The Jewish Community Relations Committee (JCRC) reported today that more than 80 mayors, council members, trustees, and community leaders from across the Bay Area
have disavowed Mayor Martinez and his antisemitic posts in a signed unity letter including more than 60 current elected officials. The letter calls for corrective action and sets clear demands. If Mayor Martinez is unable or unwilling to take these steps,
the letter calls on him to step down from his role as mayor. In just two days more than 2000 community members have sent emails to Richmond council members through JCRC’s action alert. (60+
Elected Officials Disavow Richmond Mayor)
Will Mayor Eduardo Martinez be censured or resign? I think neither. He will not resign, believing that his vague and shallow apologies are sufficient cure for his
continued antisemitism, and there are insufficient votes on the Richmond City Council for censure. RPA members Robinson, Wilison Jimemnez, and Martinez himself, will not support censure. Bana has so far been silent on the matter. See
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2025/12/23/richmond-mayor-eduardo-martinez-pressured-resign/.
Regarding censure, I look on it as a source of pride that am the only person ever censured in 120 years by the Richmond City Council, in my case for making public
a document that vindicated me following a $300,000 investigation supported by RPA City Council members. See “‘Read it and weep:’ mayor drops letter finding no
merit in accusations against him.”
I predicted that Martinez would be a divisive mayor, and it appears my prediction was accurate. See
What Kind of Mayor Will Eduardo Martinez Be??.
Figure 1 – Mayor Martinez with a red keffiyeh
Figure 2 – mayor Martiez with a blue keffiyeh
Figure 3 – Mayor Martinez speaking at the Peoples Conference for Palestine
Figure 4 – False Flag attack posting that Martinez reposted
Figure 5 – Reposted by Eduardo Martinez
Figure 6 – Repost by Eduardo Martinez
As the discontent with Richmond Mayor Eduardo Martinez continues to spread, I want to place his actions in a context that goes beyond his antisemitism. And, its’s not just Martinez; his local
political party, the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA), has been leading a pro-Hamas and anti-Israeli movement for at least 15 years, embracing multiple conspiracy theories, attacking Zionism and acting on fringe beliefs that have radically changed public
policy in Richmond, including: cops cause crime, new housing causes gentrification and for-profit business is inherently bad.
The infatuation with the RPA embracing Hamas goes back to at least 2010 when the Richmond City Council adopted a
resolution condemning the Israeli blockade of a Gaza flotilla. As with the most recent incident, the item drew strong protests, particularly from members of the Jewish community who felt it was antisemitic.(See Richmond
Council Postpones Vote Condemning Flotilla Raid, June 16, 2010 and
Proposed Gaza Flotilla Resolution Ignites Strong Emotions in Richmond | Tom Butt
June 12. 2010):
The item has drawn strong protests, particularly from members of the Jewish community who feel it is factually inaccurate and inexplicably biased
toward one party in a complicated international Middle East conflict that has been ongoing for more than 60 years and defied the best efforts of world leaders for decades. Others say that the Richmond City Council has no business inserting itself into a still
murky international incident that has yet to be fully investigated when we have so many unsolved challenges right here in Richmond. The first “Therefore, Be it Resolved,” in the resolutions states, ‘…the Richmond City Council joins … in supporting the United
Nations Security Council condemnation of the Israeli attack on the Gaza bound flotilla… In fact, the UN Security Council did not condemn the Israeli attack. It condemned “those acts which resulted in the loss” of lives without specifying which acts or by whom,
and it called for an investigation conforming to international standards. After a contentious hearing, rationality prevailed when the other sponsor, Jeff Ritterman, moved to dispose of the matter by successfully referring it to the Human Relations Commission.
In October of 2023, Richmond became the first U.S. City to pass a
resolution taking sides in the Gaza conflict, co-sponsored by Eduardoo Martinez and Gayle McLaughlin. It passed on a 5-1 vote with Zepeda voting No and Jimenez absent.
See
TOM BUTT E-FORUM October 24, 2023. Once again, the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) protested.
From the East Bay Times:
The final approved resolution proclaimed, in part, that Palestinians in Gaza “are currently facing a campaign of ethnic cleansing and collective
punishment by the state of Israel; and whereas, collective punishment is considered a war crime under international law. Additionally, the final resolution criticized Palestinians’ lack of access to electricity, food, water, medical care and aid — calling
for an immediate ceasefire and substantial humanitarian aid to Gaza, in addition to “an end to Israeli apartheid in the occupation and blockade of Palestinian land.”
As with the 2010 resolution, the 2023 resolution was opposed by many members of the Jewish community and several Jewish organizations.
