Reporter’s Notebook: Here is a Transcript of the Deliberations About the City’s Position on the Conflict in the Middle East

Mayor Victor Gordo: Thank you. Thank you everyone for making the time. As you can see, the Council listened intently to everyone who was willing to speak. And so now I would ask that all members of the public respect the City Council. It now has its discussion. Anyone who does not do that will be asked to leave the room. And again, once you are asked to leave the room and are escorted out, you may not reenter the room. So I ask that you afford members of the City Council and the staff the same respect that’s been afforded to everyone who’s come before us to speak. Thank you. Okay, sure. Ms. Rivas.Councilmember Jessica Rivas: Thank you Mayor, and thank you to everyone who spoke today. Showed up, called in over the weekend, called to our offices. I truly appreciate hearing from you. I like to start by addressing a question that some
have raised, which is why the Pasadena City Council is even considering making a resolution on a matter of foreign affairs. This is not our role or responsibility. We should focus our attention on local issues. And I do see their point. It’s why I haven’t brought on my own this item to the Council and asked to have an agenda over the past several months.

However, the following is also true. We currently don’t have a Council policy that forbids us from considering issues beyond our city, whether they be statewide, national or international. Second, the city has taken up matters of foreign affairs. In December, 2022, the Mayor issued a proclamation announcing the city’s support for Armenian American community members and mourning the victims of the military aggression in art soc. And we annually recognize a day of remembrance of the Armenian genocide, both of which I wholeheartedly support and thank the Mayor for doing those annually.

And third residents have asked us to consider this and it is our duty as your representatives to be responsive to your requests. So in light of all that, this Council voted 7-1 one week ago to have a discussion tonight about a possible resolution on the ongoing cross-crisis in Gaza. And even the one dissenting vote did not oppose holding the discussion. He simply referred that this discussion comes straight to the Council rather than going through a committee. So here we are tonight. However, I see that one of the possible approaches identified for the Council in the staff report is to adopt a policy that the city not take official positions on any local comma, political comma or social issues. And I highlight the commas because non-local is not modifying political and social issues are three separate items listed. Now, setting aside for a moment how bizarrely broad that statement is this after all is a political body. And I don’t mean that in some profound philosophical way. I mean that quite literally in a Webster dictionary sort of way. What does it even mean for a political body not to take positions on political issues?

And setting aside also for a moment that I’m not opposed to having discussion on whether we should consider setting a policy on what the Council should focus attention on, that is definitely a discussion that we could have. However, it should not be tonight. The motion from last week was to consider a possible resolution on the topic raised by the speakers making public comment, which was a cease-fire in the current conflict in Gaza. Not whether the Council should adopt a policy on never taking a position on such a topic. It would be profoundly disrespectful to everyone who showed up last week and tonight to give hours of public comment and who expect us to take up in good faith What we said we would the time to debate whether or not to take up this topic was last week and we voted seven one to have that discussion tonight.

I think it’s important to acknowledge that so many people are turning to their city Councils across the country because they feel that no one will listen. But we are here and we are listening. So I now like to turn to the pros resolution that I submitted for the Council’s consideration. I thought it was important that the Council have a draft resolution before it to consider for discussion. It wouldn’t be a very protective use of everyone’s time if we tried to write one from scratch in real time right here in front of you all. Many have pointed out that this body and our staff are not experts in foreign affairs or international law. And you’re right, accordingly, the draft does not set out a definitive set of facts or draw legal conclusions, but we are human and we can recognize human suffering and wish for it to end.

Accordingly. The draft focuses on the ongoing humanitarian crisis and acknowledges that many Pasadenas have loved ones, friends and family in Israel and Gaza. The draft calls for several things that we include in our federal legislative agenda, support for renewed efforts by the United States government to negotiate and facilitate the lasting peace in Israel and Gaza that we call in our congressional delegation to urge the Biden administration to undertake vigorous diplomatic efforts to negotiate and facilitate a bilateral de-escalation and cease-fire to end the current violence. I will note that I’ve received requests and we’ve heard tonight from residents to explicitly include the return of hostages here. And I absolutely support that 100% that we call in our congressional delegation to urge the Biden administration to promptly send and facilitate the immediate entry of humanitarian assistance at the scale needed into Gaza and that we support all of our residents and in all forms of racism, bigotry, and discrimination.

