BROCKTON, Mass. — A Brockton attorney has been fired after city officials said he made racial comments at a public meeting.
John "Jack" Creedon appeared before the Brockton Planning Board Tuesday night to present about a historic building that is slated for demolition to make way for a new CVS store.
City officials said that's when Creedon, who represented the realty company that owns the house at 12 Keith Avenue, made a shocking comment to board member Gary Keith, who is African American.
"Gary Keith said to Creedon, that's my family's house, because they share the same last name," said fellow board member Ollie Spears.
"Right off the bat, Mr. Creedon goes, 'Oh you must have been their slave! The family slave'," Spears told Fox 25. "Everybody's mouth dropped like, is this guy serious?"
Spears said he immediately stopped the meeting and ordered Creedon to apologize.
"I was so furious, cause he was saying that anybody black has to be a slave," Spears said. "I felt disrespected. I still feel disrespected."
Spears said Creedon apologized, and after the meeting, approached him outside board chambers to apologize again, and offer an explanation for his comments.
"He said the reason why he said that, is because he knew that the Keith family was a racist family, and had a black lawn jockey in the front yard," Spears said.
Spears said Creedon's explanation made little sense, and he believes Creedon's comments are representative of a larger issue in Brockton.
"I think it's important for people to know that racism is still alive," Spears said. "It's disheartening."
Fox 25 contacted Creedon's law firm and his home seeking clarification and comment, but requests for a response were not returned.
The company who hired Creedon to represent them in the transaction has since fired Creedon, according to company officials.
In a statement, a CVS spokesperson told Fox 25, "CVS is strongly committed to creating an environment that fosters diversity across all areas of our business, and we in no way support the comments made by the landlord's attorney at the planning board meeting."