POCOMOKE CITY, Md. (AP) — 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 town’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 open meetings law and the First Amendment in excluding reporters from the meeting.
Pocomoke City’s attorney says he is not aware of any instructions given to police to bar reporters from the crowded July 13 meeting.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
9 comments:
Joe, the premise of this headline is patently false. The ACLU was not barred from the meeting. City Hall was filled to capacity as allowed by the fire marshal's office. Once that limit was reached, no one else was allowed in, including WMDT and former city officials. If the ACLU wanted to be inside, they should have arrived earlier. Many citizens of Pocomoke arrived an hour or more before the meeting so they could be in the council chamber.
Faced with an overflow, standing room only crowd, there was no choice but to limit the number of citizens in the building.
What should the Mayor have done, asked Pocomoke City residents to leave so that the ACLU and WMDT could be allowed in? If the media wanted to be inside, they should have arrived earlier. They didn't and now their feelings are hurt so the are going to try to make a legal issue out of it.
If the Mayor and Council had allowed more people in, and violated fire regulations these same "media" people would have taken the city to task for violating the fire codes. It was a no-win situation.
As a citizen of Pocomoke City (who did not make it inside), I think the proper decision was made to allow the citizens of the town to stay inside and not force some to leave to make way for the ACLU, WMDT and others.
The public is the public in these meetings. No special accommodations are made or should be expected to be made for press or members of any organization. First come, first seated. If you don't get there before the seats are filled to capacity, shame on you.
An additional "Shame on you" to the ACLU for continuing to create conflict where there is none, and to the press for yet again taking the bait.
Another foolishly contentious reach by the ACLU.
More grasping at straws hoping something sticks by the ACLU and the Sewell supporters.
WMDT consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.
Not true, I was there. WMDT and WBOC were there at 5:30. Their reporters were standing at the Council room door when it opened and were first in line. Mr. Corbin kept them out until the room was full then said, "Sorry, no more room."
Well if that's true then good for Mr Corbin whoever he is. The media shouldn't be given priority over the residents of Pocomoke.
3:18-If this is what happened then Mr Corbin did the right thing. WBOC and WMDT would have done a one minute story on issue. It seems better that the more people who the firing effects like those who live in Pocomoke that were able to sit in on the meeting the better. This way they get all of what was said and not just bits and pieces from the press.
They would've taken up a whole row of seats with their paraphernalia. Then they public would been denied entry.
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