Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty and Vice Mayor Karina Talamantes were inadvertently recorded on a hot microphone discussing methods to curtail public comment during a city council meeting. The exchange occurred Tuesday after audience members repeatedly protested an agreement between the city and the Central California Intelligence Center, a federally funded entity that shares information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Some audience members had criticized council members, including Talamantes, leading to a temporary recess to restore order.
During the break, Talamantes approached McCarty, and their conversation was captured. "We should go over this disruptions thing, because if we want to ban somebody in the future, like to take them out, we have to point out specifically…" Talamantes stated, according to the recording. McCarty responded that the city attorney had advised against such actions. Talamantes indicated they had done so previously, but McCarty, shaking his head, reiterated that it was not permissible and recalled spending his initial six months in office reviewing policies on public access.
Talamantes was then seen lunging to turn off the microphone to finish the conversation privately. McCarty later stated that the discussion pertained to "existing policies and rules" in response to audience disruptions. He added, "Following repeated audience disruptions that interfered with the council’s ability to conduct its business, Vice Mayor Talamantes and I discussed existing policies and rules to ensure Council meetings remain effective, orderly, and respectful for both the residents in attendance and the Councilmembers."
Vice Mayor Talamantes commented on the incident, stating her goal is to ensure productive engagement. She also condemned threats made against her and her family, calling them "unacceptable in the democracy we are fighting for."
Some residents expressed frustration with the council. Leanna Hunt, one of the disruptive audience members, called McCarty a "goddamn criminal" during a previous meeting. Hunt compared the council's conduct to a feudal system, saying she was tired of feeling like a "peasant" before an unresponsive "king."
Joshua Masias, a volunteer organizer with the Sac Immigration Committee, told The Sacramento Bee that Talamantes' remarks suggested she was particularly keen on silencing dissent. Masias described her approach as "authoritative" and noted she seemed to be the only one advocating for silencing the crowd.