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Calls For Henrietta Supervisor To Step Down After Alleged Racist Comments

Henrietta Town Supervisor Jack Moore
Henrietta Town Supervisor Jack Moore

There's a firestorm of criticism being leveled against the Henrietta Town Supervisor today over allegedly racist  comments he made recently. Even a fellow Republican Supervisor is calling on Jack Moore to resign.

The comments first reported on 13-WHAM TV were caught on video taped by a Department of Public Works employee in April. Moore is criticizing the Affordable Care Act, and talking to a town worker talks about his "cousins in the city,"  After overhearing those comments, a longtime town employee filed a complaint against Moore with the town ethics board.

Monroe County Republican Chairman and Greece Town Supervisor Bill Reilich tells WXXI News that the situation raises questions about Moore being able to continue as town supervisor in Henrietta.

"I think that's something you have to consider, and therefore, although Jack has done some wonderful things in the Town of Henrietta, this is something that's not acceptable, so therefore that's why I thought it would be in the best interests of all if he stepped aside.”

Moore is quoted in the Democrat&Chronicleas saying that he made an insensitive remark and he regrets making it. But he says he's already attended a workshop on sensitivity training and maintains that he is not a racist. And he says he won't resign.

Simeon Banister is the Henrietta Town Democratic leader and also chairs the Greater Rochester Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.  He also calls on Moore to step down.

“Henrietta, our tag line is that we are the crossroads of Monroe County, and we are arguably the most diverse suburb in Monroe County. And so when it comes down to it, we strongly believe that our values are not in line with what the supervisor said, and therefore he’s lost the ability to effectively represent us,” Banister told WXXI News.

Moore was elected to a 2-year term in 2013, and would have to run for re-election this year. When asked about that by WXXI News, Reilich indicated the decision of whether to back Moore if he doesn’t  step down would be largely up to the Henrietta Town GOP Committee.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.