EDGAR CO.—Of all the horrors going on in Edgar County, one would think an unnecessary and already-locally-proven-it-won’t-work stunt wouldn’t be something a public official would pull.
But apparently no one has gotten word to Adonna Bennett.
Adonna Bennett, at a county board meeting
Bennett, featured on the front page of last month’s issue in this article, is an appointed public official. The county board, headed by her buddy, Chris Patrick, appointed her to the airport authority board, where immediately, Bennett began throwing her weight around in an effort to intimidate the target of Patrick’s ire, RSB Aviation. Over the course of a couple of months, Bennett told a series of whoppers about her father, her experience in government, how she was best suited to be in the role at the airport authority.
During this past week’s county board meeting, the Edgar County Watchdogs gave presentations at the meeting—having gotten on the agenda to do it, guaranteed by the First Amendment right of freedom to redress grievances with your government—and when John Kraft was finished, it was Kirk Allen’s turn. Allen got two and a half minutes into the presentation when Bennett “collapsed.” Allen, being a certified EMT, rendered aid, and Kraft called 911. When the commotion was over and Bennett was removed from the room, the county board proceeded with the meeting, despite Bennett’s performance to try and distract.
Chris Patrick, in back at left
Allen resumed where he left off, and was advised sharply by Patrick that he was “done.”
Patrick didn’t allow Allen the opportunity to proceed, and in fact had Sheriff Ed Motley escort Allen from the meeting. Shades of Brian James O’Neill.
After a snit out at the airport (again targeted at RSB), Bennett, now apparently fully recovered, was going around letting people know that it’s her intention to file a civil no-contact/stalking order (a civil Order of Protection, filed under OP) against Kraft and Allen.
Why? We don’t know. She has to have a real basis, and the Watchdogs criticizing her effort on the airport authority board isn’t a basis. Because we have been through this: You can’t bring a case against someone criticizing you if you’re a public official. It’s guaranteed by the Constitution; freedom of speech and right to redress grievances with your government.
But this is what she’s saying she’s going to do.
This is much like our OP in Richland County, wherein Jack’s Alzheimer’s-alleged stepdad, his flaky balding wife and his “we don’t know what the guy’s problems is” half-brother claimed an OP against us on tenuous grounds at best, but their major gripe is we “write about them.” The first judge in the case granted the OP on the basis that we “harassed” them via writing, but the second judge clarified that we could continue to write about them because to preclude us writing about them is considered “prior restraint“…so we have an OP against Jack based on what we wrote, which is an illegal basis and therefore is kind of moot (the third judge hasn’t yet figured out what exactly to do about this nonsense, which is up in about 8 months…we’ll keep you posted). Point being: They’re ALL public officials of some sort. The bald woman and the brother are both employed by DOC. The stepfather is a retiree from the sheriff’s department, the US Postal Service and the military. They all gain their income from we, the taxpayers. They therefore are subject to criticism in both personal and private life. And as long as it’s true—and it is—or is opinion (which doesn’t have to be “true,” but can be conjecture or hyperbole)—we can write it. It’s protected speech. They can’t make us stop, even if a judge rules that it “harasses” them.
The same holds true for Bennett.
She can’t take out an OP (stalking/civil no-contact order) against a media outlet, and the Edgar County Watchdogs are an established media outlet. Doesn’t matter if what they say “makes her faint” or not. She has no grounds. They are merely exercising their right to dissent, to redress grievances, to freedom of speech to critique a member of government. She can’t make them “leave her alone.” The only thing that will stop the present criticism is for her to quit her appointment. But even then, they can criticize her…because like my idiot in-law, she’s a “former” public official, and even THEY are subject to criticism.
But it’ll be a media heyday if she tries. And it might be caselaw, just like we’re hoping ours turns out to be. Because media has to take a stand against these pissy public officials. Chris Patrick is one of the most offensive in Edgar; all you have to do is read this month’s front-page article about him to see that.
So we’re waiting it out. Go for it, Adonna, if you want to. We’ll be right there every step of the way…and don’t EVEN try this shit against US; our attorney is pretty well-versed by now.