INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas chapter of a Muslim civil rights group is calling for the resignation of an Independence, Missouri, city councilman who said during a meeting that Middle Eastern owners of discount smoke shops will “sell anything out the back door.”
Councilman Curt Dougherty made the comment Monday while discussing a proposal to regulate medical marijuana facilities in Independence. He was arguing that the city had rules restricting several types of businesses, including smoke shops run mostly by Middle Easterners.
The Kansas chapter of the Council of American-Islamic Relations said in a statement Wednesday that Dougherty should resign. CAIR-Kansas Board Chairman Moussa Elbayoumy said the comment showed Dougherty couldn’t represent a diverse constituency.
Dougherty did not immediately respond to an email or phone message seeking comment.