Bad Bill In Hot Water Over Racial Comments

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS – In today’s evolving use of social media, many people use Facebook to network, post achievements, and stay in touch with family and friends. Locally, many city officials use a public Facebook profile to stay in touch with constituents so they can listen to them as well as inform them of changes coming to the City of San Angelo. However, social media has been no friend to current Single Member District 1’s City Councilman Bill Richardson, who continues to get ridiculed for his controversial social media updates.

His recent social media rant, where he calls upon “non-Hispanic” residents to document their interactions with “Hispanic” SAPD Officers has raised concern with city officials and Mr. Richardson's. Review our initial story here on initial responses to that post. 

This post, which has since been taken down, may be one of the last Richardson makes as City Councilman if those people now calling for his resignation have their way.

Richardson has been in the hot seat before over controversial updates, most recently, his rant over the newest President of the United States. Sunday morning, Councilman Richardson wrote a concerning post after filing a complaint against his “Hispanic” neighbor and dispatching SAPD to his home Saturday afternoon. Below is the original Facebook Post.

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Many have taken offense to Richardson's comments. The San Angelo Law Enforcement Spouses Association (SALESA), in a press release sent out Sunday evening shortly before midnight, called for “the immediate resignation of Bill Richardson from his seat as city councilman for Single Member District 1 in San Angelo.” They believe Richardson’s comments to be “dangerous and deeply troubling” for the city and police community. They further wrote that Councilman Richardson’s words “serve to incite racism in [the San Angelo] community,” and “result in palpable threats and potential violence against some of our sworn law enforcement officers … based on the color of their skin.”

Since Mr. Richardson serves as a city official, LIVE! reached out to all city council members  and community members to hear what they had to say in regards to Richardson’s recent comments.

Mayor Morrison, who has served the community for numerous years, said that he is “appalled” at Richardson’s Facebook comments and believes that the “harmony and unity between the races” that the city has created over the years have now been “unnecessarily inflamed.”  

Trinidad Aguirre, former candidate for the District 1 City Council seat, also believes that Richardson’s statements have disrupted the harmony the city has worked on. 

He said, “I feel that it’s not a true representative of a city council member to create any kind of disharmony within the city.”

Fellow council member Harry Thomas considered Richardson’s Facebook post as “unfortunate,” while Charlotte Farmer was “shocked” and “speechless.”  

Despite Bill Richardson’s concerning Facebook posts, the question is, should social media be prohibited from city officials?

Most council members have professional Facebook profiles, but many do not seem to use it them regularly. Councilman Thomas said he only “uses social media to connect with people” and to “wish somebody a happy birthday or anniversary.”

Mayor Morrison added, “I do not get on Facebook and make comments unless it is something extremely positive. I feel that [city officials] are held to a little higher standard.”

The Mayor also noted that he believes that council members should do so as well.

Since the abrupt Facebook post from Councilman Richardson, both the San Angelo Coalition of Police (SACOP) and the San Angelo Police Department (SAPD) have released their responses. In a press release posted to SACOP’s Facebook page earlier this morning, members raised concerns over Richardson’s posts, and said, “Any elected official attempting to deepen racial divides is inexcusable. [Richardson] certainly does not represent the standards of public service and leadership that our city should demand.”

SAPD stated, “As a department, we will continue to police this community in a professional manner, treating all citizens with respect regardless of their race, color, religion, creed, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or disability.” 

SAPD is currently investing the incident in question. Please read here for further information and to find out how to file a complaint with the SAPD’s Office of Professional Standards.

Should Bill Richardson resign, Mayor Morrison said the city will have to “call a special election” or “appoint someone to his seat.” Should Richardson refuse to resign, the community does have the option of pursuing a recall as per Section 48 of the San Angelo City Charter. In order for the recall to pass, the city must produce a list of signatures equal to 30 percent of the last mayoral city election voters.  

For more information, residents are asked to contact the City Clerk Office at 325-657-4405.

This is an evolving story; as LIVE! hears back from fellow council members and community members, we will continue to update the story.