January 07, 2003
You did know that they tape these things, right?

As expected, Jack Cluth is all over this story about Margaret Kidd Duncan, the now-former Mayor Pro Tem of Seabrook, and her potty mouth. Duncan was pulled over by a traffic cop and accused him of singling her out for political reasons:


"You're harassing me on behalf of our white trash mayor, Robin Riley, and those white trash people on council," Duncan tells [Police Sgt. Sean] Wright.

Wright told Duncan that neither he nor Officer Charles Skinner, who pulled her over for speeding and running a stop sign, knew who she was.

"Of course, you do. I'm white," Duncan tells Wright. "There's one woman on the City Council. I'm a white woman on the City Council. You know who I am. Everyone in town does. Everyone in the Clear Lake area does."

Wright and Skinner are black.


Then, just to make sure that she really got into trouble, she went home and tried to reach the police chief, Nona Holoman, on the phone. She spoke to a dispatcher, Shannon Swetman. She gets a little upset when told that the chief is unavailable:

"Well, listen, ... hillbilly. I am the mayor pro tem of the city of Seabrook," Duncan says.

"Ma'am, I don't care who you are," Swatman responds.

"(Cursing.) I want to talk to Nona right now. Nona Holomon. Have her call me," Duncan says.


The actual audio, which we heard last night on the news and which you can hear on the Chron, is pretty priceless. Have a listen, but you might want to wait till you're not at work.

Anyway, she's stepped down as Mayor Pro Tem and has issued an apology, but Jack wants her gone:


Date: Tue, 7 Jan 2003 04:50:55 -0800 (PST)
From: "Jack Cluth"
Subject: unsolicited but sensible advice
To: mkduncan@seabrook-tx.com


If I could offer one word of advice to you, it would be this- RESIGN. Now. Your actions and your appalling verbal abuse of a Seabrook police officer have demonstrated your unworthiness to hold the position that you do. You are a disgrace to your office, a disgrace to the people of Seabrook, and worst of all, a disgrace to yourself.

Your utter disdain for those you represent, you intolerance of dissenting opinion, and your sense of entitlement have convinced this Seabrook resident that you are no longer fit for office. Seabrook deserves better than your self-righteous, inflexible, racist attitude. For your own good, resign now before the people of Seabrook recall you. It's been done before, and it can happen again. Spare yourself the embarrassment.


You tell her, dude. The real kicker is in the update to Jack's post. The rules really are different for some.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on January 07, 2003 to Elsewhere in Houston | TrackBack
Comments

I checked out the tape over at the Chronicle. Wow, what a real piece of work. Didn't her mother ever teach her not to be a potty mouth, and to show a little respect towards the police?

Posted by: B. K. Oxle (binkley) on January 7, 2003 5:39 PM

I saw no listing of Ms. Duncan's political party affiliation...which was great. This means that, as it should be, she will be judged on her character and behaviour. Verdict: Shithead...a shithead amongst shitheads!
There are people who are in government to serve and help the people (a fine, upstanding motive) and there are people who are there to stroke their own egos (pardon the 70's cliche...power-trip). Step down, lady, step down.

Posted by: john on January 8, 2003 10:40 AM

Municipal elections in Houston are technically non-partisan (*), so it wouldn't surprise me if the same is true for Seabrook. (Jack? Can you confirm?)

(*) Anyone who follows the news at all has no trouble telling which Houston municipal pols are Republicans and which are Democrats. It's just that the ballots don't identify them as such.

Posted by: Charles Kuffner on January 8, 2003 12:25 PM

Yep -- non-partisan elections.

We'll do well without Princess mMargaret, who had the two black cops she cursed brought to her home for her press conference and a photo-op handshake -- but who then left them outside to watch the "pressies" while she held her press conference inside her home. In short, she made the demeaned those cops again by turning them into props for her little show and not even allowing them inside to speak to the cameras after she claimed they were there to "support" her.

By the way, the press folks did interview them afterward. Didn't sound like support to me!

Posted by: Tony on January 8, 2003 11:02 PM

Yep -- non-partisan elections.

We'll do well without Princess mMargaret, who had the two black cops she cursed brought to her home for her press conference and a photo-op handshake -- but who then left them outside to watch the "pressies" while she held her press conference inside her home. In short, she made the demeaned those cops again by turning them into props for her little show and not even allowing them inside to speak to the cameras after she claimed they were there to "support" her.

By the way, the press folks did interview them afterward. Didn't sound like support to me!

Posted by: Tony on January 8, 2003 11:03 PM

I Just wnat to say, that living here in England i wish we had police like Charlie Skinner. I met him once 2 years ago in Seabrooke and also Nona. The Police Department was a fantastic station. And officers friendly and welcoming. When I red the log entery i was shocked at this worker. Charlie Skinner was professional bo suprice there

Posted by: Warren on October 11, 2006 4:14 AM