Missouri City Mayor Pro-Tem Jerry Wyatt, upset by the increased social media use among Missouri City-area residents, ordered the police chief to monitor the residents use of their electronic communications. Wyatt’s order to the Missouri City Police Chief was given after more than 50 area residents spoke during the public comment portion of the October 7th city council meeting.
Good grief!
Jerry is upset over law-abiding citizens use of social media as a forum to meet, educate each other and propose plans to improve Missouri City.
During the meeting, (48 minute mark) Wyatt displayed three screen shots of a Facebook Group page with residents names unredacted because a picture of Jerry Wyatt and a video of council member Floyd Emery were posted on the Group page.
Wyatt’s photo was published because he voted IN OPPOSITION of the ordinance to allow for deviations to the architectural and signage regulations for a “Raising Cane’s” restaurant. His vote in opposition to another fast food restaurant stood in stark contrast to his patronage OF the same fast food restaurant, while residents’ felt their requests to attract healthier restaurant choices was being ignored.
The video of Emery at the City Center was published because the Missouri City Recreation & Leisure LGC Statement of Net Assets lists a ($465,000) change in net assets and this change has been a discussion point among the residents on Facebook.
Jerry is upset over law-abiding citizens use of social media as a forum to meet, educate each other and propose plans to improve Missouri City. And Mayor Owen is so angry residents are questioning his leadership (1:11:30 minute mark) and claims there’s nothing to cut, that he is fear mongering by threatening cuts to sidewalks, street repairs and park maintenance, and the potential for lower bond ratings while admonishing them for “running their mouths about it”.
When you’re a public figure your decisions and votes are always under scrutiny. That is the life you chose.
And competition for readership among blogs & social media is healthy for the public discourse.
I am glad council discussed the code enforcement, code violation, foreclosure and abandon property issues during the October 7th meeting, but good grief is it necessary for the Mayor Pro-Tem to order a violation the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens as they petition government for redress?
C’mon council; you guys are all better than this.
* I leveraged this Examiner article inspiration for this post.
** In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a member of the Facebook Group mentioned in this post.
Missouri City residents better get ready for that tax increase to pay the damages from the civil rights lawsuit that’s on the way. When the mayor pro tem orders the police chief to conduct what arguably is illegal surveillance and designed to have a chilling effect on free speech, federal judges are likely to get real pissed. And, beause it was ordered by the elected officials, the city likely will be on the hook for setting up an unconstitutional city policy.
Let’s see, there are the damages to the individuals whose facebook pages are monitored by the police and those pesky attorneys fees and costs. That $465,000 charge to the parks department funds is going to look like chump change.
I’m glad I’m not going to get hit up for higher taxes to pay off that suit.
Being that I published the two pictures that Jerry displayed at the city council meeting. Also being when I asked the police chief if he was going to violate my civil rights because that would be a mistake and have him make a scene that I was threatening him I know that I have been targeted and I will be taking the steps to deal with this. I will also be pursuing Charlie Adaway in the same suit as he is nothing more than a publishing source for Allen Owen, Danny Nguyen and Jerry Wyatt and he is attempting to further the silencing of residents by publishing untrue statements and making false accusations for the benefit of city council members. I also understand he is closely tied to a state representative or two.
Which State Reps? We must make sure that local corruption is not supported by those in State government.
Nothing like watching the cockroaches (politicians) scurry when you shine the light on them.