Open Session, Saturday

October 4, 2008

Open Session, Saturday

Filed under: Open Session — mary @ 10:09 am

Some interesting issues in today’s local news: the school district is having air quality problems at their central office, the NIC Foundation (private) will carry the loan for the purchase of the DeArmond Mill site, and the Italian Festival is tonight at the Fairgrounds–I’ve heard it’s lots of fun.

Any comments on these or ideas on others?

Comments (17)

17 Comments

Under our Constitution, anonymous pamphleteering is not a pernicious, fraudulent practice, but an honorable tradition of advocacy and of dissent. Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority. It thus exemplifies the purpose behind the Bill of Rights, and of the First Amendment in particular: to protect unpopular individuals from retaliation–and their ideas from suppression–at the hand of an intolerant society.

McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission

Comment by Dan — October 4, 2008 @ 10:11 am
Dan, your link is very interesting. It’s a US Supreme Court decision from 1995. I can see the direct relationship to our city’s recently announced $25,000 lawsuit against Kathy Sims and Tom Macy for the pamphlet mailed out before the last city council elections in ’07. As I understand it, the pamphlet did identify the group’s name at the bottom, but the city says it didn’t list the Treasurer’s name. The group was registered with the Secretary of State’s office. They did not realize they had to register with the CdA City Clerk as well, for a local election.

Comment by mary — October 4, 2008 @ 10:19 am
The CDA City Attorney may be remembered as the guy who helped destroy the unconstitutional Sunshine laws. WhooHoo….

Comment by Pariah — October 4, 2008 @ 10:46 am
Oh yeah and Steve Smith is gone!

Comment by Pariah — October 4, 2008 @ 10:47 am
According to state statutes, campaign finance reports need to be filed with the Secretary of State. Chapter 66 of Title 67, Idaho Code, covers elections. IC 67-6625A states (emphasis added):

67-6625A. LATE FILING OF STATEMENT OR REPORT — FEES. If any person fails to file a report or statement on or before a specified date, he shall be liable in an amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) per day after the deadline until the statement or report is filed, to the secretary of state. Liability need not be enforced by the secretary of state if on an impartial basis he determines that the late filing was not willful and that enforcement of the liability will not further the purposes of the act, except that no liability shall be waived if a statement or report is not filed within five (5) days after receiving written notice of the filing requirement from the secretary of state.

This is the code cited in the campaign finance manual provided by the City. But it’s only half the code. That’s because Title 50, Chapter 4 authorizes the City Clerk to run municipal elections. IC 50-477:

50-477. APPLICATION OF CAMPAIGN REPORTING LAW TO ELECTIONS IN CERTAIN CITIES. The provisions of sections 67-6601 through 67-6616 and 67-6623 through 67-6630, Idaho Code, are hereby made applicable to all elections for mayor, councilman and citywide measures in cities of five thousand (5,000) or more population, except that the city clerk shall stand in place of the secretary of state, and the city attorney shall stand in place of the attorney general.

I feel that there needs to be a legislative change. IC 67-6625A must be modified to include a reference to IC 50-477. Otherwise, when a City Clerk references IC 67-6625A and only that code, confusion can result.

Comment by Dan — October 4, 2008 @ 11:15 am
Fannie, Freddie, Barney oh my!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usvG-s_Ssb0

Comment by Pariah — October 4, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
Many of us recognize the lawsuit as a form of intimitation. The powerful in city of CdA are sending this as warning to anyone who stands up to them. That is why people are afraid to run for office or use their real name on this blog. God bless Mary, Dan and the rest of you who have shown courage and leadership.

Comment by Mama Bear — October 5, 2008 @ 7:52 am
I find it unfortunate that this is the tactic of choice with the city.

Comment by Susie Snedaker — October 5, 2008 @ 10:20 am
Susie you are being kind. It is s grossly wrong to use the police powers of government to stifle dissent that words fail. This is the fundemental wrong, it is crime of the highest nature.

Comment by Pariah — October 5, 2008 @ 10:28 am
McCrory Takes Lead in North Carolina Governor’s Race

Nobody told me he was running!

Comment by Pariah — October 5, 2008 @ 11:59 am
The AP now reports that Sarah Palin is a racist. Yep, married to a Native American but a racist anyhow.

The Most Bizarre Journalistic Malpractice Yet?

It’s a contender, anyway: the Associated Press claims that Sarah Palin’s criticism of Barack Obama’s relationship with Bill Ayers was racist!

(For those who live in Rio Linda or Athol, Ayers is the WHITE terrorist who played ‘bomb the pentagon’ decdes before Osama and his buds did.)

Comment by Pariah — October 5, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
Pariah, I stand corrected. These tactics began with the Steve Judy administration and they continue with Sandi Bloem administration.

Comment by Susie Snedaker — October 5, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
Ah yes, the poor Boy Mayor and Michelle his lovely bride. Where are they now? But the Gridley machine marches on. No Smith but still no shame.

Comment by Pariah — October 5, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
Another absolutely MUST SEE video – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5z9lD4C2Io

Comment by Pariah — October 5, 2008 @ 7:19 pm
I’m becoming increasingly convinced that “partisan” is a code-word meaning “Republican” and “bi-partisan” is a code word meaning “Democrat.”

Comment by Dan — October 7, 2008 @ 9:57 pm
So what does “non-partisan” mean?…actually neutral?

Comment by mary — October 7, 2008 @ 10:02 pm
So what does “non-partisan” mean?…actually neutral?

Socialist Mary, it means socialist.

Comment by justinian — May 22, 2011 @ 12:31 pm

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