HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Hallandale Beach Mayor Keith London said he plans to apologize in person to a female commissioner for vulgar remarks he said to her and wants to move on from the controversy.
London made the announcement at Monday’s city commission meeting.
Tuesday afternoon, the mayor said he is doing all he can to make amends.
“I can only do what I can only do,” he said. “I’m moving past this.”
London faced major public backlash after he said, during a budget meeting held on Wednesday, Commissioner Annabelle Lima-Taub and her family engaged in anal bleaching.
“Put in a public records request or just go online because it’s online, and see where my earned income came from last year. I’m sure you do,” London said during a meeting last week. “Was it getting my sphincter bleached? Is that what I earn my income for? Oh, OK. No, that would be you and your family business.”
Lima-Taub’s mother happens to own a spa business where they perform those types of cosmetic procedures.
Things became even more heated at the next commission meeting.
“You said I’d do it. You said I’d bleach my anus,” said Lima-Taub, who was sitting next to London.
But on Monday night, despite the commissioner not being in attendance, the mayor said he was sorry for his comments.
“Commissioner Taub, my comments at last week’s meeting were inappropriate and unprofessional, and there’s no excuse for them,” said London during the meeting. “I apologize for my remarks and the embarrassment they caused you and your family. I also want to apologize to the residents, my colleagues and the city staff.”
But speaking on Tuesday with 7News, Lima-Taub said London’s apology was not accepted.
“I was upset for my family, for questioning the integrity of my mother’s services,” she said.
The mayor’s comments made national headlines.
“It’s just a big distraction to the city business that we’re trying to do,” said London.
But Hallandale Beach is known for those distractions. London is only in office because the former mayor, Joy Cooper, was arrested after being accused of being part of a kickback scheme. Hidden video shows FBI agents posing as developers looking for Cooper’s support for a project.
Back when he was vice mayor, London was caught on cellphone video berating a city worker at a construction site.
“How many times did you go to prison? What was it? Did you like it?” London is heard saying in the video. “Did you suck [expletive]?”
London said he will apologize to the commissioner next Monday, if the commissioner is in attendance.
“I look forward to the opportunity to do a public apology to my colleague at the next meeting that she attends,” he said.
But can the commission move past London’s remarks? Lima-Taub said no.
“His behavior speaks volumes to whether or not the city can move on,” she said.
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