It is clear that what we do matters. And in this moment, I don’t think it’s naive to ask our national leaders to use diplomacy to end the bloodshed and looming famine as soon as possible. It is necessary. This is not a radical position. Just this morning, the United Nations humanitarian Chief Martin Griffiths warned that famine is imminent in Gaza. Also, this morning representative Nancy Pelosi acknowledged the difficulty of getting humanitarian assistance into Gaza. Just like last week, Senator Chuck Schumer criticized Prime Minister and Yahoo for being too willing to tolerate the civilian toll in Gaza. And around two thirds of American voters support the US calling for a cease-fire and de-escalation of violence in Gaza according to a recent survey from Data for Progress. So I humbly submit this draft for the Council’s consideration and discussion. Thank you, Mayor.

Gordo: Thank you. Any other member of the Council? Mr. Masuda?
Councilmember Gene Masuda: Thank you Council member Rivas for that. I have a different view. First of all, I want to thank everyone that spoke tonight that your comments, your public comments were very important and I respect what
everybody said. I don’t have a strong side to this one way or the other, meaning that I don’t, excuse me.

Meaning that I’m not looking for a cease-fire or not. That’s not my position here. I looked at most of my emails that came to me regarding a resolution for a cease-fire or not, especially the ones from Pasadena. And the residents told me that the Council should focus on local needs and not on foreign affairs. I know that we all want peace in this world, and yet international issues should be left to the federal government. Like our congressional leaders. Our congressional leaders are far more informed and knowledgeable than any of us. We may know a lot with local things, but we don’t know anything about foreign affairs. Please. With that, I recommend something different that’s on our list and that is move B, adopt a policy that the City will not take in official positions on anything non-local political or social issues. And that would be B. Mayor.

Councilmember Jason Lyon: Thank you, Mayor. Thank you all for being here tonight. This is democracy at its finest and its messiest and its realist. And so for us as elected officials and as politicians, it is fraught with opportunities to make everybody angry. So I’m going to try to talk slowly, but I’m going to try to, I think you’re entitled to know where each of us is coming from on this and how we think about it and how we arrive at our decisions.\ And so I’m going to try to answer each and every public comment tonight. No, I’m not going to try to do that. I am going to try to let you know how I think about this. Before I do that, I want to say the street lighting on South Lake is underway. We’re doing that work and it’ll be done by midsummer. And that’s important work. It’s my turn. So I want to say with respect, I disagree with my colleague Mr. Masuda. And I disagree strongly.

The city has a long history of taking up issues of importance to our community. You may not know this, but the city of Pasadena employs lobbyists both in Washington DC and in Sacramento. And so to give them directions, it’s incumbent upon us to decide what our legislative priorities are. We do that by listening to our constituents, by having meaningful dialogue and trying to find positions that we think are fairly representative of our community. So for me, I’ve had a lot of conversations, a lot of conversations over the last week with people from my community, people from outside my district about this issue. I think for me, the criteria for taking a position on an issue that’s larger than something very local is first that there’s some demonstrable interest of a Pasadena constituency that the city is trying to address. And I think it’s clear here tonight that there is some demonstrable interest.

The second is that the position taken is in the best interest of the city as a whole. And the third is that the position taken is fairly representative of the city as a whole, by which I do not mean that we have unanimity, but that even people who disagree can recognize the wisdom of the decision. And so this is where I’m having some difficulty tonight because as you know, I was one of the two Council members who moved to bring this topic up tonight. I believe that when a critical mass of our constituents comes forward and asks us to talk about an issue, you are entitled to have us discuss that issue.

And there was a popular talking point going around that the people who came and asked us to talk about this issue are from outside or from somewhere else. And I can tell you, I know and love many of the people who stood up at the microphones tonight on both sides of this issue. But the people who came forth to ask us to talk about this are Pasadena people. I can tell you this weekend I had a lot of phone calls with friends on all sides of this issue. And I heard from Jewish friends and neighbors on all sides of this issue. But I heard from many of them that they hear in the language of what is before us tonight antisemitic rhetoric.

So lemme say, as a queer man, I’m not interested in having straight people tell me when something’s not homophobic. I’m not interested in telling my black friends when something’s not racist and I’m not going to tell members of the Jewish community that something’s not antisemitic. So then the
question for me,

CROWD interrupts

Gordo: Don’t interrupt the speakers. Thank you.