“It appears to me
like the city councilmembers that wrote the resolution are using the tragic situation in Palestine and Israel, both of which are thousands of miles away from Richmond, to gain politically from it,” said Richmond resident Theresa Russell. “That doesn’t sit
well with me.”
Others felt the resolution was antisemitic, including Beth Seidman, a 37-year Richmond resident who said it was full of “half-truths, inaccuracies
and distortions.” She said it was a “resolution to create hatred toward Jews and divisiveness in our community.”
In a letter to the council, Dean Kertesz, Rabbi of Richmond synagogue Temple Beth Hillel, called
the resolution a vile attack on Israel, filled with lies.
When Hamas gunmen entered Israel two weeks ago on Shabbat morning, intentionally targeted Israeli civilians, murdered at least 1,300 people, burned
whole families alive in their homes, beheaded babies, killed children in front of their parents, kidnapped at least 200 people taking them to Gaza as hostages, all the while videoing their actions, live-streaming them on the internet, and celebrating, you
were silent,” Kertesz wrote. “You did not propose or pass a resolution. You issued no condemnation. You were silent. Silence is violence. Because you were silent when Jews were being murdered, you have made it clear that the Richmond City Council does not
value Jewish life.
Seven months after the first resolution, the City Council also passed a new policy drafted by Martinez’s office that prohibited
investments into companies that support Israel’s military operation or actions in the West Bank.
Not one to stop with resolutions, Martinez hoisted a Palestinian flag on the eastern City Hall flagpole, symbolically placing it above the California flag that has always help top position. In
August of 2025, Mayor Martinez and Councilmembers Jimenez and Bana co-sponsored a measure to establish a sister city relationship with
Sebastia, Palestine.
It passed on a 5-1 vote with Zepeda dissenting and Brown absent.
Martinez spoke at the
People’s Conference for Palestine in August of 2025,
making it clear that he was not after peace, but liberation, presumably echoing the Hamas position that advocates destruction of the State of Israel.
So, peace isn’t the answer. Liberation is the answer. For the oppressed,
peace means capitulation.
None of these actions ever drew criticism from fellow City Council members or other politicians that rose to the level of demanding censure or resignation. What was different about the latest
attack by Martinez? His reposting of the conspiracy theory that the Bondi Beach mass shooting was
a “false flag” operation by Israel was so outrageous that politicians who ordinarily ignored, or even supported, Martinez’ pro-Hamas actions are now calling for his resignation, or at least censure.
Predictably, RPA City Council members Jimenez, Wilson and Robinson have given Martinez a pass. Councilmember Brown has called for his resignation, and Zepeda supports only censure. The
East Bay Times reports:
Dozens of mayors, councilmembers, trustees and community leaders from across the Bay Area have disavowed
Martinez and his posts in a petition which also demands that he meets with rabbis, issue a “truly restorative” apology and hold antisemitism trainings and education for city leadership and staff.
“Hateful rhetoric such as this harms not only those directly targeted, but also the integrity of civic life on which all communities rely—especially
when spread by those elected to lead and govern,” read the petition circulated by Daniel Nathan-Heiss, a Contra Costa County Board of Education trustee.
Elected officials like State Sen. Scott Wiener and U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell lambasted Martinez and his social media activity on their own accounts
shortly after the Jewish Community Relations Council shared
an open letter calling for the mayor to resign.
Significantly, Contra Costs County Supervisor John Gioia, a solid RPA supporter for years, is now calling for censure of Martinez.
The RPA and conspiracy theories are not new. The RPA and RPA politicians have a long history of embracing conspiracy theories and bizarre fringe constructs to address important societal issues
– often, and significantly, with a Zionist overtone.
In 2012, Mayor Gayle McLaughlin’s staff member, planning commissioner and RPA charter member Marilyn Langlois resigned her position to run for City Council with support from the RPA. Marilyn
was, and presumably still is, a supporter of the conspiracy theory that that World Trade Center destruction on 9/11 was carried out by the U.S. Government
with collaboration of Zionists.
On
August 25, 2011,
Langlois wrote:
For me, the point is that it’s very possible that some
Zionists and the Mossad collaborated with the CIA and others at the top levels of the US Government in planning and carrying out the crimes of 9/11.
In 2011, Langlois wrote an extensive article for TRANSCEND, making the case that the US Government executed the destruction of the Twin Towers. Langloius, who reportedly
is managing Doria Robnson’s reelection campaign, is obsessed with pervasive conspiracies perpetrated by the U.S. Government against the American people. She is a dedicated
member of Northern California 9-11 Truth Alliance who believe that the World Trade Center was blown up by the US Government, not by airplanes flown
by terrorists.
