Antioch Mayor Pro Tem Tamisha Torres-Walker took to social media Friday to call the mayor a coward and was offended by hecklers at the special city council meeting.
At the May 30 meeting, with Mayor Lamar Thorpe absent, the Antioch City Council provided direction to staff on several changes to how meeting agendas are set and councilmembers getting items placed on an agenda. They also learned they could not change how a mayor is selected until 2032.
It was during the meeting, the council was heckled throughout the special meeting by supporters of Thorpe. With the crowd continuing to interrupt, Torres-Walker made a vague statement about what she wanted to say publicly noting it would not look good for the mayor.
Torres-Walker took to social media in an effort to clarify a statement she made Tuesday when she told the crowd:
“We have already heard the voices of those who disagreed and agreed. We have done that. We are going forward. You can keep disrupt the meeting, but it won’t disrupt the direction we are giving,” said Torres-Walker. “I am trying not to say what I am thinking because it wont look good for your mayor.”
Torres-Walker said in her 3:39 minute video Friday that people kept asking her what she meant in Tuesdays statement.
“What I was really experiencing at that point was we had to continue to move the agendas despite disruptions. And because the individuals I saw related to the disruptions have direct relationships with the mayor, I felt pretty offended,” stated Torres-Walker.
She continued.
“My comment was actually going to be that I think it is a cowardliness move to send people to disrupt a meeting because you could not be present,” stated Torres-Walker.
She further explained that when she was not able to attend meetings where key things were on the agenda that she wanted to vote on but couldn’t because of work she didn’t send people to disrupt a meeting.
“I was informed by a community member that its not what I think it is and the mayor didn’t send these individuals to disrupt the meeting. No, I have not talked to the mayor. I hope that is not the case because I personally don’t have an issue with the mayor, I try and work with everyone on the council, but what I will like to say I hope that wasn’t the case and I hope we continue to move forward with progressive values while also make sure that we don’t silence people just because they don’t have the votes for their item,” said Torres-Walker.
The mayor who was in Mexico on vacation during the special meeting has not issued a statement regarding his supporters disrupting a council meeting or if he played any part in the disruptions.
To watch the meeting, click here.
9 comments
Comments are closed.
Add Comment