CLOCK TOWER at Westminster Civic Center. (OC Tribune photo).

By Jim Tortolano/Orange County Tribune

Returning to controversial actions by an earlier city council, the Westminster City Council voted Wednesday to rescind previous censures of former mayor Tri Ta and current Mayor – then vice mayor – Chi Charlie Nguyen.

“You cannot use your power as an elected official to censor another public official,” said Councilmember Amy Phan West (District 1). who had asked to put the reversals on the agenda. “It’s unacceptable.”

“I don’t understand how this could be your item when you don’t know the difference between ‘censor’ and ‘censure.’ You just don’t understand it, Move along,” said Councilmember Kimberly Ho (District 3).

(To censor means to suppress speech; to censure means to reprimand)

The censures were approved 3-2 by a previous council of Nguyen in December 2021 and of Ta in January 2022. Grounds for the censures covered a variety of allegations, but especially accusations about controversial political statements. 

On Wednesday, rescinding the censure of Chi Charlie Nguyen was approved on a 3-1-1 vote, with Councilmember Carlos Manzo (District 2) abstaining and Ho voting “no.”

Rescinding the censure of Ta was approved on a 3-0-2 vote with Manzo and Ho abstaining.

During a rowdy two-hour oral communications session that preceded the regular business schedule of the council, speakers verbally attacked opponents and supporters of the current council, sometimes and loud and even profane language.

The entire meeting lasted five hours and 11 minutes.