The Frances Semler Controversy Timeline

As a public service I thought I'd highlight the top 20 (something) news items in Kansas City's Frances Semler Controversy . . . I'm going to try and post these links and news items chronologically starting with news of her appointment . . . However, a few of the items might skip around.

1. June 11, 2007 - This is the first post I can find regarding news of Frances Semler appointment to the Parks Board. Before this appointment she had worked on Mayor Funkhouser's campaign in the Northland. Previously, her only claim to fame was writing angry letters to the Editor regarding immigration and the Kansas City's Smartport.

June 14th - Kansas CIty's Latino Leaders, Union reps, Jewish leaders, and City Council people John Sharp, Cindy Baker Circo, Terry Riley and Beth Gottstein hold a press conference decrying the appointment of Minuteman Frances Semler. The City Council votes 9-2 in favor of a resolution asking for Semler to be removed from the Parks Board.

Later in the day the Mayor holds a rival press conference at which newly appointed Parks Board President John Fierro claims that "he can work" with Semler; the Mayor makes several mentions of the fact that Fierro is a Hispanic.

June 29th - A community meeting on the Westside hosts more than 100 people urging the Mayor to abandon his support of Frances Semler. The Mayor Stands his ground and tells the Latino Community that they are "entitled" to this issue for the next four years but he's not changing his mind. Interestingly enough it's revealed that the Mayor's wife asked for special police protection despite Funkhouser's earlier refusal of police bodyguards, his wife made a personal call to KCPD officals asking for protection for the Westside meeting and an Eastside meeting; she didn't make similar calls for the Mayor's Northland appearances.

June 30th - It was revealed that Frances Semler's appointment WENT AROUND the online application process touted by the Funkhouser administration during their campaign and early days of their tenure.

A post from The Pitch's blog reveals that Semler initially mislead reporters as to her involvement in the Minutemen. "The day she was appointed to the parks board, Semler told The Kansas City Star that she was “not active” in the group. But she has been one of the most active members of the Heart of America chapter since its inception last year."

After news of her appointment breaks, Semler declines to show up at a anti-immigration rally in Topeka.

July 16th - The Wall Street Journal posts a roundup of the Semler controversy as the national media starts to take notice.

July 24th - Yael Abouhalkah mistakenly claims that the Semler controversy has "petered out" the Mayor's biggest advocate at The Star turns out to be completely mistaken.

August 30th - The National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia threatens to cancel the organization's convention in Kansas City because of Semler's appointment. Which would cost the NCLR more than $70 thousand dollars and remove $5-7 million worth of revenue from Kansas City.

The NAACP surprisingly supports the National Council of La Raza and claims that Semler's appointment on the Parks Board could cause them to move their upcoming convention in Kansas City as well.

Sept 2nd - Frances Semler writes an "as I see it" column in the Star. Her critics note that Semler opposes all immigration (actually she endorses an immigration moratorium) - Not just illegal immigration . . . She invokes the Minuteman mission statement in the final passages of her column related to her service on the Parks Board.

Sept 4th - A group of Immigrant rights activists write a letter and drop it off at Semler's doorstep. She calls police and goes on talk radio expressing her fear. Mayor Funkhouser calls it a "new low" in Kansas City politics. The KCPD adds extra patrols to Semler's neighborhood but note that nothing illegal transpired.

Cris Medina, director of Guadalupe Center - A local Social Service agency - Rejects the mayor's invitation to a monthly Latino Leadership meeting until the Semler controversy is resolved. These meetings have been a contentious point in the Latino Community and have been poorly attended by prominent members of Kansas City's Latino Leadership, so much so that Funkhouser had to resort to inviting his Hispanic neighbors.

Frances Semler shows up at a 710AM promotional event and is honored by nationally syndicated radio talk show host Laura Ingram. She gets a (worthless) "Power to the People" award and reportedly gets a standing ovation from the crowd. Other sources claim this wasn't true and the majority of the people at the Uptown were not only creeped out by the station's reactionary listeners but were also in the lobby and waiting for Dave Ramsey to take the stage. Here's a transcript of the awkward exchange where she continually refers to KC's Latinos only as "they."

A controversial anti-immigration rally in STL hosts Republican Presidential nominee Tom Tancredo. The forum blasted legal immigrants as well as undocumented residents. . . Reports circulate that Semler was in the audience. It's also worth noting that Semler reportedly showed up at a immigration meeting in the Northland at which audience members demanded that illegal immigrant children be removed from Missouri school, which presently runs counter to the law.

