Lucy Molina Blows Up at Craig Kim: Justified?

Last month, the Adams County School District 14 held a public meeting, which was evidently attended by A14 board member Luz E. (Lucy) Molina-Aguayo (otherwise known as Lucy Molina).

We say “evidently” because a video has surfaced, recorded by Molina herself, in which she exhibits a rather visceral reaction to the presence of Commerce City Council Member Craig Kim. The video was initially posted – briefly – to social media, and has apparently been taken down, a copy has surfaced. Here is an abridged version to give a sense of what transpired.

In the video, Molina accuses Kim of a number of offences, saying repeatedly that he “walked in very aggressively” and started “yelling” at her, later adding that he “attacked” her and “another black woman” who seemed not to be present. She stated that she was “tired of men feeling entitled to disrespect women of color” and called for him to be escorted out, claiming repeatedly that she felt “unsafe.”

Much of this was over the objections of other attendees, and amid futile attempts by the meeting moderator to calm the situation down and restore order. Kim ultimately left the meeting, seemingly voluntarily and of his own accord.  You can watch the whole video, unedited, here.

This video raises a few questions: First, what did Council Member Kim do to Molina to get her all fired up like this? Second, did his behavior, whatever it is he allegedly did or say, warrant this level of vitriol? And third, was Molina’s diatribe, in any case, appropriate behavior for a local official?

Molina’s video neither shows Kim entering, nor him saying or doing very much at all besides sitting there and eventually leaving peacefully. Did Kim do something to engender this level of hostility? What exactly was it that he said or did to generate this kind of extreme response?

We eagerly await Council Member Kim’s answer.

And, perhaps more importantly, an explanation from A14 Board Member Molina of whether she truly feels this is the correct way to behave and address issues in a public meeting?

Of course, after watching a citizen at a January City Council meeting call out Mayor Douglas for potential ethics breaches, this type of behavior seems unfortunately to be the norm in Commerce City politics.