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Stanley Clarifies KKK Reference Raised in October 8 AEDC Conversation

Stanley Clarifies KKK Reference Raised in October 8 AEDC Conversation

Sakege06 mins

During Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Amarillo Mayor Cole Stanley addressed concerns and clarified his comments made at the Oct. 8 City Council meeting when he questioned AEDC President Kevin Carter about discretionary spending. .

Stanley began the meeting by acknowledging that the words he had chosen in the previous discussion could have been misinterpreted. “I have a clarification and it fits between the announcements,” he said. “Relating to the previous meeting where we had a good discussion and debate, my wife could probably attest to this; there are times when I can use an extreme example to make my point.”

The controversy arose from Stanley’s earlier comments, where he raised a hypothetical scenario questioning whether the AEDC could alter directives set by the city council without approval. “You could choose to fund a membership in the KKK … and you didn’t ask anyone’s permission; no one approved it,” Stanley said at the time, highlighting potential gaps in oversight. He compared this to AEDC’s handling of a $100,000 budget line item for The RANGE, which he said was increased over three years without proper authorization.

Carter responded to the question, saying it was an “irresponsible reference” when asked on October 8. Carter later defended the AEDC’s actions, stating that all decisions were made within ethical boundaries. “There’s no way I would do that,” Carter said, emphasizing that moral considerations guide his actions.

Expanding on his previous comments, Stanley explained Tuesday that the extreme example was intended to emphasize a point about the council’s directives to the AEDC. “I was asking our AEDC director a very direct question: Can you change what the council has ordered you to do?” said. “So we indicated this membership, can you take it to another membership or change the amount? The extremist example I used was meant to be taken that way.” He added that the example involved an organization that could be seen as offensive, which he acknowledged. “As a community, I think we would be okay with that.”

Stanley emphasized that his intention was not to offend but to highlight the council’s frustration with the lack of control. “I just want to clarify that I in no way intended for that community to take it the wrong way,” he said. “I was trying to make a point in a controversial conversation.” He expressed regret over how the message was received, stating: “When we take a step back and say, ‘Hey man, I apologize,’ it’s important. If my statement was taken incorrectly, it’s my fault for not clarifying what I was trying to say.”

Stanley shared that three people had approached his office to express their concern, but they sought clarification rather than aggravating the issue. “They said, ‘We don’t want to send a lot of emails or accuse anyone of racism. We’d just like to hear your perspective,'” he said. He reiterated his commitment to better communication. “From here, we look for those opportunities to do better and continue to get better at this,” he said. “The words, once said, are out there, but you can always clarify them.”

When asked about Stanley’s comments, Councilman Tom Scherlen refrained from direct criticism but acknowledged the challenges of communication. “I’m the worst in the world at saying something and thinking, ‘I could have done so much better,’” Scherlen said. “But I’m glad you brought it up.”

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