Pa. city council members seek censure against colleagues who participated in Black Lives Matter protest

Three members of Allentown’s city council say they support a resolution to censure two other council members over their participation in Black Lives Matter protests.

The resolution demanding a censure and no-confidence vote against council members Ce-Ce Gerlach and Joshua Siegel stems from alleged conflicts of interest for participating in the protests in the city, raising questions about their objectivity in matters related to the city’s police department, the Morning Call of Allentown is reporting.

The resolution could be presented Wednesday, according to WLRV.

Gerlach and Siegel, who are first-term council members, told the crowd at the protest they would stake their political futures on proposed reforms and create more equity for Allentown residents, WLRV is reporting.

Council member Ed Zucal drafted the resolution, which Council President Daryl Hendricks and member Candida Affa say they support, the Morning Call reported.

Zucal is a veteran city police officer and former candidate for Lehigh County Sheriff, according to WLVR.

Gerlach and Siegel defended their participation in the Black Lives Matter events, saying standing with the city’s citizens does not pose a conflict of interest, according to reports.

The resolution states the two used social media to make derogatory remarks against other council members and the police department, violated the city charter by joining protesters who attempted to question the police after an incident last month in which an officer used a knee to restrain a suspect, and were seen carrying “defund the police” signs, among other allegations, the Morning Call reports.

Gerlach and Siegel took issue with the allegations, saying they were protesting systemic racism, noting that other council members had joined the city’s first Black Lives Matter protest days after the killing of George Floyd. And they deny many of the allegations outlined in the resolution, according to reports.

With the votes of two city council members still unknown, it’s unclear if the resolution will pass when it comes before city council Wednesday, reports indicate.

“Conflict of interest is really being misconstrued here,” Siegel told the Morning Call. “I can argue it’s a conflict of interest for council members Zucal and Hendricks, both former police officers themselves, to vote with the rest of council on any matters involving our local police department.”