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'N-Word' Recording Revealed In Podcast By Incoming Ceres City Council Member John Osgood

CERES (CBS13) — An incoming Ceres City Council member who was caught using the n-word has now been booted from his post before even being sworn in.

The racist language was discovered in a podcast recorded by John Osgood in February.

Video of a council meeting video shows Osgood interviewing for an open council seat in November.

"My name is John Osgood, I've been a life-long resident of Ceres," Osgood said in the video. "I'm a direct descendant of eight members of the Mayflower."

The council voted him in 3-1 two weeks ago. Now, it's rescinded the decision unanimously after hearing Osgood use the n-word several times in his own podcast recording.

Ceres Mayor Javier Lopez says the whole council listened to the recording together after several local newspapers brought it to their attention.

"I'll tell you how I felt in the moment: My stomach was churning," Mayor Lopez said. "And it really hit hard especially with him saying the n-word with the hard 'r'."

The Modesto-Stanislaus NAACP is commending the move by the council to reverse its appointment of Osgood.

"The bottom line is it's a derogatory word and so it got our attention," Modesto Stanislaus NAACP President Wendy Byrd said.

"That word has a very stinging effect from many years ago, and we have a generation of people that are trying to move past that," Modesto Stanislaus NAACP Chair Samuel White-Ephraim said.

Osgood released a statement reading, in part:

"The Ceres City Council's decision to rescind my council appointment represents the worst of today's cancel culture hysteria and is based on an inaccurate and defamatory portrayal of my character."

A podcast revealing an appointed council member's racist language on the record has led to this swift city council reversal.

"I want the people of Ceres to understand that you have a city council and a mayor that does listen, and will correct a wrong when necessary," Mayor Lopez said.

A new council appointment has now been made for the open seat and that candidate is set to be voted on next month.

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