Immigrant rights group files complaint against Santa Clarita councilman over 'proud r

[Jeanfromfillmore]

Immigrant rights group files complaint against Santa Clarita councilman over 'proud racist' remark
Los Angeles-based immigrant rights advocates announced Tuesday that they have filed formal complaints against a Santa Clarita councilman they say deserves to be censured for violating the city’s code of ethics and conduct by declaring himself “a proud racist.”
The Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition has sent letters to state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley and the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging that Councilman Bob Kellar “breached the public’s trust and has acted in an unethical, racist, xenophobic and biased manner by making public comments scapegoating so-called illegal immigrants.”
The group also alleges that Kellar violated at least eight provisions of Santa Clarita’s ethics and conduct policy, which requires that municipal leaders be “independent, impartial and accountable to the people they serve.”
The complaint further targets the remaining members of the Santa Clarita City Council, who the immigrant rights’ advocates charge violated their “fiduciary duties and responsibilities...by not speaking out and condemning” Kellar’s statements.
The legal complaint stems from a Jan. 16 anti-illegal-immigration rally in Santa Clarita, where Kellar, a veteran councilman and two-time mayor, spoke. In his comments, Kellar referred to a statement by former President Theodore Roosevelt that the United States has a place for only one flag and only one language.
Kellar, a former LAPD officer, said those remarks caused some people to accuse him of being racist, to which he replied that if believing in America causes people to think he's a racist, "then I'm a proud racist."
The councilman has said that he stands by his remarks, which he said were personal and have been misconstrued. He insisted that he abhors racism, and he has received zealous support from many Santa Clarita residents.
But the immigrant rights advocates said that Kellar was introduced as a councilman during the anti-illegal immigration rally, and they quoted from a transcript of Kellar’s remarks in which he spoke about conducting business at City Hall the day before the gathering.
They also accuse Kellar of being a member of the Santa Clarita Valley Independent Minutemen group -- a staunch anti-illegal immigration organization whose members sometimes patrol the U.S.-Mexico border in an attempt to prevent illicit crossings. Kellar has denied being a member of the group, which helped organize the rally at which he spoke.
“He should have explained that he was speaking as an individual and not as a public figure,” said John Fernandez, a member of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition.
“When a duly elected leader promotes divisive speech, that is essentially hate speech,” said Robert Gittelson, another coalition member.
Supporters of Kellar jeered the immigrant rights advocates, chanted the councilman’s name and at one point physically tried to prevent the advocates from briefing the press in front of Santa Clarita City Hall before a scheduled council meeting Tuesday.
“A man voiced his personal opinion; that is not a violation,” shouted Randy Thompson, a Santa Clarita resident since 1967. “Bob Kellar stated that he is against illegals. He supports American laws.”
“Get of my town right now,” one woman screamed from her car. “Who do you think you are? Do you read the papers? Everyone here is behind Bob Kellar.”
Chris Hall, who has lived in Santa Clarita for four years, said he was saddened by the rowdy spectacle between the rival groups. “This is painful for me to watch,” said Hall, who has worked in the city for 15 years. “It’s getting totally out of control. It affects our community.”
Speaking at the council meeting, Kellar said he had been bombarded with calls and e-mails, and had had several conversations with residents who expressed concerns about the affect illegal immigrants were having on the city. He suggested the council include the issue of illegal immigration on a future agenda. Other council members suggested organizing a study session on the matter.
-- Ann M. Simmons in Santa Clarita
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lano...st-remark.html



Illegal Immigration Debate Will Continue With Santa Clarita City Council
Written by Jon Dell Wednesday, February 10 2010
If you haven't heard the words "illegal immigration" or "Bob Kellar" in the last two weeks, you haven't been in Santa Clarita.

Our City Councilman first made waves while speaking at an anti illegal immigration rally last month in which he recalled reciting a quote from Teddy Roosevelt several years ago that described uniting under one flag. Kellar said he then had someone accuse him of sounding like a racist. His reply was: "That's good. If that's what you think I am because I happen to believe in America, I'm a proud racist, you're darn right I am," (full story).

His comments quickly spread across Santa Clarita and Los Angeles media outlets and the next City Council meeting was met by television crews, Kellar opponents, and Kellar supporters. The Council agreed that Kellar had perhaps chosen his words poorly; however they stated that they knew he was not, in fact, a racist (full story). They did not take any action against him, and Kellar refused to abandon the point of his comments; that illegal immigration is causing severe strain on our state and local governments and it should be stopped.

Since then, immigrant rights organizations have put Kellar in their sights, and anti illegal immigration activists have touted him as a hero.

Somewhere along the line, however, a great deal of conversation about illegal immigration has taken center stage in our town. Residents and out of the area commentators have used the public participation time at two consecutive Council meetings to address the issue, and people on both sides have squared off in demonstrations outside of City Hall.

After Tuesday's City Council meeting, Kellar requested that the issue of illegal immigration be discussed openly in Council chambers as an item on the agenda. He claimed that of all of the attention he's received over the last few weeks, an overwhelming majority has been in support of taking action to stop the flow of illegal immigrants.

The rest of the City Council expressed a desire to host the issue during a City Council study session, rather than a Council meeting. They directed City staff to research the issue, including jurisdiction rules and options for enforcement of existing laws at a local level.

After City staff coordinates that information, the City plans to schedule the study session at City Hall. The public will be invited to discuss the matter, and public speakers will be allotted the standard three minutes to share their thoughts and concerns.

When the date is scheduled, KHTS AM-1220 will post that information in a story.
http://hometownstation.com/index.php...news&Itemid=97