Rafael Rafidi, the Metairie businessman who was appointed past week to fill an interim Jefferson Parish Faculty Board seat in advance of a raft of typically profane social media posts arrived to light only hrs later, resigned Monday afternoon.
Rafidi, who sat as a board member for just just one meeting, submitted a letter to Jefferson Parish University Board President Clay Moïse on Monday, but his resignation will not be official right up until a copy is been given at the Secretary of State’s Office environment.
“I acknowledge that some of my previous social media posts, consultant of my passion for our state, may possibly have offended other people,” Rafidi wrote in a letter submitted to the board. “For that, I am sorry.”
Rafidi claimed his wish was to make Jefferson Parish “a much better location for ALL.”
“My Palestinian and Honduran mothers and fathers immigrated to this state with almost nothing but their Faith and the American Desire,” he wrote. “They raised me to be a devout Catholic, partner and father and to really like my state for the freedom it presents.”
A spokesperson for Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin reported the office environment had not nonetheless gained the minutes of the conference appointing Rafidi to the post or his letter of resignation. As soon as those are been given, both the appointment and resignation will become official.
In a assertion, the University Board praised Rafidi’s final decision. By resigning, associates explained, “Mr. Rafidi put the curiosity of the kids and teachers of Jefferson Parish in advance of his individual.”
The resignation marked an extremely speedy turnaround for the board, which on Wednesday appointed Rafidi by a 6-1 vote, with just one abstention, to fill the seat vacated by longtime board member Larry Dale, who resigned.
The future morning, The Moments-Picayune described a collection of controversial social media posts by Rafidi, such as 1 wherever he known as U.S. Sen. Monthly bill Cassidy a “piece of s–t,” and a different in which he stated previous New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu was a “f—–g traitor.” He also claimed to have been at Jan. 6 “Cease the Steal” rally in Washington D.C. prior to marching up to the Capitol, even though Rafidi mentioned he was peaceful and never ever reported he went inside the creating.
In a tweet from 2018, Rafidi also reported that “Teachers had been the tumble of our young people.”
Citing his profane and disparaging social media posts directed at politicians, Democrats and teachers, the Jefferson Parish University Board took …
For the duration of the exclusive board assembly in which he was appointed, two University Board customers questioned Rafidi about some Fb posts, together with a single in which he experienced criticized the NFL for opting to participate in “Raise Each individual Voice and Sing,” which is also regarded as the Black nationwide anthem. A person of the board users, Ricky Johnson, urged Rafidi to “clear up” his Facebook, saying he experienced some posts on there that he could not want some others to see as a University Board agent.
Johnson was the lone member of the board to vote towards Rafidi’s appointment. Board member Simeon Dickerson, who like Johnson is Black, abstained.
Following the information story was published, the board confronted rigorous backlash and media scrutiny. On Friday, the board urged Rafidi to resign, saying that they were being in the beginning amazed by his background as the kid of immigrants and his fluency in the two Spanish and Arabic, two languages spoken widely in the course of the approximately 50,000-scholar, 50-language process.
“When we built his appointment, the board was not aware of these social media posts,” the board’s statement mentioned. “We strongly imagine that the lingering outcome of Mr. Rafidi’s provocative positions will render him ineffective as a district consultant and Faculty Board member.”
The board should now appoint a substitute for Rafidi. But this time, the board is soliciting apps and resumes, a little something that was not finished with Rafidi, who was nominated mainly on Dale’s advice. This time, skilled candidates are requested to post a letter of software and resume to the board. Candidates will be interviewed, nominated and voted on at a exclusive conference on Jan. 21 at 5 p.m.
A Metairie businessman’s partisan and sometimes profane social media posts taking shots at politicians, Democrats and even lecturers drew a war…