Columbia Heights residents push for councilmember to step down

Emily Baude KSTP

Councilmember KT Jacobs (Courtesy: Columbia Heights)

Residents of Columbia Heights are gathering on Tuesday to try to collect enough signatures to recall Councilmember KT Jacobs after she allegedly made an offensive phone call to a City Council candidate in 2022, according to the Concerned Citizens of Columbia Heights.

The Concerned Citizens of Columbia Heights and members of the public are meeting at Huset Park in Columbia Heights at 5 p.m. for a petition drive that aims to collect 2,000 signatures, according to a spokesperson for the organization.

Councilmember KT Jacobs is accused of calling and berating 26-year-old Justice Spriggs in July 2022. Spriggs was recently elected to the Columbia Heights City Council.

At a special City Council meeting in September 2022, the outside firm Red Cedar Consulting presented the report of its investigation, which found Jacobs had called Spriggs on July 24. Days later, Jacobs falsely claimed on social media that a family member had placed the call.

During that call, Jacobs allegedly questioned whether Spriggs was old enough to run for office and asked if he was “really biracial” and whether he had been raised in a white or Black household.

Jacobs’ behavior on that phone call and her dishonesty on social media were found to have violated the Columbia Heights City Council’s code of conduct.

Jacobs denied making the call, saying it was a relative using her phone and apologizing for what had taken place, according to the report.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS made numerous requests to Council Member Jacobs asking to speak with her.

The council voted without opposition to censure Jacobs in October 2022.

On May 22, Spriggs voted with the rest of the council, asking Jacobs to resign.