public urination

Jersey City Councilman Steve Lipski, facing charges of public urination, won't seek re-election in May.

Jersey City Ward C Councilman Steve Lipski, who in November made international headlines for allegedly urinating on Washington, DC concertgoers from a balcony, this week formally announced in a letter to the Jersey Journal that he will not seek reelection to his council seat. 

"I need to step back because I did not manage my life well. I let alcohol, at times, become a fix for the stress I was experiencing, and my poor judgment resulted in numerous problems and indescribable embarrassment to the position I hold and to me personally,” he wrote to the paper.  “I am stepping back to deal with these issues.” 

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Jersey City, that often ignored sliver of land in New York City’s shadow, got a flood of national media attention this week. All it took was Councilman Steve Lipski allegedly urinating on a crowd of Washington, DC concertgoers.

That would be political suicide in some places, though not necessarily here. Lipski yesterday performed his mea culpa at a city council meeting, revealing that he was a recovering alcoholic who fell off the wagon that night for the first time in two years. And, at least for now, Mayor Jerramiah Healy is not disowning the councilman, his political ally.

“This is a legal issue that will be resolved in the courts. Mayor Healy is focused on moving forward and continuing to make Jersey City a greater place to live and work,” said a statement issued by Healy's office yesterday.

Hopefully Jersey City Councilman Steve Lipski treats his constituents better than he treats Washington, DC concert goers.

Lipski was arrested Friday night at a Washington nightclub after he allegedly urinated on a crowd during a concert by a Grateful Dead tribute band, the Daily News reports.

Apparently, this wasn’t the first run-in Lipski has had with the 9:30 Club's staff, who described Lispki to the paper as never having peed on anyone before Friday, but of typically being “really belligerent and drunk.”

Lipski, who ran for mayor in 2004, is also the Executive Director/School Administrator/CEO of CREATE Charter School.