Villa Park City Council released a statement Tuesday saying that council members who speak in public do not automatically represent the city, a declaration meant to address Councilwoman Deborah Pauly’s controversial remarks made in February at protest of a Muslim charity event in Yorba Linda.
Pauly made several vitriolic statements about the Muslims attending the event. Among other things, she said “these who are assembling are enemies of America.” She also said she knew “quite a few marines who would be very happy to send these terrorists to an early meeting in paradise.”
Pauly, in an interview with Voice of OC, expressed regret about the blanket statements she made, saying her comments should have been directed at two controversial speakers at the event. However, she said she feared that singling out the two speakers could have endangered her life.
Here is the city’s statement in its entirety:
Comments made by Villa Park City Council members in public do not represent the City of Villa Park unless made with City Council approval.
The Villa Park City Council and the community support the Constitutional right to freedom of religion. We also condemn violence and threats of violence, and terrorism and threats of terrorism. Furthermore, we oppose any individual or group whose opinion runs counter to these values.
An earlier draft of the statement singled out Pauly. However, Council decided to omit her name from the final draft. The vote to issue the statement was 4-1, with Councilman Bill MacAloney dissenting.