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| 'Look at his record': Buttigieg faces new criticism from his city's black leaders | 'Look at his record': Buttigieg faces new criticism from his city's black leaders |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend mayor and Democratic presidential candidate, is once again under fire from some of his city’s black leaders over several new policing-related controversies. | Pete Buttigieg, the South Bend mayor and Democratic presidential candidate, is once again under fire from some of his city’s black leaders over several new policing-related controversies. |
| The fresh criticism stems from the city’s attorneys refusing to defend a former black South Bend city council member in what some view as a frivolous libel lawsuit brought by four white police officers. | The fresh criticism stems from the city’s attorneys refusing to defend a former black South Bend city council member in what some view as a frivolous libel lawsuit brought by four white police officers. |
| The council member, Henry Davis Jr, has sued the Buttigieg administration and city for not representing him. The two sides recently settled, and Davis charged that Buttigieg tried to sweep the case under the rug by including a gag order in that agreement. | The council member, Henry Davis Jr, has sued the Buttigieg administration and city for not representing him. The two sides recently settled, and Davis charged that Buttigieg tried to sweep the case under the rug by including a gag order in that agreement. |
| Pete Buttigieg: police killing exposes mayor's troubled history with minorities | Pete Buttigieg: police killing exposes mayor's troubled history with minorities |
| Separately, community leaders and the family of Eric Logan, a black man killed by white officers in South Bend in March, are questioning why the city’s police and fire departments aren’t conducting a criminal investigation into two separate incidents in which cars belonging to Logan’s mother caught fire. | Separately, community leaders and the family of Eric Logan, a black man killed by white officers in South Bend in March, are questioning why the city’s police and fire departments aren’t conducting a criminal investigation into two separate incidents in which cars belonging to Logan’s mother caught fire. |
| The fire department determined both were caused by engine fires, but the family’s supporters say both cars were turned off, and they suspect foul play. | The fire department determined both were caused by engine fires, but the family’s supporters say both cars were turned off, and they suspect foul play. |
| “You’d expect this kind of stuff to happen in the 50s, 60s,” said Mario Sims, a South Bend activist and pastor. “This is racism at best and corruption at worst. How do you have a police department that does not investigate crimes?” | “You’d expect this kind of stuff to happen in the 50s, 60s,” said Mario Sims, a South Bend activist and pastor. “This is racism at best and corruption at worst. How do you have a police department that does not investigate crimes?” |
| The new round of questions come after the Logan tragedy and the Buttigieg administration’s handling of it put a national spotlight on the 37-year-old mayor’s strained relationship with South Bend’s black residents. It exposed frustration over racial and economic inequality, and was only the latest in a long succession of flashpoints between the city’s minorities and its police department. | The new round of questions come after the Logan tragedy and the Buttigieg administration’s handling of it put a national spotlight on the 37-year-old mayor’s strained relationship with South Bend’s black residents. It exposed frustration over racial and economic inequality, and was only the latest in a long succession of flashpoints between the city’s minorities and its police department. |
| That appears to have helped stall Buttigieg’s rise from an unknown midwestern mayor to top-tier 2020 candidate. Before the Logan killing, Buttigieg’s poll numbers steadily climbed and peaked in June, but they have since slipped. | |
| His numbers fell despite attempts to address some of the concerns, including new plans focused on racism and police reform. But Sims said Buttigieg’s plans and comments on race from the campaign are galling as questions around the Logan case persist and new controversies materialize. | His numbers fell despite attempts to address some of the concerns, including new plans focused on racism and police reform. But Sims said Buttigieg’s plans and comments on race from the campaign are galling as questions around the Logan case persist and new controversies materialize. |
| “We’ve had to endure all of this and the ridiculous statements and professions of a mayor who is now a candidate saying ‘I believe in transparency’, but if you look at his record, no he doesn’t,” Sims said. | “We’ve had to endure all of this and the ridiculous statements and professions of a mayor who is now a candidate saying ‘I believe in transparency’, but if you look at his record, no he doesn’t,” Sims said. |
