THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 14, 1995 TAG: 9512140408
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: GREENSBORO LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
A Republican county commissioner is being criticized by his colleagues for calling the Guilford County manager ``a Puerto Rican criminal.''
Other county commissioners say Robert Moores went too far last week in his description of county manager Hector Rivera. Moores made the comment Friday after the board's Democratic majority fired county finance director Brenda Jones, who clashed often with Rivera.
``There is no doubt in my mind that racism is involved,'' board chairman Wallace Harrelson said of Moores' statement.
Harrelson and fellow commissioner John Parks said it was not the first time Moores has directed a slur at Rivera, a New York native. They said heard Moores tell several GOP colleagues recently that they ``were going to get some Puerto Rican stew.''
Moores has accused Rivera of violating county policy and laws regarding bidding on county contracts. A telephone message left Wednesday at Moores' home was not immediately returned.
Republican commissioner Steve Arnold, who is running for governor, criticized the remark by Moores, who was censured by the party in 1994 for ``a pattern of behavior and deception.''
The censure followed Moores' arrest for driving while impaired and speeding 100 mph along a Greensboro street. He blamed his arrest on a ``political frame-up'' and continues to fight the case.
Rivera said that when he returned home from a trip this past weekend, his son warned him not to listen to several anonymous calls on the answering machine. They contained slurs against Puerto Ricans, Rivera said.
``I don't take it personally,'' he said. ``I reflect. I meditate. I'm a positive person.'' by CNB