Part of the Minutemen? OK, say so.

So Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor is a member of the Minuteman Project, huh?

Interesting.

Even intriguing.

Nothing wrong with it, we suppose.

But we’ll come back to what strikes us as wrong about this revelation.

First, the background. Mansoor has been a passionate proponent of legal immigration and a vocal opponent of illegal immigration. Costa Mesa is the only city in Orange County that has a federal agent check the citizenship status of suspects arrested by police.

In January 2006, Benito Acosta stood before the council to fight a city plan to train police in immigration enforcement. After a mini-melee, Acosta was arrested and now faces two counts of disorderliness and one count of violating propriety of conduct while addressing the council. He could face a maximum fine of $1,000 and six months in jail for each count if convicted.

It was at Acosta’s trial on Thursday that Mansoor testified, and during that testimony he acknowledged he is an honorary member of the Minuteman Project, a controversial, pro-immigration-reform group.

“People give me honors,” Mansoor said. “They wanted to make me an honorary Minutemen. I simply said, ‘Thank you.’ I don’t participate in any of their activities.”

Hmmm.

Hearing such Bill Clinton-like hairsplitting (some would call it a dodge act), we raise our eyebrows.

And we have to ask: In the unlikely event that the ACLU made Mansoor an honorary member, would he simply say, “Thank you”?

If Amnesty International made him an honorary member, would he accept?

Our point is not to impugn the Minutemen. They’re legitimate, albeit divisive. But illegal immigration is a hotbed issue. Acosta’s trial is proof of that. The mayor has used his council position as a bully pulpit to fight illegal immigration.

We respect his convictions, even his passion.

Even more reason why he should have been forthright about his ties to the Minuteman Project.