In unprecedented move, Riviera asks governor for Tradrick McCoy's suspension or removal

The Riviera Beach City Council voted Wednesday night to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to suspend or remove Councilman Tradrick McCoy, an extraordinary step that underscores rising frustration and fear over what his colleagues describe as the councilman's increasingly angry and potentially dangerous behavior.

McCoy did not attend the meeting, but each of his four colleagues — KaShamba Miller-Anderson, Douglas Lawson, Julia Botel and Shirley Lanier — voted to send to the governor and the state Commission on Ethics a compilation of complaints from employees and police reports they say highlight McCoy's increasing anger and belligerence.

"Something has to be done, and it has to be done tonight," Lanier said.

Lanier, who described numerous instances of being verbally assaulted by McCoy, made the resolution to have DeSantis suspend or remove McCoy during a special meeting at the Marina Events Center on Wednesday night. That meeting took place one week after an altercation between McCoy and Lawson sparked an investigation by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Lawson was attempting to learn as chairman whether he needed to adjourn a special meeting on development because the council no longer had a quorum. McCoy, who was talking about water safety, objected to the interruption and kept speaking despite Lawson's attempt to get him to stop while he asked the city attorney about a possible adjournment.

Their dispute continued after the meeting. Exactly what transpired is unclear, though Lanier referenced a council person "going to the hospital."

Lawson did address the incident on Wednesday, but he did not go into detail.

"I never attempted to silence anyone," he said, disputing the contention McCoy made during last week's meeting. Lawson then criticized comments from some community members who faulted him for the altercation with McCoy.

"Judgment, opinion and perceptions of all the residents tonight have been insane," he said. "Because none of them were back there. None of them knows what happened. I didn't walk anyone down. I didn't chase anyone out the door."

Neither Lawson nor McCoy have made extended public remarks about the incident, which Riviera Beach police responded to and then forwarded to the sheriff's office to avoid any appearance of bias or favoritism.

Shirley Lanier: personal safety is the reason for the removal of Tradrick McCoy

Lanier opened Wednesday's meeting with a statement that recalled the 1978 assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and city Board of Supervisors member Harvey Milk, which were carried out by a former supervisor, Dan White.

Several members of the public agreed with the decision to have the governor suspend or remove McCoy, but some objected, saying he was trying to discuss an important matter, water safety.

Lanier and Lawson said the issue isn't water safety but their own safety and the safety of the public.

"I'm not going to be gaslighted to make me feel like this is not a big deal because it is," Lanier said. "When I read that first statement about the council person who came in and shot the mayor and the other council person dead, and we know Mr. McCoy carries a gun, no, I will not be gaslighted to think that this is something that is simple and can go away."

Lanier then described one of what she says have been many instances of McCoy's verbal assaults on her, a 2021 closed meeting where she said her colleague told her to "shut the f- up."

"In November of 2021, during a meeting with other council members, Councilman McCoy began verbally attacking me, telling me to "shut the f- up," Lanier said as she read from a prepared statement. "According to the police reports that I filed, Lanier describes McCoy as being loud and aggressive. McCoy continued saying 'shut the f- up. Do not say one more word.' When she continued to tell McCoy, 'You're not talking to me that way,' he stated, 'What the f- are you going to do? What are you going to do? Shut up.'"

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Lanier continued to read from the police report, adding: "Lanier stated that she was in fear of McCoy after that exchange. Lanier stated that she knew McCoy carries a gun and wasn't sure if he would shoot her. Lanier truly believes that, if they were alone, that he would have harmed her. Lanier stated that she did not feel safe around McCoy and didn't think it was over."

Lanier then described another incident she said took place as she was celebrating her re-election.

