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Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Speech

By TChris, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 01:19:36 PM EST
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by TChris

Edward Mueller filed a municipal complaint against Stephen Acropolis, alleging that Acropolis violated a Brick Township, New Jersey ordinance that prohibits the display of political campaign signs more than 30 days before an election. Mueller listed eight addresses where Acropolis’ signs were posted. Why this should be Acropolis’ problem is unclear, since the signs weren’t on his property, but Mueller wants Acropolis to be held responsible because he was “at the top of the ticket.”

Acropolis reasonably points out that the ordinance stifles political speech and is likely unconstitutional. He also wonders why Mueller, a journalist as well as a losing candidate, would want to squelch political expression:

[Acropolis] finds it peculiar that Mueller, who publishes the weekly Brick Township Town News and Sampler, would try to stifle a residents' right to free speech. “If Ed Mueller was a newspaperman who cared about free speech, he wouldn't have signed the complaint," Acropolis said.

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    Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Speech | 11 comments (11 topical)
    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#1)
    by profmarcus on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 01:34:01 PM EST
    if i wasn't so big on free speech and didn't passionately believe in how inherently invaluable it is to a free society, this is the kind of free speech i would like to ban...
    A Cybercast News Service investigation . . . reveals that one of Murtha's former Democratic congressional colleagues and a fellow decorated Vietnam veteran, Don Bailey of Pennsylvania, alleges that Murtha admitted during an emotional conversation on the floor of the U.S. House in the early 1980s that he did not deserve his Purple Hearts. [...] "Pretending to be a big war hero and boasting about having medals is a slap in the face to our veterans who were seriously wounded or killed in action," [World War II Navy veteran Harry M.] Fox was quoted as telling the Uniontown Herald-Standard in the newspaper's Nov. 1, 1996 edition. "He campaigned as a war hero and I've never seen any documentation that he earned any of these honors," Fox reportedly stated.
    disgusting and pathetic and a sad, sad shame that someone of the caliber of congressman murtha needs to respond to such trash... with 16 congressional terms and 38 years of combined active duty and reserve military service, john murtha doesn't deserve to be treated like this... And, yes, I DO take it personally

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#2)
    by Edger on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 01:48:46 PM EST
    profmarcus, It seems to me that the kind of people who would kick and scream about you attempting to repress their right to free speech when you call them on dirtbag smears like this, are the ones who do their damndest to blur the line between lies and free speech and assert that one is the other... and are the first to attempt to repress others rights...

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 02:37:46 PM EST
    You can thank McCain, Feingold, Meehan, and Shays for this kind of thing becoming more and more acceptable. I'd be happy of the lot of them got voted out, but I won't hold my breath.

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#4)
    by swingvote on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 02:44:38 PM EST
    Any idea why a fellow Democrat and war veteran would make these accusations? I see that Murtha denies that his medals are undeserved (and I have no reason to question their validity), but it's interesting that he doesn't sem to be denying that he said these things.

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#5)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 03:06:42 PM EST
    TChris, I honestly don't know where you or Acropolis are coming from on this. The 35 year-old ordinance says no political signs more than 30 days before an election. Apparently everyone in the race, except Acropolis, abided by the ordinance. Mueller - one of the oridinance-abiders in the race - is, reasonably, taking issue with Acropolis. While it ultimately may be conflated into a free speech issue, right now Acropolis' claim that Mueller is anti-free speach is the very definition of a strawman.

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#6)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 03:09:16 PM EST
    iow, the ordinance may well ultimately be proven to be in violation of free speech, but Mueller's objection to Acropolis' violation of the ordinance is anything but.

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#7)
    by Sailor on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 03:46:45 PM EST
    suo Mueller - one of the oridinance-abiders in the race Where di you get that? All I saw was that he was a publisher of the local paper.

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 04:09:02 PM EST
    Charlie, campaign finance "reform" isn't about money - it should be called the incumbent protection act. Witness what the CFR crowd are now trying to do to the internet - classify advocacy speech on the net as an "in kind" donation. I'm sure you'll be pleased when PowerLine can't promote the Republican nominee under that regime; I'm also sure that you'll be stunned to find TalkLeft equally muzzled.

    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#9)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 04:16:38 PM EST
    sailor, from the link:
    The plea was made before Jackson Township Municipal Court Judge Daniel D. Hyman, who said he will notify both Acropolis and Edward C. Mueller, who challenged Acropolis and Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli in November's mayoral election, when the hearing has been scheduled.


    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#10)
    by Sailor on Fri Jan 13, 2006 at 04:30:56 PM EST
    Thanks suo, I actuall read (well, OK, skimmed;-) the article and I missed that. Thanks. It explains a bit. Regarding the Murtha swifboating above, here is why bailey might be a suspicious source for this (of course the fact that CNS says it is reason enough):
    In 1982, after redistricting by the state legislature, Bailey's district was largely merged into the Twelfth Congressional District of Pennsylvania with fellow Democrat John Murtha, who had been serving since 1974. In a strongly fought primary, Bailey lost. Interestingly, when the Republican nominee for the seat withdrew the same year, Bailey was seriously considered as a replacement; he came in a very strong second at the Republican nominating convention held that year. This underscores that he was viewed as a conservative Democrat.
    Re: Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Sp (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 04:06:22 AM EST
    New Jersey Constitution: 6. Every person may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right. No law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press.

    Journalist Complains About Exercise of Free Speech | 11 comments (11 topical)