Sacramento councilwoman hires activist who said elected officials should be ‘terrified’
Sacramento City Councilwoman Katie Valenzuela’s decision to hire podcast host Skyler Henry has gained national attention.
National conservative outlet Fox News published an article about Valenzuela’s hiring of Henry, who gave controversial comments on the progressive podcast “VOICES: River City” in March.
“You should be terrified for the rest of your life,” Henry said of Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema’s performative ‘thumbs down’ vote against the $15 minimum wage in the coronavirus relief package. “You should never be able to leave your house if that is how you’re going to use your position to govern. And like, to me, the same thing sort of applies with the mayor and the city manager of this city (Sacramento). It’s like no, no, no, you don’t get to do that. You do not get to make the decisions that you have made over and over and over again to the detriment of everybody who lives here and then go home to your little f------ little McMansion in Natomas and like have a good night’s rest. I’m sorry, you don’t get to do that. You do not have a right to that. Absolutely not.”
Henry, who declined comment for this story, was defending a controversial protest held outside City Manager Howard Chan’s home in March.
The podcast hosts have criticized Chan for his decision not to open a warming center for the homeless during a major storm in January, and not to fire the officers who fatally shot Stephon Clark in 2018. No charges were filed against either officer after several investigations.
Valenzuela, who announced Henry’s hiring Friday on her Facebook page, said she did not agree with Henry’s comments.
“That was said before Skyler was employed by the city,” Valenzuela said. “He’s entitled to his opinions and First Amendment free speech. It’s not a statement I agree with, but I can speak to him being the most qualified candidate for the position.”
In his position, Henry will create and edit videos, and help field calls from constituents, Valenzuela said. The office received more than 80 applications for the job.
Valenzuela, who represents the central city and Land Park, said she believes it’s alright to hold such protests outside elected officials’ houses, but not staff members like Chan.
“When it comes to elected officials, I think the streets are public space, the sidewalk is public space,” Valenzuela said. “I don’t agree with any violence or vandalism and I don’t think it should happen to our staff. Our staff work for us.”
In February, a group criticizing the city’s handling of the homeless crisis threw rocks at the home of Mayor Darrell Steinberg, destroyed a homemade piece of art and shouted his children’s names. “This was not a protest,” the mayor said the next day. “This was anarchy.”
This story was originally published June 8, 2021 at 1:44 PM.
