Several developments today involving arrested and indicted Omaha City Councilman Vinny Palermo.

The City Council late this afternoon, by a vote of 5-0, temporarily stripped Palermo of his Council Vice-Presidency, although he remains on the 7-member board.

North Omaha Council member Juanita Johnson abstained, having said prior to the vote that Palermo is innocent until proven guilty.

West Omaha Councilman Brinker Harding said, "Mr. Palermo should not be making decisions on city contracts, he should not be making decisions on public safety."

Northwest Omaha Council member Aimee Melton said her yes vote protects the citizens of Omaha from any future Palermo wrongdoing—along with federal bank and wire fraud charges Palermo is also accused of taking kickbacks. Palermo can ask that his VP post be reinstated during a “show-cause” hearing before the council next Tuesday.

The VP title is largely ceremonial but does carry with it the possibility of that council member being acting Mayor, if the Mayor and Council President are out of town at the same time. Today's action makes it extremely unlikely Palermo would ever again be sitting in for the city's top executive.

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In addition today, an attempt to recall Palermo entered the very early stages.

Douglas County Election Commissioner Brian Kruse tells News Channel Nebraska that two South Omahans, Sarah Smolen who ran against Palermo two years ago and Jonathon Renteria, are looking to work together to oust the two-term incumbent.

Kruse says Renteria is finalizing a recall statement accusing Palermo of a wide range of misdeeds including “neglect of duty,” racism, and anti-semitism.

All this while Palermo remains in federal custody, jailed in Saunders County, scheduled to make his case for release during a hearing in Lincoln Federal Court Wednesday.

Along with losing his VP title, Palermo has also been pulled from his committee assignments including Public Safety—the law-and-order committee—which Palermo headed up as Chairman.

Palermo has refused to resign from the council, but should he remain in custody and unable to attend weekly meetings, after three months—mid July—he would forfeit his position.

That would apparently make any recall moot, as Kruse anticipates that should the recallers gather the necessary number of valid signatures, 2,462, a recall election would likely be set for late July or August.