Bloomberg Aide Resigns After Mexican Remarks

Betsy Perry quits amid controversy surrounding Mexico column

By JOHN P. WISE

Updated 2:25 PM EST, Tue, May 5, 2009

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A woman appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to a city commission on women's issues resigned after making "insensitive and callous remarks" in a column published on the Huffington Post.

Betsy Perry published her commentary last week, making points about the swine flu and how it serves as a reason for the US "to close our borders" to Mexico.

Perry wrote that the worst thing about going to Mexico used to be that travelers were warned against eating anything that might have been "touched by the Mexican help."

City Comptroller William Thompson Tuesday issued a statement in which he blasted Perry, as well as Bloomberg for his mild reaction to last week's controversy.

"The resignation of Betsy Perry is more than welcome to the millions, including myself, who were offended by her insensitive and callous remarks," Thompson said. "Her essay was an unfathomable display of narrow-mindedness and displayed an utter disrespect for Latino and immigrant communities."

Bloomberg last week called Perry's column "inappropriate," but took no disciplinary action, a decision that Thompson ripped.

"Once her remarks were published, the mayor should have immediately dismissed her from the appointed position," he said. "Instead, he showed a clear lack of sensitivity to the immigrant community by simply deeming the remarks 'inappropriate' and affording her the opportunity to remain in her position."

Perry claimed she was trying to be clever and not hurtful, but Thompson said "we all agree that there is no humor in a public health crisis or intolerance."