Alvarez Finally Issues Official Apology

Claudia Alvarez
Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez - Photo: Chris Prevatt/LiberalOC
Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez - Photo: Chris Prevatt/LiberalOC

The City of Santa Ana sent out the following release on behalf of Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez.

At the council meeting, in the midst of built up frustration in the chamber, I inadvertently drew an egregious analogy to Mr. Chase and his son. I now understand how hurtful and egregious this must have felt to them whose family suffered in the Holocaust. To the Chase family I want to say how sincerely sorry I am for having caused you pain.

I also did not in any way, shape, or form intend to trivialize the atrocities of the Holocaust and now clearly understand the magnitude of the offense my words created. My apologies go out to anyone who was offended by my comments, especially to the Chase family and the Jewish community as a whole. I sincerely regret having let my emotions get the best of me and I’m working on making amends and to rectify the situation.
I have personally and through others reached out to the Chase family and to the ADL requesting to meet so I can apologize to them in person and have a constructive dialogue.

Our respective communities have strived together to address injustices and I’m working to make sure that continues.

Sincerely,

Claudia Alvarez
Mayor Pro Tem

Ms. Alvarez is sticking to her heat of the moment defense. Anyone who views the video of her remarks will clearly grasp the absurdity of her defense. Her remarks were calm, ordered, and planned. Her training as a prosecutor makes it unimaginable that someone with her years of experience would say anything  “inadvertently.” Her failure to respond with her “excuses” until today, demonstrates an apparent insensitivity and stubbornness that is incompatible with her public leadership position.

Had her statement come the day after she made her comments, her apology might have appeared sincere. Coming more than a week later, after her colleagues placed the matter of her conduct on the Council agenda for consideration of official action, and on a dead drop Friday before the Labor Day holiday, paints a picture of insincere damage control.

Simply put…

Too Little, Too late.

13 Comments

  1. So, Claudia finally offers an apology to the people she should have apologized to first. And, only a week later? I do hooe the Chases meet with her. It is up to them to accept the apology. In any case, Santa Ana needs to move on to the more drastic issue of an imploding budget.

  2. She’s a jew hater plain and simple nothing. Is gonna change that. By the. Way did. She. Ever apologize to Martinez for calling her a drug dealer?

  3. Recall by the numbers

    ..Election 2008 district recall
    ..winner voters report threshold

    Ward 5 40261 15625 3125

    Ward 1 32768 15383 3077

    Ward 3 26258 25456 5091

    Election 2010

    Ward 2 34651 11663 2333

    Ward 4 34785 13399 2680

    Ward 6 21998 25879 5176

    Mayor 21558 108853 10885 citywide

    Even tho the council members are voted in city wide elections like the mayor, in a recall the state code spells out “by district” (ward) and the city code defers to the state code in recalls.

    If the resident voters do not feel an effective rebuke has then place with the appropriate lost of titles and appointed commissions and board seats.

    Then the resident voters will react and take the matter into their own hands. And if the resident voters have to do the job of the council, more than one member to all seven can be recalled.

  4. She ought to apologize to the people she referred to from the dias as “The Usual Suspects.” That was a rude, mean and vindictive comment so typical of Ms. Alvarez.

    She owes an apology to the residents of Santa Ana – from the dias – after she listens to the Public Comments concerning her behavior.

  5. Watch the tape. Her comment is calculated and it took her more than a week to recognize what she did was offensive. Hey Sean Mill, I know you read this blog carefully, so I need to know. Are you going to thank Benavides and Bustamante for standing up to evil in the community like you did last year? Or are you still going to defend this anti-Semite who hates Jews? You hate gays and muslims right Sean? Aren’t you the one who valledupar Todd Gallinger “Jihad Todd”. Hater and bigot. No wonder Claudia likes you so much. She usually goes for married guys…something you will never be

  6. Her over use of the word “egregious” is egregious in itself. It’s probably the only big word she knows.

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