HB Councilman Refuses to Remove Commissioner Over “Colored People” Comments

Huntington Beach city councilman Patrick Brenden is standing by Gracey Van Der Mark, his embattled finance commission appointee who came under fire last month for racist online comments and even more racist alt-right associations. The Ocean View School District voted to remove Van Der Mark, who called blacks “colored people” in a now-deleted YouTube comments, from a citizens oversight committee after a raucous Apr. 24 board meeting. But after a “thorough” and “time-consuming” investigation where Brenden met with Van Der Mark while weighing both sides of the controversy, the councilman came to an entirely predictable conclusion.

Read more on my latest OC Weekly Navel Gazing Blog post:

https://www.ocweekly.com/hb-councilman-refuses-to-remove-commissioner