Lyon: So then the question for me is whether we can find our way to language that is fairly representative of our city as a whole. And this is why my preference was that we take this to a committee first because that’s where we work out stuff. That’s where we do the work of wordsmithing, where we send it back to the staff, where we send it to commissions to look at it and make sure that we have it right. And we have not had the benefit of that work.

And so I don’t know where I am tonight, I know where my heart is, I know where my spiritual and political North star is, and that is that, as Dr. King said, we are all tied in a network of and an inescapable network of mutuality. What affects one affects us all. And I know that to be true, and I believe it is appropriate for us to take a stance on this issue if we can find our way to a fair middle ground.

And I’ve heard language, so I appreciate that Council member Rivas said, we should incorporate the freeing of the hostages. Clearly that language is very important. There may be more language that we need to add tonight, but I think it’s entirely fair that we’re talking about this issue and that we take a position if we can find a majority for a position. Lastly, I want to say whether or not the City takes a position that’s not the same thing as sitting silent. I as an individual will have much to say about this. And those of you who know me know I do have much to say about this topic, but my role as an elected representative is to try to represent my community fairly and broadly. And so I’m struggling with this tonight and I’m waiting to hear language that I think is broadly representative. But I thank you all for being here and for your sincerity and for your passion.

Gordo: Mr. Madison.
Vice Mayor Steve Madison: I too want to echo my colleagues that this has been helpful and obviously strong feelings on all sides. And it’s very painful to watch the images coming from Israel. First in the October 7th terrorist attack and then the ensuing war between Israel and Hamas.

CROWD jeers

Gordo: Please.

Madison: So in terms of the procedure here, we did vote to bring this, try to bring it to the committee that I chair legislative policy and then straight to the Council tonight, we weren’t able to convene a legislative policy committee meeting. That’s unfortunate because we do have legislative advocates, as has been mentioned both in Sacramento and in Washington. And I think they could have helped us understand what the current state of play is in Ms. Rivas’ resolution. There’s language about urging our federal representatives to pursue a policy of diplomacy and seeking fire. And my understanding is those efforts are robust and underway. President Biden and I make no brief for BV Netanyahu, but Israel is an ally of the United States. Hamas is a terrorist organization.

CROWD response

Madison: So yeah, we’re not going to communicate if … This is the slippery slope, Mayor that we get on because in this discussion about a fair topic, should we advocate for some form of cease-fire because of the bloodshed? And yet tonight we heard someone use hate speech and tell us from the river to the sea.

CROWD response

That we heard it. I’m going to ask. That’s what we heard. Hold on. I’m going to ask..

CROWD jeers

Gordo: If we have to recess the meeting. We will. I’m going to ask everyone to please take your seat. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Madison, please proceed.

Madison: So my understanding is there was a cease-fire underway on October 7. It was breached by Hamas, and I did want to share some history, Mayor, but before I do that. See, now we’re talking about 1948. So I just wanted to clarify, was Ms. Rivas’s resolution a motion Council member? Were you moving?

Rivas: I would move it with the addition. Well, I’m open to further discussion on the language, so I would like to move it at some point, but I wouldn’t want to forestall the rest of Council having a chance to chime

Madison: And then Mr. Masuda moved to adopt B, and I would say I wouldn’t be too hard on staff here in terms of the semantics of B. I think what was being expressed there was an option where we would not take a position. And I don’t know that it was meant to mean things political because this is a political body. And incidentally, I think it’s fair game for us to take a position. And that’s the history that I wanted to share.

In 2003, Mayor you and I were on the Council and the war in Iraq was ongoing, and we had a similar discussion about whether the City Council, City of Pasadena should take a position. Interestingly, the Mayor moved and I seconded and supported, my recollection is I seconded. I know I supported and I voted for the Mayor’s motion to take a position because we felt the war in Iraq was being undertaken and a waste of $8 trillion.

Crowd jeers

Madison: We can’t communicate If you just want to shout and yell, we listened to you. We listened to you.

Gordo: One more outburst from you, sir, and I’m going to ask that you be escorted out.

Madison: This just makes the case in the opposite direction. We believe that the war was being undertaken under false pretenses and that it would have an effect on our community. And it did. We lost 11 men and women in the war in Iraq and Mayor. And as have you, I’ve met every one of those families, lost those young men and women. So I believe it’s fair game to take a position, but I really struggle with what the right decision here is. And my tendency would be to speak with our federal
legislative representatives.

