Sunday, April 27, 2025
UPDATE - 4:45 P.M. ET ON 3/14: Ehrlich says if he loses he'll continue to fight.
The founder of Pirate’s Booty, Robert Ehrlich, has claimed that he is mayor of a new village of Sea Cliff using a little-known state law; village officials said there is no legitimacy to his claim.
Ehrlich showed up to Sea Cliff village hall with three other men around 9:45 a.m. on March 10. He declared the entire Village staff was fired effective immediately, but could reapply for their jobs, falsely claimed his authority as mayor, and demanded access to office space according to a statement by the village. The incident lasted about an hour, the statement said.
In an interview exclusive to the Herald, Sea Cliff Mayor Elena Villafane confirmed that the village is not taking any additional security measures, but is "monitoring the situation." The mayor asserted that when she requested a copy of the petition from Ehrlich for the village to review, he refused to present one.
"He (Ehrlich) came in with three other people and he really struck at the heart of local government by trying to disrupt their activities," Villafane said. "We are examining our options at this point." Villafane also encouraged residents to get out and vote this coming Tuesday.
Ehrlich justified his attempted takeover of the village government under the Citizen Empowerment Act, a state law passed in 2009 that provides a framework for which residents may dissolve municipal entities.
He insisted he was mayor of a new village government, the "Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff Residents." To dissolve the government would require ten percent of village residents to vote in favor or at least 500 votes based on Sea Cliff's population. Despite his claims, Ehrlich would not automatically become the mayor of a new village government.
In a video posted to Facebook, he defended his actions. He said that he wanted "outdoor seating and a daycare center sponsored by the village."
Ehrlich had previously sued the village in 2003 for religious discrimination and violation of due process in addition to other claims. The United States Eastern District Court dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice in 2008.
Village staff told Ehrlich to leave, saying that his claim to authority was not supported by law. The statement from the village read that after being asked to leave, Ehrlich and the three other men became confrontational. They raised their voices, used profane language and harassed village personnel.
The statement from the village read that the behavior from Ehrlich and the three men created a hostile environment that required police intervention. No arrests were made and Ehrlich said that he plans to be a write-in candidate for Sea Cliff’s village election, scheduled for March 18. Villafane is running unopposed.
Numerous Sea Cliff residents reshared the Wednesday statement by the village on social media, including Village Trustee Mark Sobel. Several residents criticized Ehrlich's actions. However, some praised his efforts.
