Update: meeting to be rescheduled
Tuesday’s City Council session should be quite the show when the legislative body votes for councilwoman Maria Pereira’s resignation and in lieu of that strip her of committee assignments and debate following her diatribe two weeks ago describing Police Chief Roderick Porter “The Pig” and broad brushing all police officers as “piglets,” body shaming a mayoral staff member, inflammatory remarks directed at the Muslim community and flipping off the public at a council meeting.
See full council agenda and backing documents here
The City Charter authorizes the removal of a council member with a two thirds vote but such action will not be pursued because state law has no recall provision and is a loser if challenged in court, according to lawyers.
Pereira says she will not resign and will not apologize. She’s upset at the police department following her election day arrest for allegedly assaulting a 70-year-old woman outside the JFK polling precinct, a case she’s defending in criminal court.
None of this is in the City Charter and the C C Felons want to recall Maria but can’t!
This is clearly a violation of Maria’s 14th Amendment rights!
Councilwoman Maria P has provided many opportunities to show the value she places in researching diverse issues, in speaking her mind for what she sees as truth and principles, and in old-fashioned political door-knocking among other things. She is a credible Council seat holder.
However, it is likely that she was not a candidate for sharing Council representative behavior to visitors of any age, belief system, or public communication style. How does the City Council share shadowing with high school age students in comming sessions seated with Council members with social media representations of Member Maria P. speaking and signing? Some form of reprimand is in order at this time to set a present and future civil standard of behavior.
Jim Fox points out Maria’s Constitutional Rights and the lack of City or State legal pathways to deal with this incident and he is correct. However, what is the appropriate way to create a standard of behavior for Council persons to meet when they rise to represent their Council position? Time will tell.