Councilman Apologizes For Profane Text Accidentally Sent To Hoboken Councilwoman

HOBOKEN, NJ — A Hoboken councilman has been criticized for accidentally sending a councilwoman (and sometime political opponent) a text making fun of her pets.

Councilman Joe Quintero apologized for the text this week, essentially saying he intended to make fun of her behind her back rather than to her face.

Quintero was out to dinner three weeks ago and ordered rabbit risotto, according to details from his post and a Reddit thread. He created a photo and wrote, "F--- you, Tiffanie," referring to Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who occasionally posts on social media about her two pet bunnies.

Quintero accidentally texted the photo to Fisher.

Fisher is among a council faction that has been critical of outgoing Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who is an ally of Quintero.

On Wednesday, after NJ 101.5 wrote about the incident, Quintero posted an apology on social media.

"Three weeks ago," he wrote, "I sent a text to Councilwoman Fisher which was meant to be a joke and to be delivered to someone else. This was wrong and inappropriate, and I immediately contacted Councilwoman Fisher to apologize. I’m embarrassed by this mistake and appreciated Councilwoman Fisher accepting my apology."

He added, "As a City Councilperson, I understand my words carry greater weight and promise to do better in the future."

Fisher responded this week in a Reddit thread, saying at first she glanced at the text and accepted the apology, but she had second thoughts.

"After years of dealing with hate-filled comments from Team Bhalla," she wrote, "I’ve developed thick skin and brushed it off at first. However, after the call, I shared the picture with a couple of friends who were shocked and correctly guessed it had to do with my two pet rabbits."

Fisher confirmed the chain of events for Patch.

"I have two rabbits — and a dog — who are part of my family," she said in a statement.

This wasn't the first time Quintero tried to zing Fisher while he was out on the town.

Last August, the councilwoman complained that Mayor Bhalla was part of a going-away celebration for a city director, and only invited council allies like Quintero, rather than the other members.

Quintero responded with this:

The Tweet has since been deleted.

Fisher is running for mayor of Hoboken this year while Bhalla plans to to run for Assembly.

This week, Quintero was announced as a member of the council slate of another mayoral hopeful, Councilwoman Emily Jabbour, who's allied with Bhalla.

But Fisher may have the last laugh.

In her Reddit post she called Quintero "Fatal Attraction Joe," a reference to the 1987 movie about a jilted lover who boils a pet bunny to get revenge on the object of her obsession.

Or is Hoboken politics more like Looney Tunes?

With Election Day coming up in four months, additional hare-pulling may ensue.

"Hoboken?? Ooh, I'm dying!"

That's all, folks.