Hello everybody:
The following "letter of complaint" was delivered
during the public comments section of the Tuesday,
January 17, 2006 meeting of the Costa Mesa City
Council. It was filed on behalf of the Tonantzin
Collective.
For more information, please see the following article
that was published in the The Daily Pilot:
http://www.dailypilot.com/front/story/35703p-52778c.html Sincerely,
Duane J. Roberts
duaneroberts92804@yahoo.com HAND DELIVERED
Tuesday, January 17, 2005
Kimberly Hall Barlow, City Attorney
Office of the City Attorney
City of Costa Mesa
77 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Re: Letter of complaint against Mayor Allan
Mansoor for unlawfully disrupting a public
meeting on 1/3/06
Dear Ms. Barlow:
I’m writing this letter of complaint to formally
request the Office of the City Attorney open an
investigation to determine whether or not Mayor Allan
Mansoor violated Section 2-60 of the municipal code
when he engaged in conduct which unlawfully disrupted
a meeting of the Costa Mesa City Council on the
evening of Tuesday, January 3, 2006.
The municipal code in question, entitled, “Propriety
of conduct of council members,” makes it perfectly
clear that it is “unlawful” for “members of the
council” to engage in “disorderly, insolent or
disturbing action, speech, or otherwise” which will
“substantially delay, interrupt or disturb the
proceedings of the council.”
Evidence exists suggesting that Mayor Mansoor has
willfully ignored well-established protocols governing
the way City Council meetings have been traditionally
conducted in the past and has behaved in an arbitrary,
capricious, and vindictive manner against persons whom
he disagrees with during public comments.
On the night of January 3rd, while public comments
were in session, Mayor Mansoor not only abruptly cut
off Coyotl Tezcatlipoca before his time was up (thus
violating his constitutional right to free speech) but
sources have alleged he ordered Police Chief John
Hensley to illegally arrest him on false charges. A
video of the whole ordeal clears Tezcatlipoca of any
wrongdoing. (see enclosed CD and supporting documents)
If one carefully examines the chronology of events
that took place at this City Council meeting, it
becomes rather evident that Mayor Mansoor himself --
not Tezcatlipoca -- engaged in “disorderly, insolent
[and] disturbing action, speech, or otherwise” which
“substantially delay[ed], interrupt[ed] or disturb[ed]
proceedings of the council.” Mayor Mansoor’s blatant
disregard for the rules caused chaos and turmoil,
preventing the meeting from being conducted in an
orderly manner.
If during the investigation the Office of the City
Attorney believes there is sufficient evidence to
suggest that Mayor Mansoor violated this provision of
the municipal code, I ask that they prosecute him to
the fullest extent the law allows.
We must send a strong message to public officials who
disrupt public meetings and interfere with the
constitutional rights of people who criticize them;
they must be held fully accountable for the laws they
break.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me at your earliest
convenience should you have any questions about this
letter.
Sincerely,
DUANE J. ROBERTS
Duane J. Roberts
XXXX XXXXXXX, XXX
Anaheim, California
XXXXX-XXXX
(714) XXX-XXXX
(714) XXX-XXXX
COSTA MESA MUNICIPAL CODE
Sec. 2-60. Propriety of conduct of council members.
(a) Members of the council shall preserve order
and decorum during a meeting.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any member of the
council to violate any of the following rules:
(1) Members of the council shall not, by
disorderly, insolent or disturbing action, speech, or
otherwise, substantially delay, interrupt or disturb
the proceedings of the council.
(2) Members of the council shall obey and carry
out the lawful orders or directives of the presiding
officer.
(Code 1960, § 2223; Ord. No. 72-38, § 2 , 10-16-72;
Ord. No. 85-26, § 2 , 10-21-85)