Again, my understanding, as recently as even this week or last week, President Biden was in touch with Netanyahu, urged him to not conduct an operation in Rafa. We’re building a pier for aid. We’re trying to ensure gets to the people who need it, not to Hamas, who intercepts de as part of their campaign to support their fighters. And so I would have a lot of changes to the resolution here along those lines, Mayor, if we were inclined to adopt something tonight.

But I have real concerns about it and about what the Jewish community, which I feel strongly about in our community is feeling at this time.

Gordo: Any other member of the Council, let me say thank you to my colleagues. We have to change this microphone situation. So as I think about this issue, we are elected to conduct the city’s business. And in the past, recently in 2021, we did unanimously adopt resolution 9831, condemning hate, xenophobic violence against all persons and affirmed the city’s belief that those rights must be protected at all levels of government. But when we start talking specifically about international policy, I think we’ve all heard concerns from everyone in the room about expressing our view without having all of the information that we need, I do think we should build on resolution 9 8 3 1.

One thing that I think everyone in this room can agree upon is that war is atrocious. That conflict, whether it’s in well in any part of the world, that harms children, that harms families, is not acceptable to any one of us in this room. And we all in the city of Pasadena should do all we can to avoid conflict in any part of the world. And so I would that sent we build on the resolution that we adopted on March 22nd, 2021 and ask, as some have already suggested, our federal representatives to work towards peace and a peaceful resolution. Our representatives at the congressional level, at the Senate level and at the federal level should be working towards a peaceful resolution. And I think that should be the position of the city of Pasadena to urge our federal representatives to work towards peace for the benefit of all. And so I am going to ask that the language that I submitted to the clerk be put up on the screen and distributed. Yes, we do have it. Can we put it up? Okay.

Is intended to unite all of us in this room in the pursuit of a peaceful resolution. And it would read simply.

“Whereas the City of Pasadena advocates for peace, safety, dignity, freedom and equality for all people. And is comprised of diverse individuals whose collective cultures, religion, backgrounds, orientations, abilities, and viewpoints join to form a community that prides itself on being welcoming and accepting of people from all walks of life. And whereas the conflict in the Middle East has claimed the lives of many individuals in the region caused immeasurable suffering to countless persons.

And continued risk of death is imminent if a peaceful resolution is not achieved. And whereas at its meeting on March 22nd, 2021, the City Council affirmed its commitment to inclusion and advancement of diversity and equity for people of all ethnicities, national origins and backgrounds, with a unanimous passage of resolution 9 8 3, 1, which condemns hate and xenophobic violence against all persons and affirms that the city of Pasadena and all levels of government must stand united in combating intolerance, xenophobia, discrimination, and hate
against those of varying ethnicities, religious beliefs, genders, and backgrounds.

Now, and this is the declaration that I’m suggesting we send to our federal representatives, adopt tonight and send to our federal representatives now that for be it declared by the city Council of the city of Pasadena, that the city of Pasadena continues to stand firmly behind resolution 9 8 3 1 and the principles of peace, unity, respect, understanding, and valuing the sanctity of human life. The City of Pasadena joins with other cities and calling on leaders at the state and federal levels to cooperatively with the global community, to work cooperatively with the global, the city Council requests a copy of this declaration be sent to the offices of assembly members, Judy Chu, Adam Schiff, Senator Alex Padilla, and Senator Lafon Butler and President Joe Biden. I think that this language does two things. One makes clear that we in the city of Pasadena are pursuing peace in every part of the world, and two, that we are asking our federal legislators and the president to work towards a peaceful resolution in the Middle East.

Councilmember Felicia Williams: Mayor, do you need a motion to propose? So I would move the Mayor’s proposed resolution or actually declaration,

CROWD jeers

Gordo: Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me.
Okay, there’s a motion. There’s a motion. Is there a second?
I don’t want to clear the room. I don’t want to clear the room and continue this meeting in the absence of members of the public. But if we are forced to do so, we will clear the room and then the Council can vote. So if there’s a motion seeking peace and asking our federal representatives to immediately pursue peace in the Middle East specifically. So I’ll second the motion. So let’s go ahead and conduct the roll call.

Madison: Well, Mayor, I think we need some more discussion because I think my preference would be to try to work with Council member Rivas’ resolution, unless our object is to not do anything but look like we’re doing something. Because I really respectfully, I think the resolution that it’s the current motion is just so vague that it really doesn’t add anything to the discussion.

