During the Monroe County Legislative meeting on March 10, several members of the Legislature’s Republican conference walked out during the public forum.
Jalil Abdul Muntaqim took the podium to address the lawmakers during the public forum section.
Before Muntaqim took the podium, members of the Legislature’s Republican conference left the room while he began to talk about the issues of housing vouchers and the housing crisis. They later said it was because of his conviction and imprisonment after a police killing.
‘Housing crisis’ called out
“We have had a housing crisis going on for over 30 years now and you have to ask the question why,” Muntaqim said. “It’s not a question of money. We identify certain communities being neglected and you know who they are and you know why.”
Muntaqim, formerly named Anthony Bottom, also called for housing voucher rates to be raised to $990, stressing how that’s the minimum of what could be done.
Once Muntaqim finished his remarks, the Republican Legislators returned to the Legislative Chambers to hear from other members of the public.
According to a statement, the Republican conference said the decision was made out of respect for the murdered officers and in solidarity with law enforcement.
“While he has the legal right to speak in a public forum, we will not … provide him with the appearance of legitimacy before this body,” Republican Leader Sean McCabe said in a statement. “This is not a matter of politics or policy. It is a matter of basic moral outrage that someone responsible for crimes of this magnitude is now free and arrogant enough to speak in public forum when he should still be behind bars.”
Deputy Republican Leader Paul Dondorfer said in a statement how it is their responsibility to remind the public that his hands will forever be stained with the blood of the heroes he helped gun down.
“Out of respect for the memory of Officers Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones of the NYPD and Sergeant John Young of the San Francisco Police Department, and in solidarity with the law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to protect our communities, members of the Republican Conference chose to step out of the chamber during his remarks,” Dondorfer said in a statement.
We weren’t able to speak with Muntaqim after the Republicans sent their press release. Other media outlets said he gave no comment.
Muntaqim was born in California in 1951. At the age of 16, he joined the Black Panther Party and at age 18, he joined the Black Liberation Army.
Muntaqim along with two other men were convicted in 1971 for the ambush killings of two New York City police officers, Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones. He was imprisoned for nearly 50 years until being released on parole in 2020.
—Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Republicans walk out as Jalil Muntaqim addresses Monroe County Legislature
Reporting by Kerria Weaver, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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