Expect Legal Action Against Santa Clarita's "Proud Racist," Says Group

By Ted Chen and Olsen Ebright
|  Monday, Feb 8, 2010  |  Updated 1:45 PM PDT
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Expect Legal Action Against Santa Clarita's "Proud Racist," Says Group

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Councilman Defends "Proud Racist" Remark

Santa Clarita City Council chambers is packed for first meeting since City Councilman declared himself a "proud racist" in remarks published on YouTube.
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Santa Clarita councilman Bob Kellar is facing the threat of legal action from an immigrant-rights group.

Kellar has not apologized for saying he's a "proud racist;" nor has he been censured by fellow council members, according to activists.

And now, that could translate to a lawsuit, the Los Angeles Times reported:

Leaders of the Los Angeles-based Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition said Monday they plan to go to court to force the city of Santa Clarita to discipline Bob Kellar, whom they described as a "rogue councilman" and a "poster boy for divisiveness."

On Jan. 16, Kellar attended a Minuteman rally near Magic Mountain, where he quoted President Teddy Roosevelt's philosophy that America only has room for one flag and one language. Kellar told the crowd that when he voiced that opinion at a City Council meeting, people told him he sounded like a racist.

"If that's what you think I am because I happen to believe in America, then I'm a proud racist. You're darn right I am," he said.

Kellar says he's not a racist and he only used that word because that's what someone called him.

"Comprehensive immigration reform provides a pathway forward; the Bob Kellars of this world would lead us down a dark pathway back to our troubling racist past," said Robert Gittelson, a member of coalition, in a statement.
 

Posted Feb 8, 2010
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