Some Minneapolis council members want to censure Rainville, but it's not so easy

The Minneapolis City Council is facing pressure from some members of the public to take formal action against one of its own for remarks that many contend were harmful and racist.

Council Member Michael Rainville came under fire recently for blaming primarily Somali American youth for a wave of violence over the July 4th weekend. He has since apologized. Police have not made any statements about the ethnicity of those involved.

His remarks were widely condemned by racial justice groups, including the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which said Rainville's words put a target on a group already experiencing an increase in hate crimes.

Some council members now are leading an effort to formally censure Rainville. But imposing a censure is not so simple. Here's why.

What is a censure?

A censure is usually described as a formal expression of disapproval usually done in the form of a resolution. The written statement includes an explanation of the misconduct and the action being taken by the members.

Can the City Council do it?

Minneapolis does not have a formal censure process. The city's charter, city code and council rules do not provide a process for that, city officials say.

But the lack of a formal process doesn't mean that the 13-member council can't draft a censure resolution, which requires a majority vote.

Have they done it before?

The Minneapolis City Council has never taken any action to censure a member, City Clerk Casey Carl said.

What is happening now?

The City Attorney's Office said there are two open ethics complaints involving Rainville, a Democrat who represents the Third Ward.

The complaints will be reviewed by the city's ethics officer, who determines whether there is enough information to proceed with an investigation and, if so, delivers preliminary findings to the Ethical Practices Board. If the board ultimately sustains either complaint, it will send recommendations to the City Council, which gets the final decision on whether to issue sanctions.

The board's July meeting was canceled due to scheduling conflicts before complaints were lodged against Rainville, according city spokesperson. The next meeting is set for Sept. 20.

Council President Andrea Jenkins said in a recent interview that the council "can potentially censure" Rainville, but she'll await findings of the ethics investigations "before that happens."

But others on the City Council, including Jeremiah Ellison, say they don't need an ethics board investigation to know whether Rainville's comments were "xenophobic, racist and condescending" and that they must move quickly to condemn Rainville's remarks.

What are the repercussions of a censure?

It depends on the nature of the censure and the body imposing it, Carl said. But a censure does not remove a member from office and carries no legal consequences.

What has Rainville said about the complaints against him?

Rainville did not return messages seeking comment, but he has apologized for his remarks.

In his apology, Rainville said he was "trying to convey that we need more support for our youth. But the fact is what I said and the way I said it was not appropriate and singled out Somali youth. I recognize and acknowledge the hurt and anger my statement caused. I am sorry."

But during a Take Back the Street block party last weekend, Rainville said, "We are being filmed by people who don't understand living in the violent atmosphere you have. Be aware of what you say and who you say it to."

Those comments concerned Muslim leaders, who questioned the sincerity of Rainville's apology, renewing calls for him to meet with members of the Somali community.

Rainville was set to have a private meeting Friday evening with some Somali American leaders and youth to discuss the matter. A public meeting between Rainville and residents could also be held in the near future.