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"In March of 2022, Councilman McCoy crashed my victory party, doing doughnuts in his car and shouting and cursing in the parking lot of a local, small Black business," Lanier said. "When I filed a report about the incident, the officer that took the report wrote, 'I explained to Mr. McCoy that this incident would be documented, and Mr. McCoy became upset that there would be a report. I explained to him that Ms. Lanier was a citizen of Riviera Beach and she wanted the incident to be documented. Mr. McCoy made a comment to me that he would, 'Run through this place like diarrhea,' which appeared to be a response to me stating that it would be a report."

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In June of 2022, Lanier said she went to police yet again to report an incident with McCoy.

"Councilman McCoy verbally assaulted me, and, at that point, I was very fearful of him," Lanier said. "There have been instances, other instances, where Mr. McCoy has aggressively harassed and downright been frightening to myself, to my colleagues and to the public. There are 19 instances of city employees filing formal complaints for harassment against Mr. McCoy. There have been four separate incidents with police reports just by myself, and it's left me in a position where I have no other course of action but to ask my colleagues to come to a decision about Mr. McCoy's behavior. I am imploring my colleagues tonight to come to a decision because I am truly afraid of Councilman McCoy. What needs to happen for this board to take action? Someone harmed or someone killed?"

Lanier said McCoy used to bring a gun to council meetings but was eventually barred from doing that.

Other Riviera Beach council members say McCoy's actions have escalated

Botel, who has had her own run-ins with McCoy, spoke in favor of Lanier's motion.

"I am afraid as well, and I have expressed that fear in the past," Botel said. "I agree; something has to be done."

Miller-Anderson, often the most mild-mannered on the council, said: "I have never had a negative personal experience with Mr. McCoy, but I have certainly witnessed some. The incident that occurred during our closed executive session with Mr. McCoy and Ms. Lanier, Dr. Botel and I had to step in between the two. Everything (Lanier) just said is exactly how it went. I've never experienced that at a professional location."

Miller-Anderson added: "When the situation occurred last week, it just appears that it is escalating. I don't like the way it's moving in a very dangerous direction. We can not just sit here and act like nothing has happened. (McCoy) is a smart guy. He's a funny guy. But that does not excuse the behavior."

Lanier had said she was reluctant to bring up the matter of McCoy's behavior, fearing it would further damage the city's reputation.

"In 2019, when this first started happening, my first thought was, 'OK, this is a Black city. These Black council people, I don't want to put that out there like that. I don't want this to be an embarrassment to the city."

She said she has been moved to act because McCoy's behavior has escalated.

Lawson criticized City Manager Jonathan Evans for a lack of security during last week's meeting. He told Evans he no longer supports his handling all of the various roles he does, saying he wants to give some of Evans' duties to others.

"I want to feel safe, Mr. Evans, and that was a major misstep by yourself," Lawson said. "I don't care who or what department is going to get the finger pointed at them. I can only hire and fire one person, and that's you, and (City Attorney Dawn) Wynn. That makes it two."

Lawson said he would like for the city to hire someone to take over as director of the Community Redevelopment Agency, a role Evans fulfills in addition to serving as city manager.

Lanier said Evans' role should not be the focus.

"There is one issue on the table here, and that issue is the harassment and, in your case, the physical assault of Mr. McCoy," she told Lawson.

Lawson did vote in favor of Lanier's motion to ask the governor to suspend or remove McCoy, who did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

"We have major issues with the city that makes it a passionate work environment," Lawson said. "That doesn't excuse the actions of anyone...I've seen the antics go on and on and on, and I'm tired."

Does the governor have the authority to remove a local official?

The governor does have the authority to remove local officials, though that action is typically taken after a criminal indictment or if the governor believes the official is not following the law.

In 2019, DeSantis suspended Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher and replaced her with Wendy Sartory Link.

Bucher and others have been critical of DeSantis' decision to remove local officials, arguing that he has done so for political rather than legal reasons.

Wayne Washington is a journalist covering West Palm Beach, Riviera Beach and race relations at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at wwashington@pbpost.com. Help support our work; subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Riviera Beach to DeSantis: Remove, suspend Councilman Tradrick McCoy