QUINN KOS VIOLENT VIOLA
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s six-week, no-pay suspension of Viola Plummer, a top aide to Brooklyn Councilman Charles Barron, was spot on.
Last month, Plummer lashed out at Queens Councilman Leroy Comrie during a debate over the renaming of a street for the late racial arsonist Sonny Carson:
“If it takes an assassination of his ass, he will not be borough president of the borough in which I live,” declared Plummer, claiming later she was just referring to ending his political career.
Whether that outburst warranted a suspension is a proper topic for debate. It comprised – in the end – ugly words, which arguably are protected by the First Amendment.
But Plummer’s lack of self-control extended beyond her mouth.
During the meeting, Quinn recalled Thursday, “Plummer flagrantly disrupted the proceedings of the council by continuously shouting throughout an official meeting and not heeding the [chair]’s requests to be orderly.”
Her lovely “assassination” comments came later.
It was outrageous behavior – as opposed to arguably defensible speech – and certainly worthy of harsh censure.
To return after her suspension, Plummer must sign a statement promising to behave herself – and she must sign it by Tuesday, to boot.
Fat chance of that.
Meanwhile, Barron responded typically: “The speaker has lost her mind . . . We will see her in court.”
Betcha they lose.
Quinn’s action is entirely reasonable, given the provocation, and no responsible judge is going to reverse her.
Kudos to Quinn.


