Crystal Moore, who claims she was fired
because she's a lesbian, has received an outpouring of support from
the South Carolina town where she served as police chief.
Latta Mayor Earl Bullard fired Moore on
Tuesday after issuing the 20-year-veteran 7 reprimands.
But the community and members of the
City Council have rushed to Moore's defense.
Counselor Jared Taylor said he made a
recording of Bullard in which the mayor said he's opposed to gay
marriage, does not want his child exposed to such relationships and
called gays worse than drunks.
“I would much rather have, and I will
say this to anybody's face, somebody who drank and drank too much
taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is
questionable around children,” Bullard
said.
“Because that ain't the damn way it's
supposed to be,” he continued. “You know, you got people out
there – I'm telling you, buddy – I don't agree with some of the
lifestyles that I see portrayed. And I don't say anything because
that is the way they want to live, but I am not going to let my child
be around.”
Bullard refused to discuss why he acted
but asserted his authority.
“I cannot go into personnel matters
in a public forum,” Bullard told Morning
News. “The mayor has all the power to fire or suspend.”
Taylor disagreed, saying that hiring
and firing decisions are “subject to personnel rules adopted by the
town council.”
“Our personnel rules say hiring and
firing is subject to council approval,” Taylor said.
Taylor said Moore was fired without
warning.
“She was called into the mayor's
office and asked to sign seven reprimands,” Taylor said. “She
told the mayor she wanted to confer with her attorney before she
signed anything. And basically, she was told she had to sign the
reprimands right then or she was fired. She still wouldn't sign and
from what I understand, he fired her on the spot.”
“He threw all this on her in one day.
Most of the reprimands were for petty stuff, and at least five of
them, I can prove wrong,” he added.
More than 100 people gathered outside
town hall on Wednesday demanding Moore be re-instated.
“Crystal has worked for this town for
over 20 years,” Taylor said. “People in Latta love Crystal, and
people have really embraced Crystal.”
At a City Council meeting held
Thursday, members voted 6-1 in favor of an initiative to strip the
mayor's office of some its powers. A public vote cannot take place
for at least 60 days.
After the vote, Moore told WBTV-TV:
“I can't believe that we still have no equal rights. That's the
biggest issue. I've been harassed, intimidated. This is the first
time it's been this public.”
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