LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One wrote that she hates the police. The other wrote that the Louisville Metro Police Department is the devil. However, both nominees to Louisville's Civilian Review and Accountability Board say they can serve on the new panel with objectivity.
Both nominees also said the past social media posts require broader context and understanding, as some members of Metro Council's Government Oversight and Audit Committee questioned the two about the posts in a lengthy meeting Tuesday evening.
The two nominees — Stachelle Bussey and Antonio Taylor — have been submitted by Mayor Greg Fischer for Metro Council's approve to the civilian review board, which will soon work with an inspector general to improve police policy and review allegations of police misconduct.
Bussey, the leader of a nonprofit that feeds impoverished residents, was asked about a series of past Facebook posts, including an essay about systemic problems in the criminal justice system in which she wrote, "I hate the police."
Republicans on the committee and some Democrats like Councilman Mark Fox fear the post shows compromised objectivity.
"Where I'm struggling with your nomination is you clearly articulated a bias against a group you're going to sit in judgement of," said Fox, D-13.
Stachelle Bussey, a nominee to the civilian review board. (Source: MetroTV)
After initial hesitation to a yes-or-no question from Councilwoman Paula McCraney, D-6, Bussey said she doesn't hate the police. She argued her post was taken out of context and does not jeopardize her objectivity.
One of the posts by Stachelle Bussey, a civilian review board nominee. (Source: Councilman Anthony Piagentini)
"That whole post was about community accountability and saying that if we don't believe these systems will work for us, then what as a community will work for us," she said.
After questioning Bussey for more than an hour, the committee voted 5 to 4 to recommend her approval to the civilian review board.
Then, after recommending the approval of other civilian review board nominees with much less scrutiny and questioning, the committee questioned Taylor.
A Facebook post by Taylor in September calls LMPD the devil. Taylor says he wrote the post in frustration on the day of the Kentucky Derby after LMPD was delayed in protecting protesters in Jefferson Square from counter-protesters during a testy clash.
"I think what you’re seeing is just my frustration," Taylor explained.
The Jefferson County Public Schools bus driver also argued that council should judge him for more than just a handful of social media posts.
"What I do want to be judged by is my work that I do in this community," he said, in part. “You know, I'm still evolving. I'm a work in progress."
Antonio Taylor, a nominee to the civilian review board. (Source: MetroTV)
But council members like Scott Reed weren't satisfied with Taylor's explanation.
"In a million years, I couldn’t imagine you making that statement and then saying, 'Well, I’m going to be objective when a case comes to the civilian review board,'" said Reed, R-16.
In another narrow vote of 3 to 5, the committee recommended Taylor's denial from the civilian review board.
One of the posts by Antonio Taylor, a civilian review board nominee. (Source: Councilman Anthony Piagentini)
Before the vote, some council Democrats who voiced support for Taylor criticized the scrutiny placed on both him and Bussey.
"I think what we're doing is pulling out very selective social media posts and making this big a deal of them is frankly just reprehensible," said Councilman Bill Hollander, D-9. "I've never seen it done in this committee for any other nominee."
"I don’t normally do this, but it causes me great concern that two of the people that have been grilled by this committee look the same," added Council President David James, D-6, "About expressing about their experiences in life, and I've got to tell you, that's not fair."
Mayor Greg Fischer, meanwhile, says he stands by both candidates and believes both can serve objectively.
"I purposely selected nominees with diverse backgrounds and points of view, and intentionally chose some who were part of the protest movement, because I know that, to be effective, this board must include residents who bring varied experience and insights," he wrote, in part, in a series of tweets. "That includes those willing to challenge a system that has not always been equitable."
I purposely selected nominees with diverse backgrounds and points of view, and intentionally chose some who were part of the protest movement, because I know that, to be effective, this board must include residents who bring varied experience and insights. 1/4
— Mayor Greg Fischer (@louisvillemayor) March 17, 2021
The votes by the Oversight and Audit Committee serve as recommendations to full Metro Council, which will give all 11 nominees final, deciding votes on Mar. 25.
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