Gordo: Well, I was suggesting the language building on the suggestion that we ask our legislators to take up the matter and work towards resolution.

Madison: Well, I think the other problem is they already are, and so it suggests that they’re not.

Gordo: I think that would, I mean the difference is the city would declare and send a direct communication to our representatives to work towards peaceful resolution,
So if there’s other discussion, otherwise we can go ahead to a roll call.

Rivas: Mayor, if I may, it sounded like there still is some interest in working with the original draft I submitted.

CROWD jeers

Gordo: Ms. Williams.

Williams: Thank you. So I do want to chime in here. First, I want to thank people who have the courage to come here tonight and express a different point of view. Thank you for coming. Your courage is inspiring and I think that is a dialogue that we are now missing in Pasadena. So when we come to the Council, I’m going to disagree with Council Member Rivas.

This is not a political body. There are politicians and there are public servants. I’m here as a public servant. I’m here to pick up your trash and fix your street and trim your trees when they need trimming. And so when we look at policy as a city, we rely on our expert staff to provide analysis and recommendations. How should we zone a certain property? Well, let’s look at the general plan and see where our city’s going in 30 years.

How do we set sewer and water rates? We have calculations for those. I turn to the staff and they can’t give us a recommendation on this because we don’t have foreign affairs staff. And when you talk about municipal affairs as defined in the state constitution, and thank you for the guy who read the letter from Abraham Lincoln, these are municipal affairs picking up trash, flushing your toilet and fixing parks. So we don’t have the expertise to evaluate this. So I wouldn’t feel comfortable a resolution is enacting law a declaration. We have never, ever done a resolution as far as the staff looked. We’ve never done a resolution taking a position on foreign and foreign affairs.

We have done a proclamation, we have done a proclamation. And the declaration is what the Mayor has proposed, reported the Mayor’s declaration that
we should focus on municipal affairs, but really reinforce that in Pasadena, we believe in understanding.

We believe in civility. We believe in civility, excuse me. And we believe in respecting one another. And I’m embarrassed that we haven’t seen that tonight, but I think we can see that in Pasadena and I think we can see that through the Mayor’s resolution by not fanning the flames of politics, but by focusing on policy. Thank you.

Gordo: Okay, any other comments before we call the roll scene? None if we can,

Councilmember Tyron Hampton: I have some comments.

Gordo: Mr. Hampton,

Hampton: I’m appreciative of everybody coming out here today and thank you. It’s easier. This is probably one of the hardest meetings. I think as a father, as someone who’ve seen the pictures on both sides, it’s like I said in the last meeting, no one’s winning here. Children are dying on both sides. Children are hostages on both sides, hostages, prisoners, whatever you want to call it, their children. My 9-year-old daughter does not have the wherewithal to put up a counter offensive. I mean, she’s very smart, but I don’t think she’s capable of being a terrorist or being connected to some sort of ideology in general. So I do think that whatever we put together today, as the Mayor had eloquently stated, it needs to be balanced. And I also think that we have a preexisting resolution, which this Council did enact in 2001 about hate, sorry, 2021 But there’s been a lot of comments that said the Council is not supposed to be involved in these matters. I think it’s important that we hear from our constituents, our residents.

I consider you guys all neighbors, friends, family, loved ones. I love each and every one of you. And I understand that it’s passion. People are seeing children, videos, pictures, And it’s really hard. I mean, I’m thinking of my daughter right now, thinking of both of my daughters, thinking about my next door neighbor, thinking about my nephew. So I see the world as a family. I think it’s important that the hostages are released and both on both sides, we say that these hostages need to be
released. I also think that stopping bloodshed is also a part of peace.

And so the Mayor had a version one and a version two, and the version one I thought was balanced, but I also thought it called out the release of the hostages as well as a stop to cease-fire.

Madison: Sorry, point of order has a version. I’ve only received one version. Was this provided?

Hampton: It was just provided.

Madison: So where did you see it, Mr. Hampton?

Hampton: I just got it from,

Gordo: I just passed.

Hampton: If you guys don’t mind. I do think, Councilman, you wrote a really nice resolution, whether it’s a resolution or declaration, however that may be, I think that we could build upon yours as well. But I do think that we have a resolution that is in place. So if we’re wordsmithing, if we’re putting something together tonight, which I would’ve hoped that this would’ve went through alleged policy. That’s what I was trying to hope that we got a meeting before the city Council, so you guys could have had more time to think about putting this together. But we’re all here and I do think that we have a resolution that was already passed.

