Jack Lacy

Former Hamilton Council President Jack Lacy has resigned two local posts after facing criticism for an e-mail that compared President Barack Obama's inauguration to the evacuation of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina.  "I'm confused," Lacy wrote. "How can two million blacks get into Washington, D.C., in sub zero (temperatures) in one day when 200,000 couldn't get out of New Orleans at 85 degrees with four days notice?"

In an e-mail to PolitickerNJ.com, Lacy called his resignation letter "my final commentary on this subject."

 "I am now totally and completely a private citizen and do not care to engage in further discussion on this matter," Lacy said.

The full text of his letter of resignation follows:

HAMILTON – Mayor John Bencivengo said he does not have the ability to rescind the appointment of Jack Lacy to the Township Library Board of Trustees and the Redevelopment Agency. 

In any case, the mayor said he is satisfied by Lacy’s apology for broadcasting an e-mail comparing the inauguration of President Barack Obama to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which local Democrats have denounced as racist.  

After reading Lacy’s Jan. 30th email, Hamilton Township Democratic Chair John F. Kroschwitz called on Bencivengo and the Town Council to ditch Lacy, a former Republican councilman.

West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hseuh, left, faces Councilman Charles Morgan in the May non-partisan election. Former Hamilton Councilman Jack Lacy, right, has aplogized for a racial slur sent in an e-mail last week.

Democrats say that West Windsor Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, an independent, has agreed not to endorse Republican candidates outside of local politics in exchange for no Democratic opposition in his re-election campaign in May.  His deal helps him avoid a three-way race and leaves him with one opponent, Councilman Charles Morgan, a Republican. 

Hsueh has annoyed Democrats in recent years with his support of Republican Bill Baroni in races for the Senate and Assembly.  He has reportedly agreed to support Democratic incumbents Linda Greenstein and Wayne DeAngelo in their Assembly bid next year, and not to endorse Baroni in 2011.  Four years ago, Baroni backed Hsueh's re-election bid, while Greenstein helped then-Councilwoman Allison Miller.