PRO-SB60 PROTESTORS PAY REPUBLICAN STATE ASSEMBLYMAN KEN MADDOX A SURPRISE VISIT!

Veteran legislator asked questions about his alleged ties with an Orange County "hate group".

By Duane J. Roberts
12/13/03

Ken Maddox, a termed-out Republican State Assemblyman from Orange County's 68th District, found himself in a bind late Friday afternoon when several human rights advocates opposed to his vote to repeal SB60, the bill signed by ex-California Governor Gray Davis which would have given undocumented workers the right to obtain driver's licenses, paid him an impromptu and unscheduled visit at his Costa Mesa office to ask the wannabe State Senator very direct and pointed questions about his alleged ties to the California Coalition for Immigration Reform (CCIR), a virulently racist, anti-immigrant group founded by Barbara Coe.

Coe, a Huntington Beach resident, is the co-author of Proposition 187, the so-called "Save our State" initiative passed by California voters in 1994 that, had it become law, would have denied emergency medical treatment to undocumented workers and barred their children from receiving a public education. During the past decade, Coe and her group, CCIR, have been actively involved in promoting racist and zenophobic causes that have laid blame for virtually all of California's economic problems on the backs of undocumented workers who come to the United States from Mexico.

Ce Coatl and Teresa, two women involved with various groups that spent several hours outside of Assemblyman Maddox's Costa Mesa office protesting his vote to repeal SB60, questioned the legislator as to the reason why he allegedly has allied himself with a "hate group" like CCIR, especially given it's notorious reputation for scapegoating Mexican immigrants. Ce Coatl wondered why the Assemblyman doesn't spend more time representing all of his constituents, instead patronizing those few linked to CCIR.

Both women's concerns were sparked by an announcement, still posted on CCIR's Web site (http://ccir.net/MEETINGS/030924.html), which makes reference to the fact the Assemblyman was invited to be the group's "keynote speaker" at a general meeting they held last September in Garden Grove. Among other things, the announcement emphasized that Maddox "has opposed pro-illegal alien legislation, endorsed and actively supported Proposition 187, and is now the Orange County co-chairman for the referendum to revoke SB60 (driver's licenses for illegals) ...."

At first, Maddox tried to distance himself from CCIR, saying the meeting that he had with the group back in September was something that a legislator routinely does to address the concerns of different constituencies who live, work, and play within the district he was elected to serve. He denied he was a racist, arguing that he has one of the most "culturally diverse" staffs that any Assemblyman could ever hope to assemble. And upon observing that Teresa was of Vietnamese ancestory, he was quick to point out that "lots of asian voters vote for me."

Maddox, however, soon began to stray away from the issue at hand, and began talking about a cardboard sign that Teresa carried into the office that had the words "Fuck Institutionalized Racism" written upon it in very bold and bright lettering. Although initially objecting to the use of profanity, he began to argue, with bizarre logic, that the language on the sign made it seem very "hateful" to him. (One here really wonders if the Assemblyman, a former Tustin police officer, would have found it "hateful" if a group of women, in an attempt to lobby an elected official such as himself to pass tougher domestic violence legislation, came to his office carrying one or two signs that had the words "Fuck Violence Against Women" imprinted on them.)

But Maddox's claim of non-affiliation with CCIR was quickly cast into the wind when a woman known by the author of this article to be a very active member of Coe's group in the Orange County area (especially in Anaheim), unexpectedly dropped by the Assemblyman's office the very moment that Maddox was having a discussion with both Ce Coatl and Teresa. In fact, upon overhearing CCIR being mentioned in the conversation, this woman casually strolled into the Assemblyman's private office, proceeded to seat herself in one of his chairs, and said, "Oh, I'm from the CCIR. Is there anything I can help you with?". This same woman would later be seen outside of Maddox's office standing next to -- you guessed it -- Barbara Coe, who, along with a tiny handful of other CCIR members, organized a counterdemonstration against those groups who peacefully assembled that afternoon to protest the legislator's vote to repeal SB60.

