Speakers tell conservative county supervisors that Ann Coulter is a shameful choice

Numerous speakers at the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday protested the selection of conservative columnist and author Ann Coulter to speak at the Republican Central Committee Lincoln Day Dinner in April.

More than 20 people expressed their opinion during the board’s public comment period, saying that Coulter’s speaking engagement April 28 in Modesto is offensive to immigrants, Latinos and women. The protests came from county residents, veterans, former county employees, and some Republicans.

“Why did the committee choose such a divisive and polarizing speaker?” said Dale Butler, who was an equal rights officer for the county for 28 years. The Board of Supervisors gives an equal rights award in Butler’s name every year.

Michael Garcia, an Army Rangers veteran, said he served in the military to defend the U.S. constitution, which begins with “We the people.” He said the Republicans on the Board of Supervisors are derelict in their duty if they do not renounce the hiring of Coulter as a guest speaker.

“I am disappointed,” said Rebecca Harrington, president of the Latino Community Roundtable. “As a leader in our community, I feel part of our responsibility is to promote the ability to get along and respect each other.”

Some of the comments were directed to Supervisor Jim DeMartini, chairman of the county’s Republican Central Committee. Though county supervisor is a nonpartisan position, the four other supervisors are Republicans, including former state senator Dick Monteith and former Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen, who is vice chairman of the California Republican Party.

Speakers reacted strongly to Coulter’s written remarks about Latinos, women and Catholics. One referred to a current post on Coulter’s home page titled “Immigrants Drive Child Rape Epidemic.”

The item reads: “Before breathing a sigh of relief that, unlike Western Europe, we don’t have Muslim rapists pouring into our country, recall that we have Mexican rapists pouring into our country.”

Coulter has claimed there’s a cultural acceptance of child rape in Latino culture “that doesn’t exist in even the most dysfunctional American ghettos.”

Those opinions from the shock columnist have stirred outrage in a county where Latinos make up 42 percent of the population.

Coulter also has taken stabs at women’s voting rights because women tend to vote for Democratic presidents. One speaker at Tuesday’s meeting took exception to a Coulter tweet in September 2015 that mocked Pope Francis’ remarks at the White House. Coulter tweeted that it’s equally accurate to say the Catholic Church was “largely built by pedophiles.”

No one said at Tuesday’s meeting they supported the Republican committee’s decision to hire Coulter for the Lincoln dinner. County supervisors had no response to the protests, though board Chairman Vito Chiesa thanked them for being respectful.

Denise Hunt, former director of county Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, said she was shocked to see an invitation listing Coulter as the featured speaker for the fund-raising dinner at Modesto Centre Plaza.

Noting that GOP donors have covered the $25,000 speaking fee, Hunt said that “disinviting” Coulter would be an inexpensive way for Republicans to take strong stance for unity.

Some speakers said they will protest outside the venue and take note of who attends, with possible consequences during the next elections in 2018. The controversy could open a rift between between Latino community members and DeMartini, who has had “pretty good” relations with Latinos in his district, said John Mataka of Grayson.

DeMartini said later the event won’t be canceled and Coulter will speak. “They have a right to say what they want,” DeMartini said. “I don’t agree with them. I don’t think Ann Coulter is that divisive.”

The supervisor suggested that Coulter has become a lightning rod because of her ardent support for President Donald Trump. She is promoting her book, “In Trump We Trust” and is expected to sign copies of her book after the Modesto event. The Modesto Bee wasn’t able to reach Coulter or a representative for comment.

DeMartini said he heard the columnist speak to the GOP’s California delegation during a breakfast event at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland in July. He said he did not recall her talking about race-related issues, though she likely talked about illegal immigration, as a Trump supporter.

“The Republican Party is not racist and neither is Ann Coulter,” DeMartini said, addding, “She is not politically correct.”

In an email, Olsen said that Coulter, “like many speakers on the left, is a provocateur. I don’t share her approach, and I disagree with many of her statements and opinions. Having said that, part of American exceptionalism is our right to freedom of speech which extends to individuals and organizations. I will forever defend that freedom of speech for people on the right and the left, even when I disagree.”

Olsen added that she did not know Coulter would be the keynote speaker until after the Central Committee had made the decision.

Coulter, the author of 11 best-sellers on the New York Times’ list, wrote the book, “Adios America! The Left’s Plan to Turn Our Country into a Third World Hellhole.” According to a summary on Amazon.com, Coulter’s book lambasts everyone from La Raza and Democrats to media outlets that cover up immigrants’ crimes to Republican businessmen and campaign consultants who “profit handsomely from mass immigration that’s tearing the country apart.”

As support for the “Mexican rapists” comment on her website, Coulter cites information from North Carolinians for Immigration Reform and Enforcement.

Al Moncoada, identifying himself as a lifelong Republican, said he doubted that supervisors’ agreed with Coulter’s opinion – “this is not who you are”. Giving her a platform to speak will hurt the GOP efforts in California to grow as a more inclusive political party, he said.

“I am not a criminal. I am not a rapist,” said Gene Carrillo, a 74-year-old Army veteran. “Why are you bringing this individual to our community?”

Janice Keating, executive director of the Central Committee, said the dinner is an opportunity to hear a funny, sarcastic and outspoken columnist. Ticket sales have been nonstop since a report on Coulter’s visit hit the newspaper last month, Keating said. She expects the 500 to 600 available tickets will be sold. The tickets range in price from $125 to $10,000.

Supervisor Terry Withrow said he has purchased tickets and plans to attend. He said there’s a history of provocative speakers appearing in Modesto, such as the time years ago when Angela Davis, a communist and radical activist with close ties to the Black Panther Party, spoke at Modesto Junior College.

“I just wish people would pour this kind of energy into working on the problems we have in our county,” Withrow said.

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 1:56 PM with the headline "Speakers tell conservative county supervisors that Ann Coulter is a shameful choice."