Tucson Mayor, Bob Walkup, decided that when citizens petition the Tucson Mayor, they must do so “with respect,” or they should be silenced. Who decides what is “respectful?” Mayor Walkup, of course.
Tucson resident Roy Warden apparently crossed that line. (source) Now he plans to sue the City for violating his First Amendment rights. The Tucson City Attorney reportedly told the Mayor that the policy was permissible under the First Amendment. Tucson City Councilman Steve Kozachik doesn’t seem convinced.
“I have asked Mike Rankin the city attorney to justify to us the language that we have– that it is not overly broad– and the court won’t come in and say, ‘You know what, a reasonable could not interrupt that,'” said Kozachik.(source)
If City Attorney Rankin really did tell the Mayor that this policy of his is constitutionally permissible, he should be forced to attend a remedial class on constitutional law. I get a feeling that Mr. Warden is going to give him one.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrFOb_f7ubw]
