Thurston County Commissioner Emily Clouse's attorney called Commissioner Carolina Mejia's remarks on Tuesday "performative theatrics."
Maia Robbins defended her client in a statement to The Olympian on Wednesday. Her comments came a day after Mejia expressed her frustration with the public comments made about Clouse's suspension during a Board of County Commissioners meeting.
"The citizens of Thurston County expect their elected officials to do the work they were elected to do, as opposed to engaging in the performative theatrics and name-calling (which is what we saw yesterday) that are sadly typical of the national political scene," Robbins said.
Mejia spoke about her experience as a person of color and defended her vote to suspend Clouse from her appointed boards and commissions on Aug. 13. Her remarks followed public comments from a couple of citizens who voiced their support for Clouse and asked the board to reconsider her suspension.
"These past three weeks have been a waste of government resources, taxpayer money and a huge emotional burden," Mejia said on Tuesday. "I'm disappointed because I've seen what I myself have experienced and what other people of color experience over and over in these systems."
Mejia alleged Clouse had used her "position of power and system" and made it "work for her." She closed her remarks by saying she did not vote to suspend Clouse out of "political vindictiveness."
"Commissioner Mejia's over-the-top response to these concerned citizens was unnecessarily hostile and raised spurious claims of racism that are nowhere to be found in the complaint under investigation, which concerns the demise of a garden-variety workplace dating relationship," Robbins said.
Robbins said Clouse is committed to combating the systemic racism that Mejia described in her remarks. However, Robbins said such issues are "not at play" in the investigation involving Clouse.
Following her remarks, Mejia excused herself from the board meeting and did not return after a 20-minute recess. She later rejoined the rest of the board for a Transportation Benefit District board meeting. Robbins commented on Mejia's departure as well.
"And the fact that Commissioner Mejia was so overcome by being called out by these citizens that she abruptly left the Commissioners' meeting speaks volumes about the unfortunate manner in which some Commissioners have allowed this episode to disrupt the Board's ability to function and distract them from simply doing the job they were elected to do," Robbins said.
Mejia said Tuesday that she was hesitant to comment on this matter because of how people may perceive her.
"I myself have been scared to speak out because it's easier to believe the white woman tears and easier to paint the narrative of an angry brown woman," Mejia said. "It's easy for her to say that I don't like her, and for people to believe her, than for people to know why I'm keeping my distance and the way she has made me feel."
The Olympian asked Mejia to elaborate on her Tuesday remarks and respond to Robbins statement. Taylor Rome, Mejia's executive aide, said she will not provide any further comment at this time.
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