Jeni Reisinger is getting some support today from Ald. Bob Ryan.
From the Sheboygan Press:
The city's now-retracted demand that a resident remove an Internet link to the Sheboygan Police Department is an embarrassment and a distraction for the city, some aldermen said Wednesday.
Jeni Reisinger, who runs a Web site often critical of Mayor Juan Perez, received a cease-and-desist letter last month — in a move initiated by the mayor — ordering her to remove a link on her unrelated Web design business site. Reisinger hired an attorney who wrote back challenging the letter, and City Attorney Steve McLean said Wednesday that the city is retracting its demand.
"It seems that we have a mayor that seems to stick his foot in his mouth quite often, and he's done it again," said Ald. Bob Ryan. "I think the mayor should be paying attention to larger issues, such as finding ways to grow some revenue for this city, rather than worrying about if some obscure Web site has a link to the police department Web site. … Unfortunately, some people have axes to grind."
Finally, a Sheboygan city official is willing to condemn the egregious abuse of power by Mayor Juan Perez.
I think it's long overdue.
In the week since the story surfaced, it has become blog fodder across the state and on a few national sites, gaining mention on more than 25 blogs, according to a roundup of coverage posted on badgerblogger.com. The story also appeared on national Web sites of USA Today and World Net Daily and was discussed on several Milwaukee-area radio talk shows.
"Blog fodder."
That sounds like an effort to diminish the matter's significance, as if its hysteria fueled by the Internet and talk radio.
I consider this to be a serious issue. Anyone who shares their political opinions on the Internet, anyone with a website should be concerned about an elected official using his position to intimidate an individual over a link.
I think the fact that Perez chose the Sheboygan Police Department link was especially insidious. If I had been contacted by an officer and told I was being investigated, I would be extremely disturbed.
"I don't know all the facts behind it … but I do know that this is not the way we want Sheboygan to be known," Ald. Cory Bouck said Wednesday. "I know that's not what we want Sheboygan to get national press on."
Bouck said he believes city officials just don't understand the role of the Internet.
"It's my thinking that the World Wide Web is like the Wild West and people can do whatever they want," Bouck said. "I think it's short-sighted for us to think that we can tell somebody they can't put a link on their site. … I think that if (Reisinger) wants to put her opinion out there and link to us, I think that's her absolute right."
Bouck also gives Jeni some support, although he's not specifically critical of Perez.
He should get credit for coming to her defense, though he should have condemned the measures employed by Perez in his attack against her.
The Web is not like the Wild West. People CANNOT do whatever they want.
Bouck shouldn't equate putting up a link to some sort of lawlessness. I think that was probably just a poor analogy, but it does have a negative connotation. There was absolutely nothing "wild" about linking to the police department.
But Ald. Marilyn Montemayor said she understands the reasoning behind the cease-and-desist letter, saying the link "kind of joins the city with a not-so-desirable Web site." Montemayor added that she feels the issue is overblown.
"The big commotion that was made about this was out of proportion to what (Reisinger) feels has happened," she said. "It certainly could have been dealt with without the extra exposure that was eagerly added" by the bloggers.
Now that the city has retracted the letter, the controversy should be over, Montemayor said.
"What is the damage to this person if that link is up and running again and her Web site has been going all this time?" Montemayor said. "I'm sure her attorney will say there's been some damage, but I don't know what it would be."
Montemayor is doing damage control for Perez.
She's failing.
She should not be an apologist for this abuse of power, and that's exactly what this case is about. She shouldn't be an apologist for treading on a citizen's rights, using government and other agencies to silence political dissent.
I don't appreciate Montemayor's comments about "the bloggers."
We have a voice, and apparently, she has a problem with that. Montemayor should be more careful. She needs to keep the Constitution away from the shredder.
I think Perez and his hacks should be held accountable. If they are allowed to get with this, does anyone doubt that they would change their ways?
Perez has shown what lengths he's willing to take to silence political opposition. That should trouble all of his constituents and everyone who cares about free speech.
Ald. Jim Bohren declined comment on the issue, saying he does not believe all the information is out yet.
No comment at all from Bohren?
That's rather spineless.
Bouck said the city did the right thing to retract the move, adding, "There are just bigger things for us to tackle."
Ald. Bill Wangemann agreed.
"What I'm afraid is that the city's going to get embroiled in a big (law)suit, and that it's going to take too much time away from what we actually should be doing, and that's running the city," Wangemann said. "I'm sure people outside the city are scratching their heads wondering what's going on. …
"In my opinion it doesn't make Sheboygan look real good that we have this kind of discord in our city government."
It's true. There are bigger issues for Sheboygan government and police to tackle.
NO KIDDING.
That's what makes the move by Perez to harass and intimidate and silence Jeni so utterly inexcusable and colossally shameful. It's a dereliction of duty.
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