Temper, Temper:
Gordo Kicks a Chair
Seems Gordo has quite a temper. In March 2001, after a heated public comments period at a meeting of the Environmental Sampling Project Task Force, a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory consultant was about to give a presentation when a woman in the audience began to interrupt the meeting. The woman, Barbara George, president of Women's Energy Matters, refused requests by members of the task force and the audience to be quiet. According to witnesses, Gordo, who, was at the time, was a Community Environmental Advisory Commissioner and was sitting in the audience, asked George to be quiet several times and finally told her to shut up in a loud voice. When she didn't, Wozniak, who was seated two rows behind George, allegedly kicked an empty folding metal chair. The chair then struck the back of George's chair, witnesses said. According to a report from the Berkeley Police Department, George called police and said she was intentionally attacked. Wozniak, however, said he never intended for the chair to strike George's and only kicked the chair for emphasis.
Let's review the facts so far: Gordo tells people to shut up and kicks chairs at meetings. Nice.
Ms. George, after receiving treatment at Alta Bates/Summit Medical Center where she was treated for bruising and muscle spasms, filed a lawsuit against Gordo. Seems the lawsuit changed Gordo's recollection of the incident. No longer was the chair-kicking a dramatic flourish; it became an accident. Gordo says he "shifted his position," and a chair in front of him fell forward. At trial, however, Witnesses for the plaintiff and defense both agreed that Wozniak grew annoyed with George's repeated objections during a lab presentation at the meeting and kicked a chair in front of him that skidded in George's direction. But accounts of the force of the push and the likelihood of injury differed widely. The judge ruled against Ms. George.
Gene Bernardi, a George ally, said she was "disgusted" by the ruling and said Wozniak should not hold public office. "I just don't feel comfortable with a person who can't control himself being in a public position," Bernardi said. "This is a man who gets out of control."
In a letter to the Berkeley Daily Planet, Elliot Cohen added, "Pushing or slamming a chair at a person ... clearly crosses the line. Members of the public should not have to fear violence by city commissioners who disagree with their opinions."
Source: Various Berkeley Daily Planet articles. See
Berkeley Daily Planet 04-02-01
Berkeley
Daily Planet 05-21-02
Berkeley
Daily Planet 08-17-02
Berkeley
Daily Planet 10-14-02