Cunningham’s page on the radio station’s website said he will not apologize.
“The truth is I only said there was a drug problem involving MS13 because Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones told me that. I’m not apologizing for anything,” according to the radio station’s website.
Cunningham said he would attend the next council meeting.
Jones confirmed that the two people arrested in the Monroe hotel selling drugs were affiliated with the MS-13 gang.
“They are among us in our communities,” he said.
He said the MS-13 gang is affiliated with drug trafficking coming from Mexico and has also infiltrated communities, prisons and jails.
“It was bad luck that it happened in Monroe,” Jones said. “But it was it was good luck we arrested them. It was good for Monroe that we arrested them.”
When asked why Cunningham singled out Monroe and not southwest Ohio, Jones surmised that the arrest happened just before Cunningham appeared on national television.
Cunningham and his producers have not responded to messages seeking comment on the matter.
INITIAL REPORT, May 10:
“The Great American” Bill Cunningham of 700 WLW was a “no call, no show” at Tuesday night’s Monroe City Council meeting.
Two weeks ago, Councilman Todd Hickman said Cunningham should come to council and explain why he said, “Monroe Ohio has an MS 13 gang problem,” on a national Sunday talk show and why he said it on national television.
During an on-air interview on Cunningham’s radio talk show, he did not apologize for the negative comments but said he “ meant no aspersions against” the city. Toward the end of the interview with Hickman, Cunningham said he and his wife would visit Monroe that weekend. Hickman countered and invited Cunningham to attend council’s May 9 meeting to explain his remarks. Cunningham agreed to attend the meeting.
When Tuesday’s meeting started at 6:30 p.m., Cunningham was a no-show as the meeting started. After Mayor Robert Routson presented two proclamations, the council moved ahead with its agenda.
During the meeting, Hickman offered a short statement saying, Cunningham “was not a man of his word or a great American. He talks about real people but doesn’t know the real people here.
“He still needs to apologize for his words on television.”
MORE: Monroe wants apology from 'The Great American' on gang remark
During a short break in the meeting, Hickman said, “I was hoping to get an apology from him. But as we see he’s a no call, no show. He proclaims himself to be “a great American” but, a great American wouldn’t have put down a city and then not face council and explain the reason why he went on television and told the country that Monroe has an MS 13 gang problem.”
Hickman said Cunningham should have been at the meeting after saying on his program that he would.
“Apparently he’s not a man of his word,” Hickman said. “Hopefully, maybe he’ll change his mind and show up. Other than that, I’m still waiting for the apology.”
Hickman also said said Cunningham “shouldn’t be spreading fake news…. It shows he’s wrong because he didn’t come up here.”
MORE: Monroe councilman, radio host discuss gang comment
Cunningham on April 23 told George Stephanopoulos, during a segment of ABC’s “This Week” television program, that “Monroe Ohio has an MS 13 gang problem.” Cunningham said he based his comments on news accounts that a person arrested April 14 at a Monroe hotel off Interstate 75 had alleged ties to the violent drug trafficking gang.
That remark drew the ire of Hickman, who said at the April 25 Monroe City Council meeting that Cunningham owed the city, its residents and businesses an apology. At that meeting, Hickman asked the city’s police chief, Bob Buchanan, if the city had such a problem. Buchanan said he had no indication of that.
MORE: Alleged gang member arrested in Butler County
Cunningham was not listed on Tuesday’s council agenda to speak, but there he could have spoke during the public comments portion of the meeting. The Journal-News left a message Tuesday for Cunningham’s producer for comment. He has not responded to an email or voice mail seeking comment two weeks ago.
Routson said Tuesday that Cunningham did not responded to phone messages from him over the past two weeks. He also said the radio station then made fun of the city after the interview with Hickman.
Routson said the apology should be to the city and he should not have singled out Monroe.
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