Iowa City Council pauses attempt to oust Amel Ali from Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The Iowa City Council voted Tuesday to indefinitely pause an attempt to remove Amel Ali from the Ad Hoc Truth and Reconciliation Commission, just two weeks after she was accused of insulting Johnson County Board of Supervisors Chair Royceann Porter on a podcast.

The 6-1 vote came after a nearly five-hour meeting stretched past 9 p.m. and included other important decisions on the Direct Assistance Program, a student-built home and a new development on the northwest side of town. The meeting was again marked by intense, emotional debate from Porter and members of her Black Voices Project organization calling for Ali's removal, from Ali asking for a restorative justice to take place, and from a number of residents pleading that she remain on the commission.

At first, it seemed the City Council was leaning toward removing Ali, when Councilor Megan Alter joined Mayor Bruce Teague and Councilor Pauline Taylor in favoring that action. But shortly after, Councilor Shawn Harmsen said he had also reconsidered his previous position and asked to delay the decision indefinitely.

Harmsen said he is concerned about what the mission of the TRC is and what will move that forward. He said after listening to the most recent TRC meeting and talking with some of the commissioners, they have shown they are taking the matter seriously.

"No matter what we do, it is going to cause more harm. The ripple effect of the podcast is going to continue," Harmsen said.

A majority of City Council members, including Harmsen, stated they would like to see a restorative justice process play out before making any decisions on removing Ali. There is not a set timeline for when the City Council could take the issue off the table, but the TRC meets again Thursday and could take further action.

"I find myself thinking maybe we can give (the TRC) a chance and some room to do it themselves," he said.

Mayor Bruce Teague says Amel Ali 'damaged' work being done by TRC

Tuesday's decision followed a tense two weeks in which Porter received an anonymous note in the mail accusing Ali of insulting her, her daughter and elder members of Iowa City's Black community on Rock Hard Caucus, a subscription-based podcast. Porter and several others called on the City Council to remove Ali, but many more stood up for Ali and asked that she remain on the commission.

Ali apologized for what she said on the podcast, but refused to resign from the commission or as its chair. Teague called an emergency meeting and the motion to remove Ali was ultimately tabled until Tuesday.

The TRC voted to suspend Ali as chair, but not remove her from the position entirely.

Teague acknowledged how difficult this conversation has been and said he wasn't seeking to punish Ali, but rather take her off the commission so the TRC can effectively do its work.

He, and others on the council, argued the division she wrought with would be a hindrance to the TRC trying to connect with every person in Iowa City's Black community.

"The TRC is a place where people feel welcomed and people feel like they can share their truths, and I feel like that has been damaged by her ability or her acts to feel so comfortable to go on a podcast and talk about a group of people," he said.

Amel Ali asks for second chance: 'I have to set the example'

Ali took about 10 minutes and attempted to explain to the City Council how restorative justice would work to both heal divides in the community and hold herself accountable. She committed that she would not go back to being chair of the commission until this healing process is complete.

"I really genuinely believe that I have to set the example," Ali said. "When I believe in something, I believe in it wholeheartedly. ... I want to be given the opportunity to show that (restorative justice) can work in the community."

She said restorative justice can be a long process, rather than the quick solution of removing her.

Ali equated removing her from the TRC as "retribution," which she said would tell her she isn't welcome to the community and would be labeled as bad. She said "restoration" will instead signal that she remains part of the community, but her behavior was still unacceptable.

"Those two definitions are integral and gives you the baseline of what my vision of restorative justice is," Ali said.

Teague reiterated that Ali does not have to remain on the commission for a restorative justice process to take place.

Royceann Porter defends herself, offers forgiveness: 'I'm sick of this, and it needs to stop'

Porter spoke for about three minutes, turning to Ali and other members of the audience when speaking and defending herself from criticisms of her conduct. She turned to Ali and said that she has forgiven her.

"I cannot continue the work in this community if I don't forgive her. I've forgiven you Amel. I'm sick of this, and it needs to stop," she said.

The meeting, both in-person and online, was filled with leaders in Iowa City's Black community taking stances on both sides of the issue, including South District Neighborhood Association President Angie Jordan, former City Councilor Mazahir Salih, and Orville and Billie Townsend.

Five other TRC commissioners spoke, giving varying opinions on how the City Council should proceed.

Chastity Dillard, the vice chair of the commission, implored the council to let the TRC do its job and carry out a lengthy restorative justice process instead of punishing Ali. Dillard now holds the powers as chair under Ali's suspension, but not the official title.

"What we need from the City Council is the autonomy to move forward and help our communities learn from this process. This is what we were appointed to do, help bring healing to our communities," she said.

TRC Commissioner Mohamed Traore questioned why the City Council was litigating the matter in a public meeting rather than letting the TRC handle it internally.

"My worry here is that we're setting a precedent that the commission is going to be completely undermined, and also when it comes to any decisions that we do make or look to make, that the City Council is going to undermine us," he said.

George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen's local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (515) 350-6307, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Amel Ali to remain on TRC after intense Iowa City Council meeting