The mayor of a small Michigan town is being sued for cutting off anyone who tried to criticize her at a September meeting, where she was filmed screaming at two residents who had taken the podium to challenge her.
Monique Owens, 38, is the Democratic Mayor of Eastpointe, Michigan, a small city with 32,442 residents.
In September, she was filmed yelling at Karen Beltz, a resident of the town of over 40 years who had never before spoken at such a meeting, and Mary Hall-Rayford.
Both women took to the podium to defend 85-year-old City Councilman Harvey Curley, who Mayor Owens had accused of assault because cursed at her months prior.
Owens called the police in June after the encounter and asked for a protective order from the court, claiming the elderly councilman made her feel unsafe because he yelled at her when she took the stage at a car show.
Monique Owens, 38, is the Democratic Mayor of Eastpointe, Michigan, a small city with 32,442 residents. In September, she was filmed screaming at two residents in their 60s and 70s who tried to challenge her at a meeting
Karen Beltz, 66, took to the podium first to try to challenge Owens over her claim that 85-year-old city councilman Harvey Curley ‘assaulted’ her. She called it ‘outrageous’ but couldn’t finish her sentence before Owens chimed in
Beltz, a mild-mannered 66-year-old, didn’t mention Owens or address her. Instead, she told Curley that he was well-respected in the town, and that she found it ‘outrageous’ he was having to defend himself against the young, outspoken Mayor in court.
Before she could finish her thoughts, Owens interrupted her, yelling: ‘You’re not going to sit here and assault me, lady I never met!
Owens pushed on: ‘Don’t call my name because I don’t know what book you’re reading and I don’t care! You’re not going to use that platform to revictimize anyone!
Beltz gave up, walking back to her seat and leaving Owen commanding the room.
‘As long as I’m Mayor, you don’t use that platform to revictimize anyone. Whether it’s a guy, woman, or anybody.
‘That is not the place. Now if someone wants to talk about what’s going on in this city and not somebody’s personal business, the hearing of the public is now open.’
Hall-Rayford then stepped up.
Owens fumed: ‘You’re not going to use that platform to revictimize anyone!’
Mary Hall-Rayford, 77, then stepped up. She challenged Owens again, saying: ‘We have First Amendment rights. We have the right to address our government without fear of reprisal or retaliation. ‘If you can’t take the criticism you should not be Mayor. Enough is enough.’
Eventually, Hall-Rayford left the floor and the other council members got out of their chairs, leaving Owens alone on the panel
Owens, who was elected in 2019, has not yet responded. She is shown, right, after being sworn in
‘This is ridiculous. There’s no reason for this. We have First Amendment rights. We have the right to address our government without fear of reprisal or retaliation.
‘If you can’t take the criticism you should not be Mayor. Enough is enough.’
In June, Owens accused 85-year-old City Councilman Harvey Curley of ‘assault’ because he cursed at her and ‘made her fear for her life’
Owens, even more fired up, started screaming at her too.
‘This is a personal matter! It’s not about criticizing. You can criticize my policies…’
Hall-Rayford, undeterred, told her to ‘just stop it’, which seems to have set her off even further.
‘YOU stop it! YOU stop it! You are violating my rights as a person that can call the police,’ she fumed.
Eventually, Hall-Rayford left the floor and the other council members got out of their chairs, leaving Owens alone on the panel.
Since that meeting in September, the two shouted-out residents have filed a lawsuit against her, alleging that she infringed on their First Amendment rights.
Owens, who was elected in 2019, has not yet responded.