(wboc.com)
ACLU Says Reporters Barred From Pocomoke Council Meeting
Posted: Jul 31, 2015 2:17 PM EDTUpdated: Jul 31, 2015 2:57 PM EDT
POCOMOKE CITY, Md. (AP/WBOC)- The American Civil
Liberties Union of Maryland says reporters were illegally
barred from a Pocomoke City council meeting during
which the recent firing of the city's police chief was
discussed.
In a complaint filed Friday with the Maryland Open
Meetings Compliance Board, the ACLU says city
officials violated both the state's Open Meetings Act and
the First Amendment in excluding reporters from the
meeting.
"The Pocomoke City Council is undeniably a public body
under the OPA, and the Act defines 'open session' to
mean open to all meaning both the public and the
press," the complaint says. "Not only is this true under
the Open Meetings Act, it is true under the U.S.
Constitution: The First Amendment guarantees that the
press and the public enjoy equal access to government
information and proceedings, including Town Council
meetings, making it unconstitutional for the government
to bar reporters from meetings open to the public at
large."
Pocomoke City's attorney says he is not aware of any
instructions given to police to bar reporters from
the crowded July 13 meeting.
Former chief Kelvin Sewell, who is black, says he was
fired for refusing to terminate two other black
officers who, like Sewell, have filed job discrimination
complaints.
City officials emphatically deny that Sewell was ousted
because he refused to fire the two officers.
Reading "other" blogs it seems the Mayor has apologized for denying media access, come on folks, we are not perfect so we cant expect him to be. He has always been very respectful and I think a great person to represent our town. Not many people will even step forward for the unthankful job, none of it is easy. Have you considered that his feeling were hurt as well, Sewell and him was friends. But you have to do the right thing, I trust the Mayor and Council made a good decision and I am sick of the media dragging our town in the dirt, take a stand Pocomoke and lets allow the system to work and get on with making Pocomoke a great place for everyone.
ReplyDeleteRegarding media coverage it can be noted that our posting source for this story, wboc.com, fully covered the rally in support of the mayor the previous day.
ReplyDeleteIf it was standing room only then the media should not go in and allow the space for someone who is a resident to hear everything that was being said. The media is only going to give a minute or 2 to the whole story and maybe 30 seconds of soundbites from the meeting in their report.
ReplyDeleteIt only make sense that residents get seating first so they get the whole picture and not just what is reported on the media.
only thing I heard was no cameras and no picture taking... yall need stop with all the lying so we can get the truth.
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