Councilor accused of making racist remark

THE WELL-BEING OF PETS IN ALBUQUERQUE IS GETTING UGLY. A CITY COUNCILOR IS ACCUSED OF MAKING ...  More »

THE WELL-BEING OF PETS IN ALBUQUERQUE IS GETTING UGLY. A CITY COUNCILOR IS ACCUSED OF MAKING A RACIST REMARK TO A VETERINARIAN APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR IN THE NEWLY FORMED ANIMAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT. JEFF MAHER LIVE AT CITY HALL WITH THE STORY YOU'LL SEE ONLY FOUR. JEFF? CITY COUNCILOR SALLY MAYER HAS PUBLICLY OPPOSED THE STAFFING CHANGES THAT THE MAYOR RECENTLY MADE WITHIN THE ANIMAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT. BUT ONE OF THOSE NEW HIRES CLAIMS THAT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS - SHE WENT BELOW THE BELT. 'did you ever tell him that the only reason he got the job was because he was hispanic?'No! that was never said? that it was the only reason he got the job? Heaven's no, he's a very well qualified man'CITY COUNCILOR SALLY MAYER ADMITS SHE WAS FIRED UP WHEN THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED BIG STAFFING CHANGES WITHIN THE NEWLY FORMED ANIMAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT A FEW WEEKS AGO. ONE OF THOSE NEW HIRES - STATE VETERINARY BOARD CHAIRMAN DOCTOR JOHN ROMERO - REPLACING ANIMAL SERVICES DIRECTOR DENISE WILCOX, WHO MAYER STRONGLY SUPPORTED. IN A STATEMENT ROMERO RELEASED TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE - HE SAYS QUOTE 'SHE TOLD ME THAT THE ONLY REASON I HAD BEEN PROMOTED WAS THAT I WAS HISPANIC AND MALE - OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE PRESENT AND HEARD THE REMARKS''I may have said he is hispanic and denise isn't, but I don't think that was the reason''I would be really concerned if she actually did this and said this - these things that appear may have occurred' DOCTOR ROMERO, WHO'S IN SANTA FE - TOLD US OVER THE PHONE HE WAS OFFENDED AND SURPRISED BY WHAT HE SAYS MAYER TOLD HIM, BUT WANTS TO MOVE ON. 'I think the most important thing is that we focus on the task at hand and get things done for the animals - we have a huge job ahead of us' AFTER THE INTERVIEW COUNCILOR MAYER MADE IT CLEAR SHE WAS 'UNSURE' ABOUT EXACTLY WHAT WORDS WERE EXCHANGED BETWEEN HER AND DOCTOR ROMERO - BUT SAYS AT THE TIME SHE WAS VERY ANGRY WITH ALL THE CHANGES. LIVE AT CITY HALL. JEFF MAHER. EYEWITNESS NEWS  « Less