An initial attempt to censure Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam, over foul language directed at a fellow member, was defeated Tuesday night.
A full vote to censure will occur later this month, a councilman said.
Hallam called the attempt to censure her “political theater.”
The action came after a few days after Hallam got into a verbal spat with a fellow member of the county’s Jail Oversight Board.
Allegheny County Councilman Sam DeMarco, R-North Fayette, introduced an amendment to add a censure motion to Tuesday’s council meeting. The motion was voted down 6-9. While the initial attempt was rejected, DeMarco said the motion to censure will be on the agenda of the next council meeting on Jan. 24.
Got votes slightly wrong, deleted original tweet.
Vote breakdown:
Bennett - No
Betkowski - No
DeMarco - Yes
Duerr - Yes
Filiaggi - Yes
Futules - Yes
Hallam - No
Klein - No
Macey - Yes
Naccarati-Chapkis - No
Palmeire - No
Palmonsina - No
Prizio - No
Walton - Yes
Catena - No— Ryan Deto (@RyanDeto) January 10, 2023
The issue arose during a Jail Oversight Board meeting on Jan. 5, when Hallam asked Allegheny County Jail Warden Orlando Harper about a corrections officer who allegedly brought contraband into the jail. Harper said that it was a “personnel matter.”
When pressed about why the investigation against the officer wasn’t made public, Harper said they don’t report about investigations that are being undertaken by law enforcement.
Oversight board member Judge Elliot Howsie then stepped in and said that if investigations are ongoing they are generally not made public. He said Harper had given his answer. Hallam, D-North Side, then questioned why the board was not informed about the investigation into the officer.
A back and forth ensued where Howsie said they should move on and Hallam said business was not finished. As Howsie continued to say business should move on, Hallam muttered the word under her breath.
“Did you call me a ‘p——k’ ?” asked Howsie.
“Yes,” Hallam responded. “That is like the nicest word I could say right now the way you talk to me.”
“Fair enough. Hope everyone heard that,” said Howsie.
During the Allegheny County Council meeting, DeMarco said he introduced the motion to censure Hallam because she called Howsie a “vulgar and foul name,” and she has refused to apologize.
Hallam said the whole endeavor made her roll her eyes. She said Jail Oversight Board members have consistently disrespected her during meetings and that Howsie acts like the chair of the meetings, even though all members have equal standing.
“I have been fighting for the residents of Allegheny County, and if that means that I will sometimes use words that the powers that be don’t approve of, then that is what I am going to do to get that job done,” Hallam said after the meeting.
DeMarco, a regular adversary to Hallam on council, brushed aside accusations that the move to try to censure Hallam was political and said that Hallam needs to bring a respectable level of decorum when she represents the county in official meetings.
“I am a Marine vet and a barroom bouncer,” said DeMarco. “But I believe in decorum and [Hallam] went over the line.”
In response, Hallam said “I don’t have time for any of this political theater.”
In April, a censure vote was brought against Councilman Tom Duerr, D-Bethel Park, but the vote failed.
Last week, Joanna Doven, who runs a public relations business, announced a challenge to Hallam’s seat.
Ryan Deto is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Ryan by email at rdeto@triblive.com or via Twitter .
"vulgar" - Google News
January 11, 2023 at 06:37AM
https://ift.tt/Tuk0H52
Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam faces censure vote for 'vulgar' language - TribLIVE
"vulgar" - Google News
https://ift.tt/9Ybdh5l
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Allegheny County Councilwoman Bethany Hallam faces censure vote for 'vulgar' language - TribLIVE"
Post a Comment