The background on the story is that Moreno did not like that fellow Commissioner Anthony Peraica (R) was tweeting from County Board meetings, so he decided to try to make it illegal. The Daily Herald reported that, ”Commissioner Joseph Mario Moreno has a proposed ordinance amendment before the Rules & Administration Committee that would ban the use of ‘publicly accessible instant-messaging platforms’ by commissioners, the board president and all those on the floor "during all meetings of the board.’ The proposed amendment specifically mentions ‘social-networking websites or like platforms,’ apparently aimed at Twitter and Facebook, Internet tools more and more politicians are making use of.”
The measure died during the first round of debate on the subject with one “yea”, five “nay” and three absent. Or, as the Sun-Times wrote in less than 140 characters, ”Cook County Commissioners can Tweet with abandon, lauding legislation and ripping rivals if they like.”
The Commissioners who were against the measure felt it would be a violation of the First Amendment right of freedom of speech. “This form of communication is protected. This form of ordinance is prior restraint. I don’t believe any court would uphold it, and I don’t think we should do it,” said Commissioner Larry Suffredin (D- District 13).
Commissioner Peter Silvestri (R- District 9) said,” I don’t think Cook County should be the test case. To me it seems like dangerous ground, and I’m not prepared to take it. I would hope the general public has a general understanding that you can’t believe everything you read.”
So Moreno was a “Twit” for proposing the measure, but what made Gorman one? She initially supported the ban, but ultimately voted against it when she realized there was no support for it to pass. That is idiotic! If she believed that the proposed ban was correct, she should have voted that way. Obviously she voted with the “in crowd,” for some statistical reason to make her record look good. Is that the way politicians are supposed to best represent their constituents? Voting with the majority even if they don’t agree? “Honesty is more important than perfection,” as my good friend Independent Gubernatorial candidate Scott Lee Cohen always says. Gorman certainly did not vote honestly!
How did Moreno take the loss of his proposal? About as well as he took his loss in his bid for re-election in the February primary, something Peraica won in his district
“It’s really a moot question because he’s not going to be here next term anyway,” Moreno said after the vote, offering his own political commentary about Peraica’s chance of winning re-election.”
Sour grapes definition of Moreno and Gorman written Twitter style, “Disparagement of something that is unattainable, you desire but cannot have.”
I’ll drink to that.
Sue writes:
ReplyDelete"I'll drink with you!"