And if there’s a way to incorporate your resolution Council member Rivas, as well as the resolution that we passed in 21 to incorporate that, the verbiage of your resolution, I’d be supportive of that. But I think that resolution 9831 is something that we already have and it’s something that we need to build upon and it’s balanced. So I’m grateful for everyone being here. I love each and every one of you guys and just, I’m not going to vote in favor of version two just yet until we have more time to really come together with something that the whole Council could say, you know what? We feel good about this.

Gordo: Thank you. Yeah, version one, which I just distributed, Mr. Hampton, you should all have it now and is up on the screen, just has two minor changes. One is adds the verbiage in the second, whereas calling for the release of hostages and cease and cease-fire and the calling for release of hostages and a cease-fire and then adds in section two.

Rivas: Sorry, Mayor. Just the version we just received and that’s on the screen does not include the word cease-fire, but are you adding it?

Gordo: No, no. It does. It’s in the second, whereas it does. It’s in the Whereases, not in the actual.

Councilmember Justin Jones: Oh, thank you. Thanks, Mayor. First I’d like to thank everybody that came out to provide public comment. This is an issue that is dear to all residents, especially in district three. There’s a lot of different sides to it, but Pasadenais clearly a place of impact and influence. And so it’s our duty, at least in my opinion, that we always stand evidence of all walks of life in Pasadena and just through my profession. And so I’ve heard that maybe it’s not our responsibility to make a decision on funds and to weigh into foreign policy. And I’m no foreign policy expert. I’m just a civil engineer. I think I’m a water expert. But I would say that there has to be some balance between what the Mayor’s version is and Council Member Reeve’s version. And I think looking at version one, everyone has version one, right? Yeah. I think it strikes a good tone and balance. And if we could, oh, it’s on the screen here. And as you see the second, whereas how it mentions the release of hostages and a cease-fire as well, and prisoners and any other terms I’ve missed.

Madison: Can I just raise a point of order? It seems like some members of the Council were aware of these two Mayoral versions.

Jones: I wasn’t aware until I saw it. Right now we’re just distributed. Yeah, it was just distributed.

Madison: Okay.

Jones: There’s version one and version two. Do you have both versions?

Madison: Well, I do now.

Jones: Okay. Yeah, me too.

Madison: I had Ms. Riva’s version with the agenda. We had attachment D and then these two were circulated just right now.

Gordo: Okay. So no member of the Council saw them before the meeting?

Jones: I just saw it. I didn’t see it before the meeting. I saw it …[unintelligible]

Hampton: Yeah, I saw it during the meeting. Got it.

Madison: Thank you.

Gordo: Yeah. And just for the record, I did not distribute them.

Hampton: Okay. But if we would’ve had alleged policy, it could have probably went through your committee.

Madison: Well, I think whatever meeting we were considering would be good to have them ahead of time so that we can, I think it’d be good to have it ahead of time as Ms. Rivas did, so that we can be thoughtful about what we’re doing.

Gordo: Ms. Rivas

Rivas: Thank you, Mayor, and I appreciate you proposing certain drafts so we can discuss and try to arrive at. It’s something that we can all agree on or most of us can agree on. I’m not going to be able to support version one that’s on the screen. I appreciate that. It says in the whereases that the continued risk of death is imminent if the release of hostages and a cease-fire does not take place. So if that’s true, then why aren’t we calling for a cease-fire? So I appreciate acknowledging that there is a desire to address cease-fire, but I think in the way that this draft does, it doesn’t make sense.

Gordo: Well, I think you’re incorrect when you say we’re not calling for the end of violence. And that would be found in section two where we’re calling on leaders at the federal level to work to pursue peace in the Middle East.

Rivas: So would you be amenable to adding the word cease-fire in that sentence?

Gordo: Ma’am, I’m going to ask that you be respectful. We were respectful when you were here speaking. Okay, so there’s a motion on the table. So.

Williams: Is it my motion?

Gordo: Your motion?

Hampton: Can I amend my motion? Fred? Make a friendly amendment to do version one. Can we start with that and then we can start to amend it from there.

Gordo: Okay. Is there a second? Oh, okay, then I’ll agree.