September 14th - Adding fuel to the fire, The Minutemen announce that they will hold their national convention in Kansas City in December. MSNBC reports that the convention will only host 300 people. The Convention is later delayed until February and will instead feature only workshops in one of the smaller rooms in Kansas City's Uptown theater.

After all of their big name columnists write in support of Semler and Funkhouser "sticking to his guns" (aimed at KC's Latinos) the Star surprisingly publishes an Editorial in favor of Semler's removal.

Bill George, Chairman of Kansas City's Convention and Visitors Association writes a letter criticizing Mayor Funkhouser for his failure to solve the Semler controversy and urges him to do so quickly and diplomatically rather than risking lost revenue for Kansas City.

TKC reports (according to a confidential source) that the NCLR will, in fact, show up in Kansas City despite claims to the contrary.

October 8th - News begins to circulate of meeting between the Minutemen and the Star editorial board during the previous week. Self-proclaimed President of the Minutemen held a press conference in Kansas City and worked with the KCPD to arrange security for the small meetup. Semler reportedly stood by his side. I didn't know this until now but, according to the World's most accurate encyclopedia, Simcox has previously been fined for a weapons violation by the by National Park Rangers in Coronado National Memorial Park. The SPLC reports that Simcox has lost custody of his son and is now on his 3rd marriage as one of his ex-wives continually makes accusations of mental instability. It's also worth noting that throughout last year, Simcox's wing of the Minutemen endured several accusations of financial impropriety which has so far gone unmentioned in Kansas City's Media. Here's the wikipedia page dedicated to Simcox.

Finally, a large scale meeting is slated between Mayor Funkhouser and the Latino community on Oct. 11th. Reports vary as to whether or not the media will be allowed to attend the event. Word has it that both La Raza and the NAACP will decide on whether or not they'll be coming to Kansas City for their conventions by the end of next week (Oct 19th). No matter which way this goes: This could very well be the defining moment of Mayor Funkhouser's tenure and an indication as to whether or not he'll be able to unite Kansas City or has given in to endorsing divisive groups and unintentionally embroiling Kansas City in a contentious debate that did not previously dominate this City's politics.

Mayor Funkhouser met with Latino leaders at Guadalupe Center October 11th, 2007 meeting. The Mayor heard statements from several Latino leaders in front of a group of nearly 30. Afterward the meeting, the Mayor blamed Latino leaders Cris Medina (President Guadalupe Center) and Rita Valenciano (President of the Coalition of Hispanic Organizations) for the controversy. Latino leaders expressed their frustration at the lack of understanding from the Mayor but hoped that a compromise could be achieved.

Midweek Oct 15-19th. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D) attempts to step in as a mediator.

Oct. 20th. The National Council of La Raza decides to back their local supporters and affiliates and cancel their convention slated for 2009. The mainstream media reports that the conference would have brought $5-7 million to Kansas City. La Raza will spend $75,000 in fines to cancel their hotel reservations. The group's statement on the matter includes the following passage: "Our decision is a clear expression of support for Kansas City’s Hispanic community," said Monica Lozano, NCLR Board Chair. "An active member of the Minutemen should not be an official representative for a city that purports to believe in diversity." Mayor Funkhouser's initial reaction is that he was "disappointed."

The Semler Controvesey lingers into 2008 along with new concerns about Mayor Funkhouser's management . . . SCLC yanks convention from KC

A national civil rights organization co-founded by Martin Luther King Jr. is pulling its 2008 national convention from Kansas City to protest decisions by the mayor.

The Southern Christian Leadership Conference thinks Mayor Mark Funkhouser showed racial insensitivity when he appointed a member of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps to the park board and when he tried to oust City Manager Wayne Cauthen, an African-American, without consulting with the City Council.

Local SCLC members also have criticized Funkhouser and his wife, who allegedly called a mayoral aide “Mammy.”

In a news conference this morning, Charles Steele Jr., president and chief executive officer of the SCLC, will announce the decision.

“I am here to raise hell,” Steele said in an interview with The Star after flying into Kansas City Monday afternoon.

He said the SCLC probably would hold its convention, expected to draw more than 2,000 attendees, in New Orleans instead.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008. Frances Semler sends out a letter to media organizations all over Kansas City and files her resignation.