By Josh Resnek
Mayor Carlo DeMaria is apparently refusing the NAACP’s demand that Councilor Anthony DiPierro resign from the city council.
That demand was issued by the Mystic Valley branch of the NAACP late Monday afternoon.
“DiPierro can no longer lead the diverse city of Everett in any capacity. We stand with members of the community in clamoring for him to be held accountable for his behavior,” Zane Crute, President of the NAACP branch told the Leader Herald.
Crute was adamant.
“His complete lack of respect for Black Americans cannot be tolerated. His frequent and consistent use of the N-word in his communications is systemic and we have no reason to believe his apologies will change how he feels about members of the African Diaspora.,” he added.
Efforts to reach Mayor DeMaria were unsuccessful.
“A person cannot claim to be a leader of a community while at the same time expressing or tolerating racist and contemptuous attitudes that are an insult to a majority of the population that the person is claiming to lead,” Crute told the Leader Herald.
“Councilor DiPierro has lost all credibility as a leader and should step down immediately. Should he refuse to do so, we would strongly encourage and implore candidates of change to challenge Mr. DiPierro and any who stand in solidarity with him in future elections.”
DiPierro did not return a call from the Leader Herald for a comment.
It is believed DiPierro is not considering resignation. He remains defiant, and arrogant, according to those who commented about him but who wished to remain unnamed for fear of retaliation.
Councilor Stephanie Martins remains DiPierro’s major supporter. She is DiPierro’s girlfriend.
Many believe Martins should recuse herself from any debate concerning racism and DiPierro because she is clearly biased.
The city council remains utterly and completely paralyzed by the issue. It appears to have lost its moral compass by refusing to confront the issue of DiPierro’s overt racism.
The mayor does not want DiPierro to resign because DiPierro is an important council vote and voice he cannot afford to lose.
If DiPierro resigned, election runner-up Darren Costa would succeed DiPierro.
Costa is an outspoken anti-racist, inclusive voice on a city council almost devoid of that.
On the other hand, DiPierro is becoming a weightier anchor around the mayor’s neck. If calls for DiPierro’s resignation do not abate, he will become a liability for the mayor.
“If Anthony becomes too much of a liability for the mayor, he’ll be forced to cause him to resign. If the mayor does that, then he’s got a real problem defending his own racist leanings,” said a source close to the mayor.
Only Councilor Mike Marchese has demanded that DiPierro resign.
“He must resign as soon as possible,” Marchese told the Leader Herald Monday afternoon.