Last month, Sea Cliff resident Robert Ehrlich, the founder of the popular snack brand Pirate’s Booty, found himself at the center of a political controversy. Known for his success with Pirate’s Booty and ownership of a dive bar called the Holiday Cocktail Lounge in Manhattan, Ehrlich is now claiming political office.

Ehrlich, 66, built a multi-million-dollar empire through Pirate’s Booty. However, he has recently captured the attention of many as he proclaims himself the self-appointed mayor of Sea Cliff, despite not being on the official ballot in the village’s March 2025 mayoral race.

“I’m shocked that Ehrlich is doing this. I’m curious about what prompted these sudden drastic political actions from a businessman who has made a name for himself in the snack industry,” said junior Daniel Ross.

Ehrlich’s dramatic self-declaration occurred just a week before the mayoral election, which had incumbent Mayor Elena Villafane running unopposed. During a town hall meeting, the snack mogul shocked residents by declaring himself the new mayor, citing a little-known New York state law known as the Citizen Empowerment Act, which he claims gives him the legal right to dissolve the current village government and establish a new entity called the “Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff Residents.”

According to Ehrlich, the Citizen Empowerment Act allows for the dissolution of the village’s current government if 10 percent of the population, which in the case of Sea Cliff’s estimated population of about 5,000 would be 500 people, sign a petition. He asserted that the current village leadership was ineffective and that he could lead the community into a new era of prosperity and innovation.

“I think it’s crazy that Ehrlich is trying to dissolve the village government of Sea Cliff. 5,000 people live there and he just decides to walk in and declare himself the self-appointed mayor? Claiming that current village leadership is ineffective and then saying he’s the self-appointed mayor before the election even happens seems like much more ‘ineffective’ leadership than Sea Cliff had before,” said junior Tori Kaufman.

Before entering the race, Ehrlich made headlines by storming into the Sea Cliff Village Hall, where he attempted to assert his dominance over the town’s administration, declaring that he was in charge. His brash tactics and disregard for local political processes have left many residents perplexed and angered.

Ehrlich’s behavior raised eyebrows among local officials and residents. Despite his lack of political experience, Ehrlich’s actions at the town hall where he reportedly demanded office space and attempted to fire the village staff stirred up considerable tension. Police were called in to de-escalate the scene as Ehrlich exited the building.

A key figure in Sea Cliff’s local government, Villafane has been a fixture in the village for years. She was running unopposed in the March election until Ehrlich made his move, positioning himself as a write-in candidate. Villafane, who has overseen the village and has been widely supported by residents regardless of their political affiliations, made clear in public statements that she considered Ehrlich’s claims to be invalid and disruptive.

“I will not tolerate any further attempts to undermine the governance of this Village. We will not allow distractions, misinformation, or personal agendas to stand in the way of good government,” said Villafane after winning re-election by a large margin, defeating Ehrlich, who garnered only 62 votes in a race with over 1,000 ballots cast.

Though the election results were clear, Ehrlich remains unwavering in his belief that his self-declared village, the “Incorporated Village of Sea Cliff Residents,” is legitimate, and he plans to take his battle to court. He is calling for New York State Governor Kathy Hochul to intervene, claiming that his version of governance is grounded in law, despite the rejection of his claims by local officials and residents.

“I wonder what Ehrlich was expecting from his mayoral campaign. It seemed obvious that most residents of Sea Cliff wouldn’t vote for him. Especially with the unrest he was causing that got to the point that the police had to be called,” said sophomore Siena McGuffin.

Ehrlich, whose fortune came from his creation of Pirate’s Booty, a cheesy, airy snack that became a household favorite, has already experienced significant success in business. The snack brand was sold to B&G Foods for $195 million in 2013, and was later acquired by Hershey for $420 million in 2018. While his business acumen cannot be denied, his foray into local politics has not been as smooth.