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Posted at: 07/29/2009 9:14 AM | WHEC.com Top Monroe GOP Lawmaker accused of calling colleague a "retard"
Clerk of the Legislature: Mr. Eckel? Monroe County Democrats say the voice belongs to Republican Majority Leader Dan Quatro (R-Webster). Quatro told News 10NBC late today that he doesn't believe it's him and has no recolletion of saying it. Democrats say it happened at the end of a contentious meeting and during a vote on a bill to protect whistle blowers in the county. The official county video tape of the meeting does not show Mr. Quatro saying the words, but video tape from a different angle -- provided by county Democrats -- shows Mr. Quatro's microphone was the only one close to any Republican lawmaker's mouth. And the timing shows that Mr. Quatro moves it away from his mouth right after the comment was made. Mr. Quatro was the only Republican lawmaker to speak at the meeting for a long period of time prior to the comment. Watch the official county video here | Watch the alternate video here Democrats say it was directed at Democratic Legislator Steve Eckel. We played a copy of the tape for him today. "I of course am very disappointed in my colleague for such a disrespectful remark," Eckel said. "It's so beyond the pale that I don't think it even deserves a substantive response." News 10NBC spoke with Legislator Quatro late today. "When I heard about the accusations I reviewed the tape. I listened to it," Quatro said. "It doesn't sound like me. I have absolutely no recollection of saying anything like that." Quatro says there are 23 microphones in the legislature. He says it could have been anyone. "I have no recollection. I'm convinced it's not me and I'm content to move along," he said. Here is the statement from the Center for Disability Rights. According to a transcript provided to the Center for Disability Rights by News10 NBC, during a recent meeting of the Monroe County Legislature, Republican Majority Leader Dan Quatro said "Jesus… Retard." in response to a vote cast by a Democratic legislator. The Center for Disability Rights is appalled that such hateful language would be used by an elected official. "People with disabilities have suffered for decades as victims of hate speech, including terms like the ‘R-word’." said Chris Hilderbrant, CDR’s Director of Advocacy. "For a legislator in a leadership position to use the course slurs of a misbehaving 8 year old is intolerable in our culture. Mr. Quatro owes our entire community a full written apology." For people with disabilities, "Retard" or the "R-word" is equally as offensive as slurs commonly known and thoroughly rejected for African-Americans, Hispanics, Jews and women. Elected officials and media personalities who have used offensive terms for these groups have frequently found themselves the subject of protests, demands for resignation, and terminations of employment. Advocates with disabilities across the state and nation have been working hard to eliminate the use of the R-word in all its forms. In Rochester, dozens of advocates protested the opening of the movie Tropic Thunder for its frequent and malicious use of the R-word. Across New York, advocates are attempting to pass legislation to rename the NYS Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities to be the NYS Office of Developmental Disability Services. "We hope that this does not represent a systemic bias against people with disabilities," said Bruce Darling, CDR’s Executive Director, "but that is up to Mr. Quatro to prove. How he handles his apology and seeks forgiveness from the people offended will be telling of his character and the philosophies of those whom he leads in the legislature." CDR issued a letter directly to Mr. Quatro today - read it here. For more Rochester, N.Y. news go to our website www.whec.com.
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News 10NBC has video tape of the most recent Monroe County Legislature meeting. This is what is heard on the tape. 