They begged the superintendent to protect us Bellomo commented They stood up publicly and sought for action Nobody else did Bellomo says she has already heard from dozens of women who say her situation has scared them away from populace system They say I could never go through what you re going through she revealed That s heartbreaking Local administration should not require you to put your family at danger I used to go to every school event every society activity she stated Now I keep the kids home from things I send my husband inside first to check if people are there who shouldn t be My life changed overnight Bellomo disclosed she believes the threats stem from her outspoken advocacy of curriculum and parental rights issues that have divided school boards across the country I was very transparent during my campaign she announced I stand firmly for parental rights local control and age-appropriate curriculum And I ve pushed back hard on particular of the policies coming down from the state She added I think that made me a target Despite everything Bellomo explained she has no plans to quit the board I absolutely want to continue she reported This mission is too significant And I hope the district eventually implements the policies that are supposed to protect us What she wants majority she says is to remind Americans that disagreement should never turn to calling for violence We should be able to debate We should be able to disagree Bellomo noted But it should never rise to the level of wanting to hurt someone We can do better than this Gandhi Semaya Cohen and the county prosecutor s office did not straightaway respond to Fox News Digital s request for comment