Hampton: Okay. I have a substitute motion. Substitute motion would be to give the Council opportunity to try to wordsmith this some more. No, no, today. Tonight. Not talking about later on. I’m saying we hold your motion right now. Yes. Can I cancel the motion with the substitute motion?

City Attorney Michelle Bagneris: You need a replacement Motion.

Hampton: The wordsmith version one. I don’t have a complete replacement. We need more time to deliberate.

Bagneris: Then it would just be a friendly amendment to add certain amendments to the declaration.

Madison: It seems like we’re trying to rush into a vote right now.

Hampton: Well, why don’t we take this version of the declaration and bring it to leg policy and have them wordsmith it. I mean, that’s the appropriate place for it to be done.

Madison: I’d be fine with that. But my preference would be to also discuss Councilmember Rivas, because she really started with this.

Gordo: Mr. Hampton, do you have suggestions?

Madison: If I could, Mayor, let me just make one more point that the resolution that is cited in the Mayor’s declaration is really a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in Pasadena. And I get that there’s something of a nexus, but it’s really different in kind from what we’re talking about in the Middle East. In my opinion

Gordo: The reason for citing 9831 is to build upon that action and then take it to the point where we’re asking our federal legislators who are elected and authorized to speak on all of our behalf, urging them to work towards a peaceful resolution. And that would be the city’s official declaration.

Madison: I think it’d be helpful to have input from our federal legislative advocates about that.

Gordo: Well, I don’t think we need their input to ask our federal representatives to work towards peaceful resolution. Are there suggestions, Mr. Hampton, that you wanted to make to the language?

Rivas: Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Hampton, I guess is going to allow me to speak first, but if we’re looking again at version one, which is currently on the screen, again, if we are stating in the whereases that imminent that the continued risk of imminent death is imminent, if the release of hostages in a cease-fire does not take place, then why aren’t we? I don’t understand how we can’t call for the thing that will stop the imminent death or release of hostages. That would be my friendly amendment. I think it would make the document internally consistent.

Gordo: So the declaration, so you would just bring to section one, I’m sorry? Section two, section two. Section two. You would add that?

Rivas: Yes. I would just add section to section two, cease-fire, cease-fire and release of all hostages, which brings us back to my original draft. And I think at that point, they’re basically saying very similar things.

Gordo: That was the intent to ask for our global, I’m sorry, our national representatives to work towards peaceful resolution. In my mind, peaceful resolution means stopping violence, releasing hostages, and doing so as soon as possible.

Rivas: Again, I think we’re on the same page. We all want the same things, but we are just being very careful about what words we use. And

Gordo: So I don’t have a problem with that.

Rivas: Mayor, I’m getting a request from the city attorney to just be a bit more specific. So I would make a friendly amendment to the motion for version one that in section two, the City of Pasadena joins other cities and calling on leaders at state and federal levels to work cooperatively with the global community to release all hostages, seek de-escalation and cease-fire.

Lyon: Can we add bilateral to that one? Yes. Bilateral. Bilateral cease-fire, seek bilateral de-escalation and cease-fire, and then ensure timely delivery aid of Gaza.

Gordo: Okay.

Rivas: Again, at that point, I think we’re back at my original draft, so I would be happy with either in that situation, but that would be my friendly amendment.

Gordo: Yeah, I think moving the language down from the whereas to section two, I’m fine. That would be a declaration of the city of Pasadena forwarded to our representatives. And I commit to everyone in this room that we will send that immediately tomorrow morning.

Madison: So I’m troubled by the idea that we’re joining other cities. There are many different versions out there. I don’t know why we need to say that at all. And moreover, Hamas has hostages. Let’s be clear about that. Israel does not have hostages. And …

CROWD jeers

Gordo: Please, please.

Madison: So I’d prefer something that says that we would urge along the lines of Ms. Rivas’ proposal, urge the Biden administration to continue its efforts toward vigorous diplomatic efforts to negotiate a bilateral de-escalation and cease-fire along with the release by Hamas of these hostages.

Gordo: I think we did. We included that already. But what was that last piece? The first part of your suggestion is already included the bilateral urging.

Bagneris: It doesn’t include the urging, the Biden administration part, right?

Gordo: Yeah, it does in section three in President Joe Biden.

Madison: Yeah, but what I said was to support and continue its efforts. The Biden administration is doing that.

