Did a Member of Santa Barbara City Council Curse at Constituent on Hot Mic?

Santa Barbara Mayor Randy Rowse was involved in a tense exchange with a member of the public during a City Council hearing Tuesday night, leading to a moment during which a whispered insult could be heard on the hot mic in council chambers.

The incident began during the council’s discussion on whether to delay replacement of Flock automated cameras (which they ultimately would vote to do). When Police Chief Kelly Gordon was answering a question from Councilmember Mike Jordan about whether the proposed automated camera system that would replace Flock used AI technology, the audience erupted in laughter and loud claps when Chief Gordon responded that “there is some AI on the back end of the software.”

After the interruption, Mayor Rowse cut in, asking for a “civility in council chambers.” A sharp back-and-forth occurred between Mayor Rowse and members of the audience, with Rowse threatening to clear the room to finish the hearing without the public. “Please let’s have a civil hearing, and let’s just respect each other,” he said. “Thank you.”

A member of the crowd yelled from the back, “You show some respect first,” prompting a response that could be heard on the audio from the mayor and council microphones: “Shut the fuck up.”

After the hearing, the person the comment was directed toward — community organizer Ana Garcia — reached out to the media and city councilmembers in an open letter in which she called out the apparent on-the-record public insult.

“I am writing to confirm whether Randy muttering ‘Shut the fuck up’ to me under his breath during a public meeting fits the description of civility he is always demanding from the public,” wrote Garcia, who that same morning was pepper-sprayed by ICE agents while documenting immigration enforcement activity at the county jail. 

“I know it must be hard to be constantly outmaneuvered by a woman of color who tells the truth without fear and who has no intent on bowing down to you, but this is truly unbecoming,” she added.

Garcia sent the media and city councilmembers a link to the video of the moment, which occurred near the end of a lengthy meeting over the future of the city’s surveillance camera policy.

“And don’t worry, I’ve already saved it and screen-recorded as well so no erasing or editing will save you here,” Garcia said. “I will be sharing this publicly and widely…. I hope you, Randy, have the day and life you deserve.”

Mayor Rowse did not respond to requests for comment about the incident prior to publishing.

The remark, caught on mic, can be heard at 2:57:00 | Credit: Courtesy

The morning after the council meeting, Councilmember Jordan responded to Garcia via email, in which he claimed that he may have been the one caught on hot mic.

“Actually, that was probably me muttering while you interrupted my discussion with the police chief,” Jordan wrote. “You seem to believe you have some right to talk when and how you want at people but they don’t have the same right to talk right back at you using your same language.  Or you can continually taunt people using skin color, gender, and age comments to punctuate whatever point you are trying to make, but you are above any reproach or response…. Why those around you and sitting around me are silent to this simply amazes me.”

Jordan continues by saying Garcia seems intent on “purposely alienating those who would assist you in their roles, scorching the landscape for others to repair.”

“That is by far the saddest part of this ongoing dynamic,” Jordan wrote. “I guess we’ll see how effective and sustainable this method is. I’m not optimistic and think the damage will outlast any gains. But one never really knows anything until it runs its course, regardless of who is maneuvering who.” 

[Update: Wed., Sept. 16, 1:00 p.m.] Mayor Rowse provided a response regarding the hot mic incident via email Wednesday afternoon. 

“Mike stood up and took ownership for which I give kudos,” Rowse said. “He was trying to have an exchange with the Chief, which is why his mic was hot. The slip was regrettable, but it was a night charged with emotion, to put it politely. The tape was an indistinct male voice, which no one on the dais seemed to have heard. He could have easily ducked the issue or let the accusation stand. Lots of racist and sexist remarks were being hurled that night, which doesn’t excuse a response in kind, but as I said, it was an emotional night.”

Santa Barbara’s Public Information Officer Bryan Latchford also asked to clarify that the city does not alter or edit recordings of city meetings, unless in the case of power failure, hardware failure, or other technical issues. The entire unedited recording of the September 15 meeting is still available on the city’s YouTube page.