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Are they allowed


Guest Mary Saputo

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At prior city council meetings, 2 different residents got up and criticized either a council member or a city employee.  After the council meeting both residents were verbally attacked by those city employees; one of which was the Chief of Police who verbally attacked a senior citizen.  I've gotten up and criticized the council and at the last study session, my name was mentioned specifically and asked - who do we have to please Mary Brown?  A friend told me my name was mentioned 6 different times in a critical manner.  Are the council members allowed to do this?

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At prior city council meetings, 2 different residents got up and criticized either a council member or a city employee.  After the council meeting both residents were verbally attacked by those city employees; one of which was the Chief of Police who verbally attacked a senior citizen.  I've gotten up and criticized the council and at the last study session, my name was mentioned specifically and asked - who do we have to please Mary Brown?  A friend told me my name was mentioned 6 different times in a critical manner.  Are the council members allowed to do this?

 

Critical remarks directed at a specific person are generally indecorous and are generally not germane. The rules of decorum in debate are discussed in RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 391-394.

 

Since this is a city council, however, I suspect the answer to your question will ultimately have more to do with rules in applicable law than with the rules in RONR.

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Critical remarks directed at a specific person are generally indecorous and are generally not germane. The rules of decorum in debate are discussed in RONR, 11th ed., pgs. 391-394.

 

Since this is a city council, however, I suspect the answer to your question will ultimately have more to do with rules in applicable law than with the rules in RONR.

 

And for remarks that were made after the meeting, there's probably no relevant citation in RONR.  If the criticism rises to the level of slander, seek legal advice.

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