As liberals, it’s painful for us to acknowledge the OC GOP in any sort of positive light, and while they are tardy, they have joined the list of organizations that have publicly denounced Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez for comparing businessman Irv Chase to Hitler and accusing Chase and his son Ryan of “ethnic cleansing” at the last City Council meeting in August. Alvarez has since apologized, citing “heat of the moment,” but the videotape doesn’t quite jive with her explanation.
Here is the OC GOP’s statement:
OCGOP condemns anti-semitic comments made by Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez toward Jewish property owner
September 1, 2011
At the August 24 Santa Ana City Council meeting Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, a Democrat, directed anti Semitic language toward the child of a holocaust survivor. The OCGOP strongly affirms that intolerance based on one’s religious beliefs, ethnicity or race is unacceptable.
Ronald Reagan once said “In the party of Lincoln, there is no room for intolerance and not even a small corner for anti semitism or bigotry of any kind.”
The Republican Party of Orange County recognizes that Mayor Pro Tem Alvarez has apologized for this unacceptable verbal abuse but also recognizes that these words should never have been said.
The OC GOP joins the DPOC, LULAC and the ADL for condemning Alavrez’s statements. The ADL has called on her to resign from the city council and called into question her ability to perform her duties as an ADA with the District Attorney’s office.
its kind of Ironic in that the GOP rank and file wanted to string up Mr Baugh for condemning Debrah Pauly for her remarks at a Muslim charity event and that Lady in Fullerton for the Chimp picture.
In this case, Baugh was being consistent as was Frank Barbaro.
What?? is this a mistype?
“Alvarez has since resigned, citing “heat of the moment,”
Thanks for the catch Cook, I meant to say “apologized” and “was facing calls for her resignation” and never finished editing the line (phone call interruption); I have since amended the post and sincerely apologize to our readers and Ms. Alvarez for the error
Ultimately, I think we’re seeing this dialogue now moving into a new phase.
We know that some are blaming it on an emotional issue, but we also know exactly what Claudia Alvarez said, and the fact that she refused to apologize.
Where the issue goes from here has nothing to do with the PBID. It has everything to do with the ordinance the residents of the city voted in to make sure the elected officials act in an ethical matter, Measure D.
It seems people have come from all sides and all walks of life to make it clear that what Ms. Alvarez said was completely unacceptable, and clearly violates that ethics ordinance.
It’s up to the council now to show us what the ethics ordinance means to them. The response should certainly be a measure of all of the people and organizations who have condemned this horrible behavior. If the city council blows it and doesn’t appropriately sanction their colleague, they will be letting the public know that they don’t care about ethics, or the ordinance the people voted for.
We’ll be watching anxiously to see if the rest of the city council has the moral fortitude to take a hard line and do the right thing tonight.