I've been a free press advocate since I edited my first edition of The Cherokee One Feather in 1996. I've always said that politicians who fight the press, whether it's access to information issues, open meetings or the mere act of exercising First Amendment rights, have something to hide. That opposition is usually highly indicative of major character flaws.
Such turned out the be the case with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The governor is facing corruption charges over allegations that he offered the senate seat vacated by President Elect Barack Obama to the highest bidder. In addition to that, he also is facing charges for demanding the firing of editorial writers for the Chicago Tribune over articles critical of him.
That sounds awfully familiar. Michell Hicks made his first threats against my job back in 2005 after I published a campaign ad that encouraged voters to cast ballots for candidates who would oppose Hicks' agenda. He made these threats before an open session of Tribal Council.
While Hicks ratified the Free Press Act, he has yet to carry out its intent. He ignored it when he had me transferred out of the One Feather citing statements I had made to the Asheville Citizen-Times, a transfer I refused resulting in me losing my job. He ignored the Free Press Act when he issued his order doing away with a popular column he happened to dislike (it was one that featured frequent critical comments of him). In 2003 when he first ran, he came out in opposition to a free press.
Hicks has had a lot to hide too. He never disclosed during his first campaign when he ran on a platform of honesty and integrity that he was charged with assault on a female in 1999. Nor did he immediately disclose upon request tribal credit card statements from he and Vice Chief Larry Blythe, which had several questionable charges. His legal department still has yet to respond to my request for several financial documents made in June. Keep in mind that the tribe's public information law (which Chief Hicks vetoed) requires an answer given in about two weeks.
At the time I was ousted from the One Feather, I was looking into the tribe's political campaign donations after the Asheville Citizen-Times reported that the tribe hadn't complied with state campaign finance laws.
The actions of Hicks and Blagojevich prove my point, if a candidate for office doesn't support the rights of the press, they don't have your best interest at heart, and they don't deserve your support. Both men should rightfully be removed from office.
1 comment:
Jamie Kilborne was removed as tribal prosecutor after it was found out that he asked internal audit for a review into the credit card misuse by the executive leaders. What's happened with that little matter? Then Joe Martin was removed when he was trying to investigate executive misue of campaign donations. Concidence? Hmm.
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