Whittier Planning Commissioner and Husband Face Calls for Resignation Over Controversial Costumes

Controversy Over Costume Choices

• 🎯 Richard Quirk, a Whittier Planning Commissioner, and his husband, Paul Ramirez, are facing calls for resignation following a video of them at a costume party.
• 🎭 Quirk dressed as an ICE agent, and Ramirez dressed as an undocumented immigrant, which a coalition of residents has labeled as racist behavior.

Defense and Explanation

• 💡 Ramirez described the costumes as a "parody" and a "joke", stating they were not intended to be racist.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 He emphasized his own immigrant background and his marriage to a man with Italian immigrant grandparents as evidence against racist intent.
• 🗓️ Ramirez also claimed the criticism intensified after a Fourth of July flag-waving event, suggesting the controversy is being "weaponized" against gay conservatives.

Community Reaction and Demands

• 🗣️ Whittier residents, organized as "Whittier Change", rallied outside city hall demanding Quirk's immediate removal or resignation.
• ⚠️ Council member Maryanne Pacheo stated that the behavior is "unacceptable" and that Whittier has been the site of immigration raids.
• 📰 Ramirez indicated he planned to read a statement at Whittier City Hall, with the full text available on foxlate.com.