Pontiac, Michigan: City Official Upset at "Anti-Semitic" Remarks

[Bela]

http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/22971052/index.html

Video at above link.  I cannot find a way to embed it.  
The comments section http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/22966005/detail.html is fairly amusing.
The black guy was probably raised in the church and may be why he gets all biblical in his diatribe.
I don't know why calling someone "satan" or "Judas" is necessarily anti-Semitic, however Mr. Leeb took it that way, stomped out of the room and protested to all the authorities, including the ADL.

PONTIAC, Mich. -- Emergency Financial Manager Fred Leeb has threatened to leave his post after anti-Semitic remarks were made about him during the public portion of a City Council meeting.

In a written statement read by Deputy State Treasurer Valdemar Washington, Leeb said at Thursday night's council meeting, "This new blatant anti-Semitic assault has stepped up this climate of fear and intimidation and is designed to cause me to leave my position as the Emergency Financial Manager of Pontiac," he wrote.

Leeb did not attend the meeting.

The remarks were made by a citizen at the previous meeting.

"On March 18 at the Pontiac City Council meeting. ... I was verbally assaulted by a cold and calculated anti-Semitic speech," Leeb wrote.

Local 4 obtained video of the March 18 rant when a citizen compared Leeb to Satan.

"He came to steal kill and destroy and he did so. Who is the author of confusion? Satan. When you came into this city..."

Pontiac Mayor Leon Jukowski, City Council President Lee Jones and President Pro Tem Patrice Waterman apologized to Leeb and told Local 4 that they did not agree with the racist remarks that were made at the meeting.

However, Leeb said he didn't think that city officials showed enough support.

"I believe this should have been expected given the climate at city council meetings, resulting from slander that has targeted me for months," Leeb said in a statement.

Leeb said he has contacted the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, the State Treasurer's Office and the Jewish Anti-Defamation League.

Leeb refused to comment on camera Friday, but he did release a written statement.

"Such actions will not force me to leave my post as Emergency Financial Manager for the city of Pontiac. I would like to turn a very negative situation intoa postitve one, by working with city council members to amend the city council meeting process,"

The city's treasurer's office told Local 4 that he is still there and that Leeb has the full confidence of the Local Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board, which elected him in 2008
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Leeb's follow up letter:  http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/22967271/detail.html

March 25, 2010

Fred Leeb, Emergency Financial Manager, City of Pontiac

Initial Response to Anti-Semetic Attack of March 18, 2010

The City's staff and I have taken on a job that is very tough. We are working hard to achieve a rapid and successful financial turnaround for the City of Pontiac despite a depressed economy. We must make the difficult decisions that do not please everyone. I also know that, because there is a financial emergency, I sometimes must make rapid and/or controversial decisions. Therefore, I expected to receive strong criticism from opposing viewpoints when I accepted the appointment as Emergency Financial Manager.

On March 18th at the Pontiac City Council meeting the criticism took another turn. I was verbally assaulted by a cold and calculated anti-Semitic speech. I believe this should have been expected given the climate at City Council meetings, resulting from slander that has targeted me for months. These attacks have come repeatedly from a relatively small group of individuals during the public comment section of many City Council meetings. This new blatant anti-Semitic assault has stepped up this climate of fear and intimidation and is designed to cause me to leave my position as the emergency Financial Manager for the City of Pontiac. It is over the line and I will not put up with it. I already have contacted appropriate authorities, which I am sure, will follow an appropriate course of action, they include:

1.) The Michigan Department of Civil Rights 2.) The State Treasurer's Office 3.) The Jewish Anti-defamation League

The Mayor and City Council President and the President Pro-tem all have apologized to me for this obvious anti-Semitic assault, which I appreciate. This attack, however, should have been stopped much earlier and not allowed to continue to its end.

I have discussed this with the President of the City Council and he has indicated his willingness to work with me and the Pontiac City Attorney to develop new ground rules for public comment during City Council meetings. This is needed because unwarranted attacks have become the norm from a small group of vocal individuals. These attacks are greatly complicating our efforts to improve the finances and business climate of the city, and they must end. It is now time for the large, silent majority of decnt people in Pontiac to stand up and participate with us in the process of changing these ground rules. Such changes could dramatically improve the way Pontiac does business and the city's image in surrounding communities.