Editorial: Antioch Hits an All-Time Low Point

I believe the City of Antioch reached an all-time low yesterday from Antioch Police text messages being released to the immature behavior of Mayor Lamar Thorpe.

Not only did Thorpe openly challenge a resident of Antioch giving a public comment to go to the parking lot, suggesting they fight, he openly accused two members of his own city council as supporting racist behavior and culture, all while labeling many Antioch residents as racist who didn’t fall inline with his beliefs.

I was not immune from Thorpe’s attacks, as from the dais, he openly attacked me personally and professional stating: “Mike Burkholder is trash” and “eastcountytoday is trash”. He is entitled to his opinion but it doesn’t make it fact.

Thorpe showed once again who he really is and just how unfit he is to be sitting in public office. He also continued with the great deflection from his own transgressions and the culture he has helped shape since being elected in 2016—even admitting things have been swept under the rug and did not speak up, which he should have done.

Thorpe has every right to be angry after learning what was on those text messages. Like the community, he should especially be mad! But, it does not give him the right to lash out at everyone else in response–that is not leadership nor is it what the community needs.

Although a fully redacted version of Antioch Police officer text messages has not been released by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office as of Wednesday morning, the community should be angry, shocked and confused as to how this even happened in the first place—I truly feel for any victim or family who may have been impacted by the behavior of a few officers. If targeting was done, it needs to be addressed and quickly.

Knowing many of the officers involved, I am angry, frustrated and feel very blindsided by this. It’s inexcusable and truthfully I don’t even know what to feel other than anger and let down as these officers who I have trusted for years to do right by the community. There is no way to defend what was said in those text messaging—joking or not, you can’t defend it and anyone who tries needs their head examined.

In fact, why has there not even been an apology issued? That would be a good start towards healing.

I realize many see me as “pro cop” and will look at this piece as hypocritical in itself, I am not an idiot, but that doesn’t mean I support bad cops or corrupt cops—I want those guys off the force just like everyone else. Despite the label of being pro-cop or what the rumor mill states, it also doesn’t mean I don’t support police reform, I do support many of the reforms as law enforcement can always be better, just like I can be better and was forced to be better in 2020. I simply want it done right and with input from everyone as we have seen what one-sided politics has achieved–the great division.

That said, I will still support good cops who want to have a positive impact in a community. The bad ones, they need to go.

Ultimately, I have full faith Chief Steve Ford will handle this properly and once an investigation is completed, we can move forward after he makes decisions on termination, suspension, demotion or corrective actions.

As for Thorpe, he had every chance to take the high road and build bridges yesterday with a starting point that those text messages were disgusting and figuring out a way forward.  Instead, he blew up the bridge and created further divide in an already fragile community.

Hypocrisy was also on full display by elected leaders when perhaps a cooling off period was needed instead of a council meeting to allow for cooler heads to prevail in a conversation.

After all, one does not get to demand transparency without giving it in return just as those in glass houses should not be throwing stones. If you want it from the police department, then the city council as a whole should give it back to the residents with the following:

• Release the text messages between Lamar Thorpe and Ellie Householder which Antioch Police say their investigation resulted in potential criminal activity–were the police lying or is the DA/FBI covering up for Thorpe?
• Will the mayor come clean on his sexual harassment allegations?
• Will the mayor finally tell the truth on the number of drinks he had the night of the DUI?
• Was the mayor really assaulted or was it exaggerated as no charges have been filed.
• Will the city commit to release the police body camera footage at Councilmember Torres-Walkers home?
• Will the city be transparent with the hiring of Con Johnson and now his administrative leave?
• How in the world does a former public works director get a $244k settlement after being terminated in December.

I would like to remind the mayor that fact seeking on any of these items has nothing to do with sex, race, or color, but rather actions by elected officials–period!

Just as the community is now in a fact-finding mode with the police department so this never ever happens again, the same should be required of the city council to lead by example and from the front. That requires complete transparency and integrity, which is everything!

Fact finding does not make someone racist or a bigot just as asking difficult questions of the police department doesn’t mean someone hates the police. We cannot change the past, but we sure as heck can come together at this low point to begin to understand one another, repair the damage, and heal—that takes time and effort by everyone, including me.

What we don’t need is a Mayor marking a deeper line in the sand dividing communities all in the name of political gain and maintaining power.

What we need is greater transparency and integrity from everyone so that this situation never happens again. I am willing to come to the table, I hope you are as well.

Mike Burkholder
Publisher of ContraCosta.news
[email protected]