The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors passed an ethics rule targeting Sheriff Clarke's use of taxpayer funds for public service announcements. However, Supervisor Alexander argues the rule is hypocritical as the Supervisors themselves use taxpayer funds for self-promotion through newspaper ads and donations to favored charities. While she could support limiting announcements close to elections, the rule exempts the Board's own promotional activities, which are no less like campaigning than what the rule targets. Alexander thanks the few Supervisors who voted against the "biased, haphazard, and hypocrisy-laced" rulemaking.
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors passed an ethics rule targeting Sheriff Clarke's use of taxpayer funds for public service announcements. However, Supervisor Alexander argues the rule is hypocritical as the Supervisors themselves use taxpayer funds for self-promotion through newspaper ads and donations to favored charities. While she could support limiting announcements close to elections, the rule exempts the Board's own promotional activities, which are no less like campaigning than what the rule targets. Alexander thanks the few Supervisors who voted against the "biased, haphazard, and hypocrisy-laced" rulemaking.
Original Description:
milwaukee county board members exempt themselves from speech ban targeted at sheriff clarke
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors passed an ethics rule targeting Sheriff Clarke's use of taxpayer funds for public service announcements. However, Supervisor Alexander argues the rule is hypocritical as the Supervisors themselves use taxpayer funds for self-promotion through newspaper ads and donations to favored charities. While she could support limiting announcements close to elections, the rule exempts the Board's own promotional activities, which are no less like campaigning than what the rule targets. Alexander thanks the few Supervisors who voted against the "biased, haphazard, and hypocrisy-laced" rulemaking.
The Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors passed an ethics rule targeting Sheriff Clarke's use of taxpayer funds for public service announcements. However, Supervisor Alexander argues the rule is hypocritical as the Supervisors themselves use taxpayer funds for self-promotion through newspaper ads and donations to favored charities. While she could support limiting announcements close to elections, the rule exempts the Board's own promotional activities, which are no less like campaigning than what the rule targets. Alexander thanks the few Supervisors who voted against the "biased, haphazard, and hypocrisy-laced" rulemaking.
For
Immediate
Release
June
13,
2013
Contact:
Samuel
Rapp,
Legislative
Assistant
414/278-4234
or
deanna.alexander@milwcnty.com
Twitter:
@CntySupDeanna
COMMITTEE TAILORS RULES TO TARGET SHERIFF
Ethics rule aimed at Sheriff Clarke is based on hypocritical reasoning Milwaukee Since many County Supervisors have admitted distain for Sheriff Clarke, Supervisor Alexander expected some would support changing ethics rules with the aim at ending the Sheriffs famous public service announcements. However, Alexander was absolutely floored at the arguments Supervisors used today to make their case. My colleagues claimed that using taxpayer dollars is where they have a problem despite the fact that those same Supervisors use taxpayer dollars to donate money to charities they favor, to publish their pictures in newspaper advertisements, and to self-promote themselves and their offices, Alexander said. Supervisors also compared the Sheriffs public service announcements to pornography saying you know it when you see it, yet the committee took only half an hour to discuss the proposed policy and the only amendment the committee offered was wording that distinctly exempted the boards own methods of self-promotion. I could have supported limiting public service announcements during the time right before an election. I would have understood if Supervisors wanted to stop electeds from putting out any photos or selfpromotion. But the resolution the committee passed has targeted the County Executives and the Sheriffs practices while exempting County Boards practices, which are no less like campaigning than what theyve set their sights on ending with this policy, said Supervisor Alexander. Supervisor Alexander thanks her colleagues, Supervisors Stamper, Johnson, and Lipscomb for their reasoned arguments and their votes against what she calls biased, haphazard, hypocrisy-laced rulemaking, that passed by a 4-3 committee vote. ###