Buttars says issue is closed

Despite a call for his resignation by the head of the NAACP's Salt Lake Branch because of a statement seen as racist, Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, said Thursday "this issue is done as far as I'm concerned."

Buttars told the Deseret Morning News, "I stand by my statement." Asked if that meant he was not going to consider resigning, he said, "I stand by my apology. That's it. This issue is done as far as I'm concerned."

Buttars apologized for the statement, made Tuesday during Senate debate on a bill dealing with school districts sharing revenues. The senator used the word black to negatively describe the "baby" being divided, saying, "This baby is black, I'll tell you. This is a dark and ugly thing."

Buttars said he was sorry for the statement after Senate President John Valentine, R-Orem, announced later Tuesday on the floor that there had been a breach of decorum and the senator involved wanted to apologize.

On Wednesday, Buttars posted a written statement to the Senate majority's Web site, www.senatesite.com/blog, calling what he'd said "a dreadful choice of words and I recognize that my words were damaging."

Jeanetta Williams, president of the Salt Lake Branch of the NAACP, on Wednesday called for Buttars to resign. She said Buttars has not returned her telephone calls although Valentine was concerned enough to call her Wednesday.

"You would think that Sen. Buttars would make one attempt to call or at least return the call," Williams said. "It would seem to me he doesn't want to talk about it. He wants it to go away."

But, Williams vowed, "he's not just going to ride it out."

If Buttars doesn't resign and opts for a re-election bid, Williams said, the NAACP will find someone to run against him. She said this isn't the first time Buttars has made racist statements.

In August 2006, Buttars called the landmark 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision that desegregated public schools, Brown v. Board of Education, "wrong to begin with" in a radio interview.

"He continues to make these derogatory statements, then he says 'I'm sorry' and moves on," Williams said. "Then the next incident happens."

Valentine said Thursday it was up to Buttars to decide whether to resign. "His resignation is his decision," he said. "Sen. Buttars is in a very difficult situation."

Valentine declined to give his own opinion about what action Buttars should take.

"I'm going to let Sen. Buttars have his space," Valentine said. "If I express my personal opinions, then it would have an effect on Sen. Buttars' decision. I think Sen. Buttars needs to come to grips with that decision."