LA MESA, Calif. -- The mayor of La Mesa defiantly vowed to stay in office on Wednesday, despite the growing controversy after police found him passed out on a sidewalk, apparently intoxicated.
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In his first public comments since Tuesday night's contentious public City Council meeting, Art Madrid lashed out at his critics. He told NBC 7/39 he would fight any effort to remove him from office.
"Hell, no. Did you hear me? Hell, no," Madrid said.
He said critics don't really care about the La Mesa's reputation -- they just want him out of the way so they can have his job.
"They're trying to inherit this office, and they're the ones who are inflaming the issues," said Madrid.
The La Mesa City Council voted to hold a special meeting to address concerns that Mayor Art Madrid got preferential treatment from city police on the night of Feb. 20.
Last Wednesday night, a caller to 911 said he saw a car idling on Chicago Drive, near Denver Drive.
"And about three minutes ago, the guy opened the door and fell out, stumbled out and is laying in the sidewalk ... And there's somebody on the driver's side that appears to be keeled over," the caller said, according to 911 dispatch records.
Police officers said when they arrived, they found Madrid intoxicated on the sidewalk and a female city employee in the driver's seat of a car that was legally parked. There are conflicting reports as to what happened next. The police chief told NBC 7/39 officers drove the mayor home and unlocked his door for him. But another police official said he and his female companion, a city employee, were walked home.
"Demand Art Madrid's resignation. It's overdue," one man said at Tuesday night's council meeting, the first since the incident.
Madrid apologized, but some citizens want more. La Mesa resident Dennis Twiss took the first step toward launching a recall on Wednesday, by gathering information at the Registar of Voters.
The city's vice-mayor, Ernest Ewin, told NBC 7/39 he should not run the special session meeting set to be held on Thursday.
"He's a liability to the city. Who's going to take him -- Art Madrid -- seriously now? That's my feeling. It's time for a change," said Ewin.
Madrid told NBC 7/39 he has no plans to hand over the reigns of the meeting.
"The municipal code says that, as the mayor, I am the facilitator and I chair the meeting. I could really care less what Mr. Ewin thinks," Madrid said.
Madrid has been mayor for 18 years.
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