Civil Rights Groups Backtrack on Bias Charge

Two civil rights groups conceded Monday night that they may have acted hastily by publicly demanding that Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich apologize for racist remarks allegedly made by members of his staff.

Representatives of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union said they had taken the word of one or two people and had not checked with others present at a meeting where the alleged remarks were made.

The Antonovich aides were accused of saying that a beer permit should not be granted for a Cinco de Mayo festival in Sylmar next month because Mexicans could not hold their liquor.

The two organizations joined in a press conference Monday morning to demand an apology. They changed their position later in the day when told that four people who attended the meeting told The Times that they heard no such remarks.

“If, in fact, it didn’t happen, then you know we’re wrong in calling for an apology.” said Jose Garza, a MALDEF vice president.

Beer Permit Opposed

The alleged remarks were made Thursday at a meeting about a decision by Antonovich’s office to block the beer permit because of opposition by Los Angeles police. Spanish-language radio station KTNQ and promoter Richard Vasquez requested a permit for the festival, to be held in the county’s El Cariso Park.

Vasquez charged that at the meeting, Antonovich aide Bill Garcia said Mexicans “could not control their drinking” and would sneak in alcohol in baby carriages. He said another Antonovich aide, Leeta Pistone, claimed that beer was a problem because the event was targeted at Mexican-Americans.

Garcia, who is Mexican-American, and Pistone said Monday that they were talking about anyone who attended the event and were not directing their remarks at Latinos. Los Angeles Police Sgt. Ed Arambula and county regional park manager Julio Guevara, who attended the meeting, told The Times that they could remember no derogatory remarks about people of Mexican descent.

An aide to Los Angeles City Councilman Ernani Bernardi was also present and did not recall such remarks, said David Mays, the councilman’s chief deputy.

Vasquez and Arturo Gonzalez, news director of KTNQ, maintained that racist remarks were made and that public officials naturally would deny them.

Antonovich in China

Told about the denials by others, however, MALDEF and the ACLU withdrew their calls for an apology. Antonovich is in China on vacation.

“The only people we talked to were the radio station and Mr. Vasquez,” Garza said. Before pressing further for an apology, “I’d want some confirmation that that happened,” he said.

ACLU spokesman Joe Hicks said: “If MALDEF is backing away from it, I see no reason why we would continue to push independently for an apology.”

Vasquez said he is being paid a fee for the festival, which is expected to draw as many as 10,000 people, and will not lose money if not allowed to serve beer.