City councilor pushing for public apology after accusing colleague of racist comments

Twitter: @BComakABC6

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE) – Pawtucket City Councilor Elena Vasquez wants a public apology from fellow City Councilor Mark Wildenhain, after she says he came up to her at a council holiday dinner and threw two dollar bills at her.

“I saw them drop down and then he stated for me to take the bus back to Colombia.”

A stunned Vasquez said she didn’t know what to say.

“I looked at him, and I was like, ‘I’m not from Colombia,'” she said.

Vasquez is actually from Pawtucket but her family is Guatemalan. She says she found the comments racist and sexist.

“I’m honestly very disappointed and disgusted,” said Vasquez. “I don’t think that was any type of joke.”

After the incident she said she wrote a letter to Council President David Moran, which she wanted to be placed on the next council agenda, asking Wildenhain to apologize for his remarks.

Council president Moran told ABC 6 he denied the request because the incident did not relate to council business.

“I’m not satisfied with what has happened,” said Vasquez.

Councilor Wildenhain called Vasquez’s version of what happened inaccurate, and said in a statement he has tried to apologize to her privately several times but she has not responded.

She says she doesn’t believe he understood why it was offensive.

“I want it to be at a council meeting because I think that’s the only way that the council, or the councilor who was involved, will hopefully acknowledge that this was something that should have not been said.”

She says the council president is also recommending the councilors go through cultural sensitivity training.

Thursday she requested a resolution be put on the agenda for the next meeting condemning the behavior.

If that is denied, she plans to introduce a resolution from the floor.

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