Plummer, Barron Accuse Quinn of Racism, White Supremacy

Yesterday, we briefly mentioned that Viola Plummer, former City Council staffer under Councilman Charles Barron, was forcibly removed from a City Council meeting. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn fired Plummer, who had heckled her during meetings and referenced an "assassination" of another City Council member (assassination of his career, Plummer later claimed), for not agreeing to behave during meetings. Plummer filed a $1 million lawsuit against Quinn and continues to work for Barron as a volunteer.

However, Quinn made it clear Plummer would only be allowed to visit City Council meetings as a member of the public. But yesterday Plummer entered the floor of the chambers, instead of the visitor's gallery, and all hell broke loose.

The Sun counted three police officers and four security guards, not to mention Barron rolling up his sleeves to act as a "buffer" between Plummer and security. Some remarks from Plummer, Barron and Quinn:

From the Sun:
"This was a selective enforcement of the law so that they can continue the harassment, the retaliation, and the discrimination against not Viola Plummer and Charles Barron, but black people in general," Mr. Barron said. "This is another form of Jim Crow-ism. They want us to sit in the back of the bus, in the balcony, anytime you are an assertive black, and that's the problem in City Hall." Plummer, who appeared visibly shaken by the standoff, said it should make no difference where she sits during a council meeting. What Ms. Quinn "thought she could do, and what she almost did, was to provoke me," Plummer said. "I have a history, I have a history, of dealing with the likes of Christine Quinn."

From the Daily News:
"Viola Plummer is no longer an employee of the New York City Council," Quinn told reporters. "She's not an employee, or a Council member or a government official, and those are the categories of individuals who can be on the floor during a City Council meeting."

Barron held his own press conference and declared: "We are not bowing down to white supremacy because that is what she is acting like, a white supremacist."

Quinn's only response was, "Council member Barron can use whatever language he chooses, but I have an obligation to make sure the business of this institution gets done."

Wow, can you tell that Barron and Quinn are thinking running for city offices in 2009?

Plummer also reportedly compared Quinn to Bull Connor. The Wonkster reports that after the hubbub, City Councilwoman Helen Foster "demanded police check everyone on the floor of the chamber to make sure they were supposed to be there under the council’s rule – an apparent jab to Quinn’s decision," but that there were some City Council members who sided with Quinn. No quotes, though, from Leroy Comrie, the black City Councilman who Plummer had "threatened" (because he didn't participate in a vote).

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By Jen Chung in News on July 26, 2007 4:50 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

Taking the broader long-range (passive) approach, it is important that the ethnic cleansing of NYC proceed as quietly, efficiently and rapidly as market forces permit. Pricing targeted groups (by neighborhood) out of the housing market and refusal to provide jobs (i.e. economy) to the dependent so called 'obedient' subservients is the proper approach. Removing (surreptitiously) the economically non-viable segments of NYC's population along with the criminally active members of that population will assure those who remain will have clean-hands when the assessments are conducted post 2010. It is important that supremacy be enforced without apology, embarrassment or regret. Drugs, crime, and poverty are the province of the dregs of society and they ought not be allowed to flourish among decent Americans. Christine Quinn is on target (even if legally in error, regards to her authority) and as Mayor of the City of New York she will go the distance with 'the plan'. Quinn for Mayor! Protecting NY for all NYer's

guest

funny.....i thought i was reading about the council meeting in south arkansas.these same types of issues come up here too.everything is racial issue no matter what the agenda is.renaming a steet after mr king i have a dream.we's got to spend mo moneys on the childrens,because we all know it takes a village.so on and so on and so on. same crap just another city facing the same black decay.

guest

Ha ha, "Mr. Quinn"! Sooo funny! This is probably the same 13-yr. old who asks what Al Sharpton has to say about any random issue.

Mike B.

Hiding in plain sight! Thanks, JMH.

guest

#37 - apparently the same as you. They surf the net and post silly comments on Gothamist.

guest

Isn't it possible to not agree with white supremacists yet still hate urban ghetto trash?

JRod5417

Seriously, the guest issue needs to be resolved. Either you sign in or you can't comment. Scary to think that so many people in this city are apparently David Duke sympathizers.

JMH

You can, Mike B. At the top of the comments there's a link that says "Hide Guest Comments."

Mike B.

Gothamist, can you give us the option of filtering out guest posts altogether instead of just greying them out? I'm sick of this shit.

guest

I don't understand the overreaction on the part of Barron and Plummer? Why? Is it necessary to call Quinn a "White supremacist"? What does that have to do with the fact that Plummer was trespassing? Fine, maybe the rules are only enforced against Plummer because Quinn does not like her as a PERSON and has nothing to do with the fact that she is black?

guest

Jen, why the use of quotation marks - Plummer had "threatened". ?

It was an explicit, outrageous, and disgraceful threat. Full stop.

guest

What do black guys do all day?

guest

my goodness, the vile that comes out of some racists so easily.

molon labe.

rtd2101

I want Charles Barron, Christine Quinn, Elliot Spitzer, Viola Plummer and Joe Bruno in the octagon, no holds barred, every man/woman for themselves. Any bets on who'd come out on top? My money's on Quinn...with Plummer running a close second.

guest

If individuals think that rolling back the clock will be beneficial to their cause then they are in serious denial.

If Afro Americans believe that these two racists will further their cause of equality for all, then they are so far off a realization of that cause that they should just give it up and move back to "the old country." I'm sure their airfare will be paid by others that suffered from exploitation by "whitie" or people like him and cleanse america of scum.

guest

Plummer be speaking ebonics and all. She be noin what needs be. Power to duh (sp) people and shit. Got's to get dem out der and vote and shit. Needs mur afordbl ousing projects and shit.

If she has a dream, I'm sure it wasn't what Martin had in mind.

guest

God Bless you viola plummer and Charles barron.

fight the good fight.

never again.

guest

My. My. The racists are just grooving to this story. Maybe Gothamist can to do a story about how backward some New Yorkers are when it comes to race. Keep trolling on you sad folk. Sure Barron and Plummer are talking pure silly noise but some of you folk here are no better.