‘I’ve asked him to resign’: Chicopee leaders look to implement changes in city charter after city councilor Lucjan Galecki writes Facebook posts about sexual assault
Updated Dec 21, 2020;
Chicopee leaders are looking to make permanent changes to the city charter after a city councilor wrote insensitive remarks about sexual assault survivors online last week.
“Council President Shane Brooks along with myself, understand that the public is looking for an immediate response to the issue involving the Councilor from Ward 3,” Chicopee Mayor John Vieau said in a statement to MassLive. “The City Charter will need to be amended to add the appropriate mechanism to help rectify situations like this one.”
Chicopee leaders say City Councilor Lucjan Galecki cannot be removed from office following comments about sexual assault
Updated Dec 16, 2020;
After a Chicopee city councilor shared insensitive remarks about sexual assault survivors online, city leaders say they have little recourse in seeking his removal.
“There is no mechanism as mayor or as president of the council to have a councilor removed from office,” Chicopee Mayor John Vieau told MassLive in a statement. “I encourage Councilor Galecki to work with a Sexual Abuse Prevention Advocate and I have offered their contact information to him.”
In a series of comments shared on Facebook, Chicopee City Councilor Lucjan Galecki placed the blame in cases of sexual assault on victims.
’I’m not resigning’: Chicopee City Councilor Lucjan Galecki states after Facebook posts about sexual assault; city has history of being unable to remove elected officials
Updated Dec 16, 2020;
“I’m not resigning, it’s not happening,” Chicopee City Councilor Lucjan Galecki told MassLive Wednesday afternoon.
Galecki said he was simply answering a question, which has since led to people on social media calling for his removal.
“Somebody asked me a question and I answered it. I didn’t go out of my way to attack sexually abused women,” he said. “So, I don’t feel that I need to resign. I truthfully answered the question the way that I believe, and this is the answer. So, why should I have to resign for stating my own opinion?”