Latest news with #JackieBeltaine
New York Post
09-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Gossipy small-town activist drops F-bombs, insults in final meeting before she moves away, wild video shows
A foul-mouthed activist in a sleepy town tortured by endless drama between its city council and mayor delivered a raucous farewell to the officials on Monday. Activist and self-proclaimed 'Yankee transplant' Jackie Beltaine didn't pull her punches as she bid an eager adieu to the Tarrant City Council and its mayor during the public comment period at the final meeting she attended before moving. 5 Tarrant resident Jackie Beltaine had a lot to say to the city council and mayor. Tarrant, Alabama / Facebook Advertisement She thanked them for causing enough trouble to force her into civic engagement before unleashing a string of F-bombs for the ages. 'F–k you, F–k you, F–k you, F–k you, F–k you, F–k you…' she said, gesturing to leaders seated at the dais one by one. She also pivoted to the city clerk, adding 'And F–k you too.' Beltaine admitted that the council and mayor's constant bickering and drama inspired her to dive deeper into politics and governance, even pushing her to read the entirety of the city code, state laws, court cases and much of the state constitution. Advertisement 5 Beltaine is a renowned activist in the city. Jackie Beltaine / TikTok 'I wanted to be able to understand what was supposed to happen, what was happening and address my concerns in an intelligent manner, so I had to go to the books,' Beltaine said. The advocate also founded the town's satirical forum dubbed the 'Tarrant Tattler' that shifted into a platform for some legitimate news about the city's dysfunctional leadership meshed with sharp commentary. Tarrant Mayor Wayman Newton laughed his way through Beltaine's speech, apparently having the time of his life while the council he often butts heads with watched on in disgust. Advertisement Still, Beltaine asserted that just because she has defended Newton's policies in the past doesn't mean she's any less critical of his juvenile squabbles with the council. 5 Beltaine pointed at each leader and the city clerk and said 'F***you.' Tarrant, Alabama / Facebook 'I flicked them all off. He drives me crazy too. I'm not aligned with the mayor. That's what everybody thinks, but I'm not,' Beltaine told The small 6,000-person city is headed by leaders who have frequently sparred during their own meetings — sometimes physically. Newton once slugged Councilman Tommy Bryant in the face during a heated exchange in a parking lot, according to surveillance footage obtained by the outlet. Advertisement In 2021, Bryant's wife feared for his life after a clip of him referring to a Black councilwoman as a 'House n—-r' went viral, spurring hundreds of calls to their home threatening violence. 5 In 2021, Councilman Tommy Bryant referred to another councilmember as a 'House n—-r.' Tarrant City Council Beltaine was at that very meeting and insisted that Bryant's abhorrent behavior wasn't 'isolated.' 'He is nothing but a racist, homophobic, xenophobic bigot,' Beltaine said in 2021. 'I find it pretty telling that the same council members that got so offended by my flipping them off and saying 'f–k you', didn't say a word when Council Man Tommy Bryant stood up and asked if there was a 'House-N in here' — only he used the full word, hard R. Tarrant city council, always wrong,' she added on BlueSky after her explicit exit. 5 The Tarrant City Council frequently butts heads with the mayor. Tarrant City Council Beltaine isn't quite sure what the future holds for her after downsizing her life into a camper, she told the outlet. She plans on traveling the country, but assured part of her will always be in Tarrant — namely, through the Tattler, which will continue accepting new contributors after her leave. Advertisement The Post reached out to Jackie Beltaine and Mayor Newton's office for comment. The Post tried to reach out to members of the city council, but the emails listed on the city website were inactive.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Quaint Alabama town rocked by local gossip queen's outburst at public meeting
A quaint Alabama town was rocked by a local gossip queen's bizarre outburst at a public meeting. A city council meeting in Tarrant - about six miles from Birmingham - was thrown into chaos after Jackie Beltaine, a self-proclaimed 'Buddhist Witch,' waved her middle finger around and repeatedly cursed at city leaders as part of a farewell speech. Beltaine, the voice behind 'The Tarrant Tattler' - a 'news organization' that shares opinionated commentary on city affairs - took it upon herself to say goodbye and 'thank you' to the group Monday evening before she moves away next week. In preparation for her final statement, Beltaine told city leaders, including Mayor Wayman Newton, that she studied the city's municipal code, state laws, court cases and a majority of the Alabama constitution to better understand why the group is so 'dysfunctional.' 'I wanted to be able to understand what was supposed to happen, what was happening, and address my concerns in an intelligent manner, so I had to go to the books,' the activist told the council. After going into extensive detail about what she learned through her studies, Beltaine launched a profane attack on the leaders, all of which was recorded live on Facebook. 'So now, you won't have to deal with me. I know you're happy to say that,' she said as she wrapped up her tirade. 'So I'm going to end with a quote from our mayor who's been made famous in a few court filings. F***you, f*** you, f*** you, f*** you, f*** you, f*** you...,' Beltaine shouted as she flipped off everyone seated at the desk before facing the city clerk, doing the same and walking off. Several people were heard chuckling, including Mayor Newton, while others remained quiet and appeared to be unamused by Beltaine's antics. Just before she cursed at the group, Beltaine made sure to thank them for all that she's learned over the years. 'But I learned more from you guys than I ever did in any civics class ever,' she told the leaders. 'So I just wanted to thank you because I never would have learned any of this stuff if y'all had learned to work together and work as one.' Following her dramatic rant, Newton said Beltaine, who describes herself as an 'LGBTQIA and BLM ally,' is a 'pretty vocal' person. 'She was pretty vocal about things going on in the city but the things she vocalized were the sentiments of most people living in the city,' he told 'It probably won't be spoken above a whisper, put into print or put on social media.' Newton himself is no stranger to unprofessional antics, as he was accused of deliberately harassing City Clerk Laverne Knight after dumping a stack of papers on her desk during a June council meeting. He is also known to throw around curse words and was also involved in a 2022 physical exchange with Tarrant City Councilman Tommy Bryant. While Newton appeared to find Beltaine's episode comical, councilwoman and mayor pro tempore Tracie Threadford did not agree. 'I would not dare allow any citizen to come in and disrespect my colleagues on the dais in that manner,' Threadford, who is running for mayor against Newton, told the outlet. 'That was uncalled for. Has Tarrant gone this low?' Threadford is one of two candidates looking to take the mayoral title away from Newton in the upcoming August 26 city elections. Beltaine later revealed her motivation behind her argument, as she told the outlet she isn't the only citizen who feels that way. 'I'm not saying anything that other people haven't thought about. And I'm leaving, so it was the perfect time for me to say what so many people have been wanting to say and I can,' she explained. She further explained why she chose to conduct research before her speech to the council. 'I literally had to go and learn all this stuff if I wanted to present any intelligent argument to the council. 'I wanted to be able to present my argument with a little bit of knowledge behind it,' she said. Although Newton was the only one who laughed after her spiel, Beltaine made it clear her message was to all the city leaders, including the mayor. 'I flicked them all off. He drives me crazy too. I'm not aligned with the mayor. That's what everybody thinks, but I'm not,' she stated. Afterward, she posted a clip of her attack on her Facebook page and captioned it: 'I'm that b**ch, saying what needs to be said.' Although she is moving out of Tarrant, Beltaine has encouraged other citizens to continue to voice their opinions and challenge the local government.
