Town official's use of 'R' word sparks outcry

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- A raucous meeting of the Spring Valley village board has rankled disability activists after one trustee called another "retarded," with a video of the explosive exchange now being reviewed by the Rockland District Attorney's Office.

Town Trustee Anthony Leon defended using the term to describe fellow Trustee Emilia White at Tuesday's meeting and said she was to blame for a blowup in which he repeatedly yelled and banged his nameplate on the dais.

Leon said Thursday that he worked for 20 years at Camp Venture, an agency devoted to serving people with developmental disabilities.

He said board members were like the "mentally disturbed" children he had once worked with because they have "no capacity to understand anything."

White said she was shocked by Leon's behavior.

"He seemed to have no control over himself," White said. "I was upset and actually scared."

Leon's tirade was captured on video, which also showed him later storming out of the meeting after becoming agitated about another matter, using obscenities several times.

Disability activist and Rockland County Legislator John Murphy, who has long worked with Camp Venture and other agencies serving people with disabilities, blasted Leon and demanded a public apology and his resignation.

"People who have used the 'N' word in our current society have paid a very, very high price," Murphy said. "Why should anyone who uses the 'R' word get a free ride?"

Murphy said the use of the word was inappropriate and undermined efforts to de-stigmatize and bring dignity to people with intellectual disabilities.

Board members, including Mayor Demeza Delhomme and Trustees Vilair Fonvil and Asher Grossman, were discussing the budget when White referred to Leon as "trustee" and he blew up.

Leon is an elected village trustee who was named deputy mayor by Delhomme. He began demanding that White read his nameplate and say "deputy mayor" as he yelled and banged the nameplate.

White called on village Police Chief Paul Modica to intervene as Delhomme stepped between the two trustees.

"You are stupid and illiterate," Leon said. "Stop talking to me." At one point Leon said to White, "You are retarded with your big head."

White responded, "You have an anger problem. I'm retarded? There is nothing wrong with people who are retarded. They are people, just like me."

Modica said tapes of the meeting were under review by the District Attorney's Office.