Posted: 4/25/2017 8:46:59 AM EDT
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I am an elected official for my municipality. Recently, another official has been involved in several FB arguments, and now some citizens (some of whom are non-residents of our municipality) are advocating for all elected officials to sign a code of conduct. My contention is that not only is such a thing supefluous, given the oath of office we take, but is also an abrogation of our first amendment rights.
Is anyone aware of ANY elected officials who sign a code of conduct? Is this, to the GD hive, a first amendment issue? Interested in your opinions. Should elected officials be free to speak their minds (within legal bounds, slander and libel notwithstanding) and just suffer the consequences of their words at the polls, or should .gov be allowed to muzzle their participants? |
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Politicians are a interested in creating policies and codes for everyone else to follow, but never themselves.
They should absolutely have a code of conduct to follow. Voters assume our politicians will follow rules and represent professionally. Many do not, and they don't feel like they should answer to the people or be held accountable. As a result, there will never be one approved by them. |