A pirate’s life 🏴‍☠️

Ahoy, mateys!

If you have 1) a Costco membership, 2) a child, 3) a penchant for cheesy corn puff snacks, you’ve probably seen and/or bought these before:

Ah, pirate’s booty – fun to eat and say!

Today’s story is about Robert Ehrlich, founder of Pirate’s Booty, and real life (almost) land pirate. 

Welcome to beautiful Sea Cliff, a small incorporated village in New York, situated on Long Island. 

Last week, Robert Ehrlich, Sea Cliff resident, did something (almost) unimaginable: He showed up at Village Hall with a gaggle of cronies and declared himself Mayor.

If you’re thinking “there’s no way that’s legal” – yes, correct. 

Ehrlich says he used a NY state law called the Citizen Empowerment Act to form a new village-within-a-village: the Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff Residents.

Ok Robert, giving us Russian nesting doll energy!!!🪆🪆🪆 

It’s this “new” community that he has self-appointed himself the mayor of. 

BUT, the Citizen Empowerment Act  – which does let citizens dissolve a government through a petition – needs at least 10% of the population to sign on to the idea.

(side note: that percentage seems kind of low, right?)

It doesn’t mean you can just waltz into a government building, harass staff, and demand your own office!

The punchline, though?

Sea Cliff has a village election coming up tomorrow…and the current mayor is running unopposed. 

If you’re curious about Ehrlich’s platform (??), check out his video pitch in this NY Post article — definitely worth a watch if you need a good chuckle.

And as always,

Allegedly 💋 

🍵🍵🍵 

Hey, I’m Amber! I’m a freelance content marketer/consultant and aspiring humorist. You can find me on LinkedIn or frolic through my website. If you really like what I’m doing, you can buy me a coffee.

👆️ I also write that there newsletter about news every tech worker should know 👆️