A live microphone captured Mayor Kevin McCarty and Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes discussing whether disruptive attendees could be barred from future Sacramento City Council meetings after a contentious debate descended into chaos, according to a city council livestream reviewed by Fox News Digital.
In the exchange, Talamantes said, “We should go over this disruptions thing, because if we want to ban somebody in the future, like to take them out, we have to point out specifically…” McCarty responded, “I know, but the city attorney said we can’t do that,” and later, “We can’t,” according to the livestream. Talamantes appeared to realize the microphone was still live and reached to switch it off, the video shows.
The awkward exchange followed a meeting that recessed and cleared the public after repeated disruptions during a debate over Sacramento’s continued participation in the Central California Intelligence Center, or CCIC. Talamantes defended accepting federal funding for the CCIC, saying Sacramento’s sanctuary policies and immigrant protections made the city better suited to oversee the grant. “If we don’t pass these dollars, other counties will apply for these dollars, they will get those dollars and we will have no safeguards to protect our immigrant communities here in Sacramento,” she said during the meeting.
Dozens of speakers had urged the council to reject the agreement, arguing the intelligence center could facilitate information sharing with federal immigration authorities. Police officials told council members during the meeting that Sacramento does not share personal identifying information for civil immigration enforcement and complies with California’s sanctuary law, SB 54. As public comment grew heated, several attendees shouted profanities and personal attacks at council members, according to the livestream.
After the meeting, McCarty told Fox News Digital the private conversation concerned existing meeting procedures, not new restrictions. “We must discuss existing policies and rules to ensure Council meetings remain effective, orderly, and respectful,” he said in a statement. The Sacramento City Attorney’s Office declined to comment to Fox News Digital, the office said.
The city’s published meeting rules say members of the public receive two minutes per agenda item and may speak on no more than four items. Activists criticized the hot-mic exchange as an attempt to silence vocal opponents. Joshua Masias, a volunteer organizer with the Sac Immigration Committee, told The Sacramento Bee the remarks showed an authoritative approach toward the public, and resident Leanna Hunt told the Bee she was “fed up.” Fox News Digital said it reached out to Talamantes’ office, the Sacramento Police Department and the Sac Immigration Committee for additional comment.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
