Free Press Ejected by Republicans
Staff Report
The Delaware County Republican Party showed its true colors Tuesday after ousting a Free Press writer from a post-election party for Republican Mayor Sharon McShurley and the GOP ticket at the Regency ballroom. That constitutional right of freedom of press was denied by none other than Will Statom, local Republican Party chairman, who said someone asked that the writer leave.
"This is a private party," Statom said.
The Free Press wanted to get a few words from McShurley and take some photos after her defeat by Democrat Dennis Tyler, a state representative. The mayor kept turning away and a supporter, Micah Maxwell, said the mayor had nothing to say. (* See comment from Micah Maxwell below.) The writer was later talking with former Muncie School Board member Leon Dixon when Statom ordered him out.
"That is a low class move," Dixon told Statom.
Of course, Dixon was banned from writing letters in the big media, that endorsed McShurley and the entire Republican ticket. We the people remember when Statom attacked a reporter and hit a Democratic congressional candidate over another election dispute and only got anger management classes for a penalty.
Just hours before, McShurley told the same writer that she was confident of victory while standing with Chris Hiatt, that Good Government guy, at the Northside Church of Nazarene. She thought the election would be won on her performance and creation of jobs, given Tyler had no job plan and had not helped with economic development.
That negative campaign and her continued association with Hiatt certainly did not help in Tuesday's election. Hiatt was accused Tuesday of harassing and intimidating voters by Precinct 45 inspector Susan Danner who said he was crowding and forcing voters to take literature, Hiatt was wearing one of those Big Jim Arnold for Council shirts. Hiatt said the polling board would not allow campaign workers use church bathrooms.
Hiatt's group endorsed McShurley and the Republican team except when they endorsed dissent Democrats Dianna Bennington, who is the next Muncie City Court judge, and Muncie City Council member Linda Gregory who won re-election. Statom's disregard for freedom of the press speaks well of his first election as county chairman where Democrats swept all contested races.
We the people believe McShurley represented the city well, but was not very inclusive as represented Tuesday. And Hiatt, who made thousands of dollars in printing services from McShurley's campaign, might find Good Government (Tea Party) and their You Tube videos are wearing out among voters, given that Occupy Muncie is showing the face of the disadvantaged, disabled and unemployed fed up with the corruption of banks and government.
That may be the most poorly
That may be the most poorly written news article I've ever ready. Wow.
Oh, brother. A really fine
Oh, brother. A really fine piece of journalism proliferated speculative and fallacious BS.
A forthright reporter/columnist would have sought out and reported the facts.
Not a news article....more
Not a news article....more like an extremely biased opinion piece!...go figure. Very disappointing.
Submitted by Anonymous
Submitted by Anonymous
ED NOTE: Pretty sure the
ED NOTE: Pretty sure the following is comment from Maxwell. Trying to confirm.
--------------------
"The mayor kept turning away and a supporter, Micah Maxwell, said the mayor had nothing to say."
Very disappointing article, rather blog post.
Since my name was mentioned and I was misquoted and misrepresented, I will certainly respond. After giving a concession speech and speaking to the media all evening, Mayor McShurley wanted to give some attention to her many supporters, friends and family that were lined up to simply speak to her. This was respected by all of the other media present except for this particular "writer." He insisted on snapping pictures and charging forward to try to get quotes from the Mayor. She politely asked him to give her some space of which he ignored. I then asked him to wait until tomorrow and contact her then. It appeared that he was going to respect her wishes but then went back to snap pictures. It was at that time the party chair was informed that the mayor has being harassed.
Wow. I see all of the TSP
Wow. I see all of the TSP forum fans have already begun their own "Occupy Muncie Free Press" campaign. They need to know that Muncie Free Press is not going away, and neither is www.muncievoice.com. I guess, when the shoe is on the other foot, they don't like it. Well, they better get used to it, because the TSP has been unfair and unbalanced for too many years, and there is a new Democrat in town. Or, should I say, PLURAL--new Democrats!
If Republicans practiced
If Republicans practiced inclusion, they might have prevailed on Tuesday. Freedom of press, like speech and assembly, is absolute and only subject to opinion in a court of law. As Leon Dixon said, "That is a low class move."
"That constitutional right
"That constitutional right of freedom of press was denied..."
Furthermore, how was the constitutional right of the freedom of press denied?
First of all, this "writer" NEVER presented proper press credentials.
He was NOT denied the opportunity to interview the mayor. (as reflected in his own words..."Just hours before, McShurley told the same writer...")
He was NOT asked to leave until he decided he would NOT respect the wishes of those that invited him to the private party.
He obviously published what he wanted to, regardless of factual basis.
Freedom of the press in the United States is protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. It generally prohibits the governement from interferring with the printing and distribution of information and opinions.
It does NOT say anyone can show up to a private party and do what he wants, how he wants, when he wants, WITHOUT proper press credentials in the name of freedom of the press.
I would suspect that even a NOVICE journalist would know this.
Submitted by Micah A Maxwell
What are proper press
What are proper press credentials?
I would say anything would
I would say anything would be proper press credentials. Your name, organization you represent...and anything else you want to add or omit.
However, if you try to present a document or a card that is clearly NOT press credentials, than I think that qualifies as not having proper press credentials.
For example, and I'm not saying this did or did not happen...but if you were given a badge to be able to enter and exit polls as a member of the media, then that would count as proper credintials...for that purpose. But if you tried to use that same badge for another event, for a different purpose other than what they were issued for, then I think that would count as not having proper press credentials.
Just my humble opinion...
micah maxwell (P.S. I ALWAYS SIGN MY NAME TO MY COMMENTS!)