Gordo: That’s fine. We can add continue cooperatively president, administration and his administration to continue efforts to continue it efforts. Okay,

Bagneris: If we could get clarification, I’m sorry. So with the version one as revised section two, I wasn’t clear, Mr. Madison, if you were asking to remove the words, joins other cities?

Madison: I was, yes. Okay. I don’t know if there’s support.

Williams: Was that your request?

Gordo: I think the point as I’m understanding it is one, it’s not clear which cities we’d be joining and cities have differed in opinion. And so maybe it’s just better to keep our own declaration and say the City of Pasadena declares. I think I appreciate that in your point.

Bagneris: So then it would say, the City of Pasadena calls on leaders at the state and federal levels to work cooperatively with the global community to release all hostages, seek bilateral de-escalation and cease-fire, ensure timely delivery of aid to Gaza and pursue peace in the Middle East to guard and protect the lives, health and security of all innocent civilians. And then with respect to the reference to the Biden administration, section three says in version one, the Council request a copy of the declaration be sent to the offices of Congressmembers, Judy Chu and Adam Schiff, senators Alex Padilla and La Fonza Butler and President Joe Biden. I heard Mr. Madison referencing the Biden administration to continue.

Lyon: Continue to work cooperatively.

CROWD JEERS

Gordo: Sir, you’ve had your opportunity in fairness to everyone,

Lyon: I was proposing that we added into two, just to say, the leaders at the state and federal level continue to work cooperatively with the global community.

Audience member: That is a crime, that is a crime. Fuck that.

Gordo: I’m going to ask that you be removed from the room, sir. You can remove yourself from the room. You can remove yourself from the room, or be removed. In fairness to all members of the public, please allow the Council to complete its deliberations. Everyone has had an opportunity in the Council individually. And thank you to my colleagues, who listened intently to all of the speakers. So I’m fine with adding it

Bagneris: In section two Or in section three. Mr. Lyon, do you have an objection to just finishing the sentence?

Lyon: In section two,

Gordo: I’m sorry, in section two. Go ahead, Mr. City Manager. The City Manager has a suggestion.

City Manager Miguel Márquez: Well, I was merely referencing, I think what Council member Lyon said, which would be section, it would say the City of Pasadena calls on leaders at the state and federal levels to continue to work cooperatively with the global community. Is that what had been suggested or something different?

Bagneris: Yes.

Márquez: Right. Okay.

Williams: Except all friendly amendments.

Madison: Yes. Mayor, if I could, I just think precision’s really important here. And Council member Rivas’ proposal essentially properly assigns the responsibility for this. Where it is, it’s not state leaders. State leaders aren’t working on peace in the Middle East. It is the Biden administration. It’s fundamentally a federal role. So we can strike state. Yeah, and just say federal levels calling on leaders at the federal level, singular.

Williams: Friendly amendment. Accepted again. Can we call for the question please?

Madison: Well, we need to hear what the resolution is. And incidentally, resolution is not a law. It’s just a statement of opinion.

Gordo: This is not a resolution, this is a declaration,

Madison: But it’d be fine if it was a resolution because it’s not a law that’s absolutely incorrect.

Bagneris: Okay. This is Michelle Bagneris. So I’m just trying to, we’re still on section two of version one, and now I’ll just read the first part of that phrase. The City of Pasadena calls on leaders at the federal level to continue to work cooperatively with the global community to release all hostages, seek bilateral deescalation and cease-fire, ensure timely delivery of aid Gaza, and pursue peace in the Middle East to guard and protect the lives, health and security of all innocent civilians.

Gordo: Okay. Questions before we call the roll? Okay. Please call the roll

Jomsky: Councilmember Hampton.

Hampton: Yes.

Jomsky: Councilmember Jones?

Jones: Yes.

Jomsky: Councilmember Lyon?

Lyon: Yes.

Jomsky: Councilmember Masuda?

Masuda: Yes.

Jomsky: Councilmember Rivas?

Rivas: Yes.

Jomsky: Councilmember Williams?

Williams: Yes.

Jomsky: Vice Mayor Madison?

Madison: Yes.

Jomsky: Mayor Gordo?

Gordo: Yes.

Jomsky: The motion is unanimously approved.

Gordo: Thank you. If we can have, if we can please, I’m going to ask that we adjourn the meeting, but before we do that, let me just say that the declaration that was adopted tonight, but the Council will be forwarded to our federal representatives immediately tomorrow morning. Thank you everyone.