Maddox, apparently a bit surprised that this CCIR member showed up in his private office at a very inopportune moment, decided to wrap up the dialogue he was having with Ce Coatl and Teresa. However, as a parting comment, the Assemblyman offered an olive branch, telling both women that he would be quite willing to make arrangements to speak before any groups they represented -- just like he did with the CCIR back in September. And as the veteran legislator was saying all of this, the woman from CCIR just stood in the doorway of his private office, right next to him, listening quietly and patiently to the things he was saying.

Although Maddox's staff summoned the Costa Mesa Police and the California Highway Patrol ostendibly to protect the Republican Assemblyman from Ce Coatl, Teresa, myself, and the other pro-SB60 protestors (including a three year old girl) who entered his Costa Mesa office in a lawful and peaceful manner, everybody left the premises on their own accord without being asked to leave. There were no arrests.

An aide to Assemblyman Maddox takes photographs of the Pro-SB60 protestors in the office.

An aide to the Assemblyman Maddox photographs me taking pictures of her while he just smiles and waves to me.

The picture speaks for itself

The picture speaks for itself

The picture speaks for itself.

Photograph of the woman from CCIR who just strolled into his office and sat down while the Assemblyman was talking with Ce Coatl and Teresa. She waves to me as I take a photograph of her.

Costa Mesa Police Sergeant talking to people in Maddox's Office.

Assemblyman Maddox talking to Ce Coatl and Teresa while the woman from CCIR stands near him in the doorway of his private office.

Photograph of the two Costa Mesa police officers and the two California Highway Patrol officers that Maddox's staff summoned to the Assemblyman's Office.

Barbara Coe, joins fellow CCIR members in a counterdemonstration against those groups protesting Maddox for voting to repeal SB60. Note the woman standing behind Coe is the same person who was in Assemblyman Maddox's office.

Note the woman on the right is the same person who was in Assemblyman Maddox's office.

...why it's "racist" to oppose the use of taxpayer funds to support people who are in this country ILLEGALLY?

Or is it, as I strongly suspect, just another case of liberal group-think, wherein anyone who opposes the official party line is branded any of a number of labels? The most popular are, of course, "racst" and "fascist"...neither of which are used with any real understanding or in the proper context.

Never mind...I know the answer.

The bulk of state revenues come from sales taxes, and so, the "illegal" immigrants are paying their fair share for the license. Moreover, there are fees to pay when you get your license, so, the "taxpayer" argument is moot. They pay taxes and fees just like anyone else.

The larger point isn't compliance with the law, but the recognition of "illegal" labor within the economy. Ten years ago, the anti-immigration hysteria wasn't so great, and all residents, regardless of status could, if tested, get a CDL. Today, with all this immigration hysteria, there are numerous drivers without licenses. They are going to drive with or without the testing.

The right wing knows that this is a question of legitimacy. The posession of the license confers some recognition from the state that the holder is a legitimate person. It grants access to public services that require a formal identification, and private places like bars outside the immigrant community. Moreover, it would help the government esitmate the number and economic impact of undocumented immigrants.

The impact is probably tremendous, and not only in terms of unskilled and semiskilled labor. Stories of "illegal" students unable to afford college educations is legion. Every year, each school in LA graduates "A" students who, because of status, can't qualify for lowered in-state registration fees. Likewise, the top universities all graduate students who are keeping a secret about their status. In between, there are thousands of "illegals" who gain resident status and citizenship after decades in this country, but it's kept largely under wraps because these people are not poor.

By and large, immigrants, "illegal" or not, pay their fair share and then some. They tend to underutilize welfare and social services, partly out of fear, partly due to lack of information, and partly out of pride. They work, and are taxed, and get no political representation, and often have their civil rights violated. Their children tend to join the military disproportionately, and, as we saw in Iraq, get killed in large numbers.

Wise up.

I just want to tell that ignorant people from CCIR that Mexicans are not the only illegal immigrants in the United States. I also think that it's very stupid of you guys to hate people that are only coming to this country to do the jobs that you slobs don't want to do.