February 16, 2009
Don't Outlaw the First Amendment
by Paul Jacob
Should Doug Guetzloe go to jail for speaking his mind?
I say No.
That's not State Attorney Lawson Lamar's answer. Lamar tried to imprison Guetzloe for 14 years.
In 2006, Doug Guetzloe distributed a flyer about mayoral candidate David Strong to Winter Park, Florida, residents. It pertained to an embarrassing dustup Strong had with a neighbor. The police report Guetzloe quoted is publicly available. The alleged crime is not libel.
Lamar charged Guetzloe with violating Florida's election laws. One is supposed to include a disclaimer with any paid electioneering communication saying it's an electioneering communication. The flyer did not advocate voting for or against any candidate. Not that doing so should jeopardize anyone's liberty either.
Guetzloe pled no contest, thinking any penalty would be trivial. But he was sentenced to 60 days in jail and $8500 in fines. The easiest path might still have been to just do the time and pay the fine. But Guetzloe has been fighting back, spending a small fortune on legal fees.
Late in 2008, his attorneys filed a motion with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to declare Florida's Electioneering Communications law to be unconstitutional. A little earlier, a federal judge had restrained the State of Florida from enforcing that law.
There is only one right ruling here. The high court should uphold the right to freedom of speech.
Paul Jacob's "Common Sense" is published by the Sam Adams Alliance. Their website can be visited at www.samadamsalliance.org.
Return to the Free Liberal Homepage
Share Your Thoughts About This Article, Send a Letter to the Editor.
SIMPLE AD ERROR VIEW COUNT NOT UPDATED
| Advertisement |
Your E-Mail Address:
|
Comments
Eric Carlson and Joan Wagar, A,K,A, Doubleclick and Mrs Dash,( yes those are there nicknames they gave each other.) admitted to poisoning me while I was a plasma donor back in 2005.
Eric Carlson pedofied me behind prison walls and then framed me as a pedophile on march 26th 2007, I caught the crime on a audio recorder I put in Joan's purse.
there were people in authority helping them with this and nobody in authority will help they pretend nothing happened and refuse to investigate this.
Eric Carlson changed his hair color and his name but this is not hidden, only ignored by the authority's and media
I'm disabled from being poisoned and the hospitals refuse to admit I'm poisoned.
My Family is in danger from these people and I have no other recorse but to make these charges public.
My name is Terry Wagar,Im from Portland Oregon and I'm backing up these charges.
I have been threatened with harassment charges by a Sargent Walker, She is a portland police officer stationed at the OHSU hospital, for the non crime of reporting a multi murder conspiracy within that hospital.
They don't give a s4!t Joan and Eric was poisoning a plasma donor!
Why don't you give A s4!t Portland Authority's, its already reported.
Where did Mrs Dash keep her stash?
In A garlic salt shaker!
What did Doubleclick do with his dick? YOU F@@king Pedophile!
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2008/11/382778.shtml
Posted by: Terry Wagar | February 17, 2009 09:05 AM
Paul, please edit the comments and remove Terry until his medication is adjusted.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 17, 2009 09:23 AM
He should be free to speak his mind
Posted by: aaron | February 19, 2009 01:19 PM
After reading the comment it's obvious hsi mind is gone...
Posted by: Chris K | February 19, 2009 03:45 PM