“C” is for Citizen
Scott J. Graves Contributing Writer
M the Media Project
Disclaimer: I cannot, and am not, giving any legal advice – if you want legal advice you must consult in private with an attorney.
When an unelected employee of the Mayor tells each elected City Councillor that he/she “must” not talk about an issue that concerns the Citizens who we all represent, is that in the Citizens interests?
Aren’t we all searching for the truth to give to the Citizens? If you say “no,” what are we doing then?
Remember, a City Councillor does not fill envelopes, make blue-prints, or fill pot-holes. The only thing we do is speak. Telling a Councillor not to speak is like telling the animal control officer not to collect stray dogs.
Who is this unelected employee who gets to tell an elected City Councillor to shut up? He has no independent authority. Well, since his only authority comes from the Mayor, you connect the dots.
Flick’s gag order came from what I call the “City Court.” It’s a kangaroo court, but it’s still a court because our city government structure has set it up that way. Our tribunal of “lawyer, judge, and jury” is John Flick, Esq.
He argues the case (and offers his evidence) as the lawyer, then he hears the evidence as the jury, and then he issues his ruling as the Judge. Into 8 oz. of Partisan Agenda, add 2 tablespoons of Conformist Ideology, a dash of Ruling Class Desire, and you get instant Gardner Justice – Best served cold.
That’s the recipe for Unjustice (for those fluent in Newspeak, and if you don’t understand it – you better start learning it).
But, unlike a real court, you don’t get a hearing, you don’t get to give your side of the case, and you don’t get to challenge or appeal any of rulings made by the judge.
Though this structure has existed for 100 years, no former City Solicitor has presided over the City Court from such oxygen-less heights.
For just a few examples, Flick has ruled that “shall” means “may;” and being “absent” means being “non-absent;” and the City’s “legislative body” means the “Mayor” (as in the Mass. EMS Law). And, that’s final. That’s some pretty dizzying heights.
Again, this is how Gardner government is arranged – and every City Solicitor performed their duties within this same structure. But Flick has taken riding the thunder to new stratospheres.
There is absolute power to be abused there. The only one who can control it is the Mayor. Any authority that the unelected City Solicitor has comes from the Mayor, his boss. Only the Mayor can put a regulator on the City Solicitor – otherwise the sky (or space) is the limit.
It’s one thing for the unelected to order the elected to shut up. But, when you add to that the Ruling Class’s new campaign to silence me, it’s a bridge too far.
When the Ruling Class sends under-cover partisan operatives, going behind my back to loot my “private”-public emails, and publish them, out-of-context, without my permission or authority, they’ve kicked the Bees.
Can you say “silence,” can you say “cancel”?
But, the Ruling Class is merely doing what the Ruling Class always does – use some easily-attackable victim as an example of what can happen to you if you don’t shut up. “Next time it’s the thumbs.”
“Watch out, you Councillors, see what we did to Graves? You better watch out what you say, and what you put in your emails, because our bench-sitting waterboys (and girls) will lift your words if the Ruling Class does not approve of them – and they will dutifully hand them over to Miss Drea, and she’ll teach you not to say unapproved words – she will make sure we hang your words out to dry like dirty laundry for the World to see. People will hate you.”
That would actually silence most people.
By the way, do you know that Flick gagged the City Council just a few years ago? Guess what it had to do with? Yup – this copper coil matter. It’s all in public documents. Coils hit a nerve, I guess – must be the copper.
Also, Flick himself has suggested that there are city employees and Councillors who may have made complaints having to do with the copper coil situation.
Flick did not warn the City Council about a possible Conflict of Interest. Why not?
If you read the Conflict of Interest Law, any Councillor who has a claim, or intends to make a claim, having to do with the copper coil situation, should think twice before he/she speaks to any human who is not a City Councillor about this issue.
Maybe Flick did not give the City Council this warning because he does not consider the City Council to be his “client.” I asked him who his client(s) is/are. He did not respond.
It’s curious because Flick gagged the City Councillors pursuant to some unexplained “attorney-client privilege.” Who is the “client” in “attorney-client privilege”?
If it’s not us, are we required to protect someone else’s privilege? Maybe so. It would be nice to know. I asked Flick that question – no response.
Anyway, I know what I am. A City Councillor. And I know who my one and only “client” is – the Citizenry.
Unlike Flick’s, my job is easy. All I have to do is look out for the Citizenry. How does a Councillor do that? By speaking.
This is me shutting up. Sorry, Miss Drea – no GIF. Shake and Stir that.
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