| The lawsuits grew out of a controversy over a 2012 letter that then South Bend council member Davis sent a letter to Obama’s justice department asking it to investigate accusations of racial bias and brutality in the South Bend police department. | |
| Davis said he penned the letter after four white officers were recorded by the department’s spokesperson making what she characterized as racist comments about the city’s black police chief. As part of its response, the Buttigieg administration demoted the police chief, fired the spokesperson and – so far – has successfully fought to keep the tapes from being released. | |
| In his letter to the justice department, Davis, who is once again running for council and likely to win a seat in November, also noted that an unarmed black man died in police custody in 2012. Davis said he was harassed by the department’s white officers after sending the letter, including one incident in which police pulled him over and drew guns on him. | In his letter to the justice department, Davis, who is once again running for council and likely to win a seat in November, also noted that an unarmed black man died in police custody in 2012. Davis said he was harassed by the department’s white officers after sending the letter, including one incident in which police pulled him over and drew guns on him. |
| In 2014, the four officers caught on tape sued Davis for libel, arguing he didn’t have the authority to send the request on council letterhead and the Buttigieg administration informed Davis the city’s attorneys wouldn’t represent him. Davis said he believes city attorneys were obligated to defend him, and claimed the suit was a clear attempt to intimidate and silence him. | In 2014, the four officers caught on tape sued Davis for libel, arguing he didn’t have the authority to send the request on council letterhead and the Buttigieg administration informed Davis the city’s attorneys wouldn’t represent him. Davis said he believes city attorneys were obligated to defend him, and claimed the suit was a clear attempt to intimidate and silence him. |
| Davis sued the city and Buttigieg administration for refusing to defend him. | Davis sued the city and Buttigieg administration for refusing to defend him. |
| A judge in June tossed out the officers’ lawsuit, and Davis said the city in August approached him with a proposed settlement. However, the settlement included a gag order, Davis said. | A judge in June tossed out the officers’ lawsuit, and Davis said the city in August approached him with a proposed settlement. However, the settlement included a gag order, Davis said. |
| Davis called the gag order “nuts”. The city offered a second deal that allows him to talk about the case, though he still can’t discuss the settlement’s particulars. A Buttigieg spokesperson declined to comment on the gag order, and Davis said he remains frustrated with the administration. | Davis called the gag order “nuts”. The city offered a second deal that allows him to talk about the case, though he still can’t discuss the settlement’s particulars. A Buttigieg spokesperson declined to comment on the gag order, and Davis said he remains frustrated with the administration. |
| “The same guy who’s on a national stage asking to have the Sandra Bland case reopened, calling out Trump for not being transparent and talking about police brutality is the same guy that is ordering his legal staff to kill the free speech of an African American elected official,” Davis said. | |
| That issue simmers as suspicion grows over June and August fires that destroyed cars belonging to Shirley Newbill, Eric Logan’s mother. The first fire occurred before police killed Logan, and the South Bend fire department assessed both as engine fires, so police did not open a criminal investigation. Supporters say they believe an investigation was quashed. A Buttigieg spokesperson said that was not the case, but declined to comment further. | |
| The Logan family attorney Brian Coffman, who is also acting as the family’s spokesperson, said he is skeptical of the fire department’s conclusion, especially “given the temperature of South Bend”. | The Logan family attorney Brian Coffman, who is also acting as the family’s spokesperson, said he is skeptical of the fire department’s conclusion, especially “given the temperature of South Bend”. |
| “Cars don’t catch on fire if they’re turned off and sitting in the street unless there’s some sort of incendiary device,” Coffman said. “I think it’s arson. The problem is, just like in the Eric Logan case, the police and city don’t want to disclose any information and are keeping everything under wraps.” | “Cars don’t catch on fire if they’re turned off and sitting in the street unless there’s some sort of incendiary device,” Coffman said. “I think it’s arson. The problem is, just like in the Eric Logan case, the police and city don’t want to disclose any information and are keeping everything under wraps.” |
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