FULLERTON – Radio personalities “John and Ken” broadcast their popular drive-time show just steps from City Hall on Wednesday, drumming up support for a recall campaign aimed at three City Council members because of perceptions of their handling of the Kelly Thomas case.
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Talk-show hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou blasted Mayor F. Richard Jones, and councilmen Pat McKinley and Don Bankhead for not demanding that the six officers involved in the physical altercation with Thomas on July 5 at the Fullerton Transportation Center be immediately taken off the streets. Thomas died five days later.
The gathering surrounding the tent where Kobylt and Chiampou broadcast swelled to 50-60 people at any given time during the four hours the show aired.
Signature gatherers manned tables near the broadcast tent, were Fullerton residents could sign petitions in support of the recall.
The hosts also accuse McKinley, the city’s former police chief, of watching the city’s surveillance video of the Thomas incident but taking no action.
“The way they have defended and covered up for the cops simply can’t be tolerated,” Kobylt said of the three council members.
McKinley said the claims are “absolutely untrue.”
“I know no more about the incident than anyone else who watched the D.A. explain it,” McKinley said.
The city attorney advised the council not to speak publicly about the case and “act as if you are a judge,” the councilman said.
In September, officer Manuel Ramos, 37, was charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, and Cpl. Jay Cicinelli was charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Thomas’ death. The four other officers involved in the confrontation remain on paid administrative leave.
Neither Bankhead nor Jones could be reached for comment Wednesday, but Bankhead has said previously that his silence should not be interpreted as support for the officers.
Chris Thompson, a Fullerton school board member and one of the recall organizers, has said the three council members – by supporting the police union – are protecting the officers involved in the death.
Recall organizers have also said the three have been fiscally irresponsible.
Dennis Lindsey, 64, a lifelong Fullerton resident, signed all three petitions.
“I listen to John and Ken, and I’ve been meaning to sign them anyway,” Lindsey said. “These three guys didn’t do anything and just allowed the process to continue and hoped it would go away.”
The recall effort has until Feb.16 to gather 10,554 qualified signatures – 15 percent of Fullerton voters – for each council member petition. If successful, the three ballot items would be in front of voters in an election.
“We are on track to get all the signatures we need in a fraction of the time,” Thompson said, indicating the support of John and Ken will help the cause.
“The top drive-time show in American is spending their whole show at our recall,” Thompson said. “Hopefully, it contributes to the general awareness and gets us a lot of signatures.”