Langlois wrote on January 27, 2014:
Have the 9/11 perpetrators succeeded in committing additional crimes against humanity since 2001? I know it’s important to look carefully at all
the evidence and not jump to any conclusions, but ever since I joined the 9/11 truth movement, I look at every incident of “lone gunmen” and “terrorist bombings” as possibly being an inside job by US agents, with this potential scenario needing to be thoroughly
investigated before it is set aside. Think Sandy Hook, Boston Marathon, LAX shooting, recent mall shooting, and many more before that and even outside our borders with potential US complicity (London bombing, Utoya Island in Norway, Madrid 3/11, etc.). It
sure reminds me of the “strategy of tension” that was CIA policy in participating in Operation Gladio in Italy and other parts of Europe in the ’70’s and ’80’s.
Langlois also joined other RPA members in believing that unknown forces from outer space are targeting individuals on earth with mind control waves. She testified
in support of RPA member, former Richmond City Council member and former AC Transit Board Member Jovanka Beckles’ resolution to oppose “space-based weapons,”
supposedly one source of mind control waves.
Contra Costa Times columnist Tom Barnidge wrote
about Langlois’ testimony:
She cited ‘exotic’ weapons that could be scoping out Richmond residents at that very moment — electronic, psychotronic, high-altitude ultra low-frequency
weapons; plasma electromagnetic sonic and ultrasonic weapons; lasers; chemtrails,” Barnidge wrote. “She didn’t name a culprit, but obviously it’s the government seeking mind control.
Figure 7 – Marilyn Langlois
Figure 8 – Jovanka Beckles
The “Space-based Weapons” resolution of 2015 was authored by RPA Councilmember Jovanka Beckles. It passed on a 5-2 vote with Butt and Pimple dissenting.
Radio Free Richmond reported:
During public comment, RPA member and former RPA-endorsed City Council candidate Marilyn Langlois strongly supported the resolution. At the time
she explained “you have to be aware that there are a lot of exotic weapons research programs going on, some of them covert, some of them not covert.”
After the vote, former Councilmember and RPA leader Dr. Jeff Ritterman expressed his disagreement with the resolution in a Facebook post: “I think
it hurt the progressive movement, the credibility of the RPA, the credibility of the city council, the credibility of those on the council who proposed the measure, and the credibility of the city that this was put on the agenda at all,” Ritterman stated.
“Our stock is falling.”
Ritterman later left the RPA.
Seen by its proponent as having no downside, the resolution triggered an inundation of calls to the Richmond Police Department seeking relief from mind control weapons:
People fearing space weapons target one California town
June 2, 2015 / 10:38 AM EDT / CBS News
RICHMOND — Richmond police have been inundated with
calls for help from people who feel under attack from space-based weaponry because of a city council resolution passed last month, according to Mayor Tom Butt.
Councilwoman Jovanka Beckles introduced the Richmond resolution in support of a 2001 bill introduced by then-U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, in an effort to ensure
that Richmond residents would not be targets of space-based weaponry, reports
CBS San Francisco.
"It is imperative that Richmond adopt this resolution in effort to stand in solidarity with residents who claim to be under assault from space-based weapons that
should be outlawed by the Space Preservation Act," Beckles said at the May 19 city council meeting, where the resolution passed 5-2.
Kucinich’s resolution never passed, but versions of it referred to alleged technologies including chemtrails, particle beams, electromagnetic radiation, plasmas,
extremely low-frequency or ultra high-frequency energy radiation and mind control technology.
Beckles said at the May 19 meeting that the resolution was intended to "include all of the things people are feeling the pressure of and feeling the attacks of."
But some other council members interpreted the resolution as standing opposed to technologies like the "Star Wars" program proposed by President Ronald Reagan in
the 1980s and other such potential space-based technology.
When I first brought Langlois’ conspiracy theories to light, Mayor Gayle McLaughlin accused me of a horrendous “Chevron-like tactics” to attack Marilyn. McLaughlin wrote, “This
time Tom attacked Marilyn because she is the RPA’s FIRST and PREFERRED CHOICE for the seat I vacated. Marilyn is also the FIRST recommendation of SEIU and the only recommendation of ACCE Action-Richmond.”
To be fair, I authored a resolution in support of Ukraine in 2022 and raised a Ukraine flag on the City’s east flagpole (but not to the top above the California
flag. Unlike the various pro-Hamas actions of the City Council, it was widely supported and without controversy, except Gayle McLaughlin spoke against it, turned her camera off and declined to vote. It passed 6-0 (See
Comrade McLaughlin Refuses to Support Resolution in Support of the People of Ukraine)
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