Racist Gary Frago Strains Atwater's City Budget

The city of Atwater paid more than $55,000 in legal fees this past summer to its law firm, Merys Nave, so that they could handle the fallout following the publication of a series of e-mails sent by Councilman Gary Frago in late 2008 and early 2009 that denigrated Barack Obama, Michelle Obama and Black people in general.

The law firm chalked up 228 hours of legal work going over public information requests, meeting with the City Council and staff, and preparing for and participating in public meetings, among other things.

"This is an outrageous cost," said City Councilman Nelson Crabb, who initially requested a price tag on legal fees. "This is basically a police officer-and-a-half that we are dealing with and we are not done yet."

Crabb wonders why the city is expending so much effort to protect itself. If he were arrested for drunken driving, Crabb said, the city would not pay for his lawyers. And they wouldn't be forced to undergo classes on drunk driving, he added.

Mayor Joan Faul simply said, "It was very costly." Faul explained that the city had to take the action it did to protect itself from litigation.

While Frago has apologized, at first he said he didn't regret sending the e-mails.

Gary Frago and Glenn Beck are both realizing that there is a price to their brand of racism.

Gary Frago Resigns as Atwater's Deputy Mayor

City Councilman Gary Frago, who sent a series of racist e-mails to city staff and others in late 2008 and early 2009, resigned his position as mayor pro tem and said he has begun sensitivity training in the Bay Area.

"I will be stepping down immediately from my position as mayor pro tem," said Frago in a prepared statement that also called for "the healing to begin."

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Villager's Voice: I want Frago to resign from the city council. The local newspaper received 200 new e-mails from Frago and he still doesn't display the temperment or commonsense to stay in a position of public trust. These new emails talk about assassination of President Barack Obama and the mass killing of Latinos. Ain't it time for this jerk to do the right thing and resign?

Gary Frago Apologizes on Camera for his Racist Emails

It appears that we could have a decision tonight in the ongoing controversy over Atwater city leader Gary Frago. He may lose his job on the city council after emails found at his office containing racial jokes were discovered by the Merced Sun Star.

Check out this video from local reporter John-Thomas Kobos, who met with the city councilman and a NAACP leader who is calling for his resignation.





In my view there is no place for this type of racist behavior in public office. I think that Mr. Frago should resign in disgrace. What do you think?

Racist Gary Frago Apology: 'Now I'm Sorry For It'

Atwater mayor pro tem Gary Frago is feeling the heat from the lights that are being shined on him. Frago admits to sending several emails containing racist jokes aimed at President Obama and his wife Michelle to city staff and other prominent community members.

One email compares Obama to O.J. Simpson. Another talks about Obama taxing aspirin because "it's white and it works." Another reads "Breaking News: Playboy just offered Sarah Palin $1 million to pose nude in the January issue. Michelle Obama got the same offer from National Geographic."

"They weren't threatening. I'm not a racist person, I don't know what to tell you," said Frago, "It was a bad mistake. I didn't realize it at the time. I didn't know the sensitivity of it. Now I'm sorry for it."[SOURCE]

Villagers, the pattern never seems to change. Initially, there is no contrition from these arrogant racists. Then when the pressure begins to mount we hear the first apologies. It takes a little longer for them to realize that the pressure will never stop until they step down from elected office.

You can help ... reach out to the City of Atwater and share your thoughts on Gary Frago:

City Administration
750 Bellevue Road
Atwater, CA 95301
(209)357-6300
(209)357-6302 fx
cityadmin@atwater.org

We have the apology from Gary Frago now. Can the resignation be far behind?

Racist Emails from Mayor Gary Frago (R-Atwater, CA) about Barack and Michelle Obama

Atwater is a small city of 26,000 people in central California. The mayor pro-tem is Gary Frago. Frago, a 63-year old Republican politician serving on the Atwater City Council since 2000, shows himself as another racist wingnut masquerading as a leader.

The local Atwater newspaper obtained seven emails that Frago sent to city staff and prominent citizens from October 2008 to February 2009 [NOTE: It's probably not a coincidence that Frago stopped sending the emails after seeing what happened to his crony, Dean Grose].

Frago focused his racist emails on President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and Black folks in general. Some compared Obama to O.J. Simpson while others suggested that "nigger rigs" should now be called "presidential solutions." Can any villager explain to me what a 'nigger rig' is? I've never heard the term until today.

Another Frago email was sent right before the inauguration in January. It read:

"Breaking News Playboy just offered Sarah Palin $1 million to pose nude in the January issue. Michelle Obama got the same offer from National
Geographic."

I'm tired of white folks feeling entilted to compare the Obama family to animals.

Frago admitted sending the e-mails, but showed no regret.

"If they're from me, then I sent them," he said. "I have no disrespect for the president or anybody, they weren't meant in any bad way or harm."

The list of people who either sent or received the e-mails reads like a who's who of Atwater community and political leadership, including a county supervisor, a former police chief, a city manager, a former city council member, a former president of a veterans group, a former grand knight of the Knights of Columbus, among others.

Some of these folks joined Frago in their ignorance of the racist nature of these email jokes. Personally, I think that Frago should lose his seat on the city council.

What say u?