A mayor in Southern California is facing calls for a recall after controversial comments he made more than once about his city's homeless population. KTLA reports that Lancaster's Rex Parris first landed on the radar for his remarks during a Feb. 25 City Council meeting, in which a speaker addressed the local homelessness crisis. Parris, who was recently elected for the sixth time, replied to her, "I want to give them free fentanyl." The speaker seemed confused, replying, "I can't understand what you're saying—you want to give them what?" "I want to give them all the fentanyl they want," he replied. "That's what I want."
The woman speaking whispered into the mic, "That was not kind," then continued with her speech. Parris doubled down in a more recent interview with FOX 11, noting he has no regrets over what he said about using the deadly drug as a tool. "These people are killing our citizens," he insisted. "Not a lot of them—but some of them. They have no respect for law and order." He went on to say that "quite frankly, I wish the president would give us a purge. Because we do need to purge these people," per the Los Angeles Times. "I want these people out of our city," he concluded.
Critics are outraged. "Anyone willing to give homeless people all the fentanyl they want, or to suggest that President Trump should allow a purge of the homeless population, has no business in public office," says Johnathon Ervin, a Democrat who came in second to Parris in the November election and is now leading recall efforts against Parris with at least one other former candidate.
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"For too long, Mayor R. Rex Parris has prioritized personal gain over the well-being of residents," a dedicated website with a petition for Parris' recall reads. "His administration has been marked by mismanagement, controversial policies, and a disregard for transparency. Lancaster deserves leadership that listens, serves, and uplifts the community—not one that divides and exploits it." The Times notes that Parris, a Republican trial lawyer, has had other eyebrow-raising ideas over the years, including in 2018, when he proposed making neckties optional for city workers, as he believed the wardrobe accessory cuts off blood flow to the brain. (More homeless stories.)
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