For now, county supes avoid thorny investment policy discussion

Postponement averted for county's Just Cause ordinance; AASEG returns to the Board of Supes, Registrar gets approval to release cast vote records in preferable format; 180k uncounted ballots remain

Supporters of Gaza and an “ethical investment policy” for Alameda County temporarily shut down the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

COUNTY NEWS

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

—HOT POTATO—On his way out the door, Supervisor Keith Carson may have placed a booby trap for his colleagues, but Supervisor David Haubert found it on Tuesday before it ensnared him and the board.

—Carson placed an item on Tuesday’s agenda that asks the Board of Supervisors to create an “Ethical Investment Policy.”

—The anodyne phrase, however, presents the board with a very hot and divisive topic—Israel’s prosecution of the war in Gaza, and the complicity of the U.S.

—But Haubert quashed the agenda item early by continuing the discussion to the board’s next meeting on Dec. 10.

—It’s a supervisor’s prerogative to continue any item on the agenda without debate. Supervisor Elisa Marquez, though, again broke this norm on Tuesday by asking the board to reconsider Haubert’s request.

Hayward approves $1.6 million divestment from four companies that support Israel

—A four-fifths supermajority was needed to counter Haubert’s decision. Since Carson was curiously absent at the time, there was no path forward to gather four votes.

—Meanwhile, the large number of activists were allowed to speak to the item in public comment.

—Similar to successful pushes in Hayward and Richmond earlier this year to divest from companies believed to prosper from the war in Gaza, activists labeled the Middle East conflict as immoral and genocide against Palestinians.

—When the throng inside the board’s chambers began chanting, Miley allowed them to disrupt the meeting for more than three minutes before adding, “Hopefully they got that out of their system.” [Watch the video below.]

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