DANVILLE, IL. (ECWd) –
During the April 6, 2021 Danville City Council meeting, Mayor Rickey Williams lied to the public about Christopher Hansen prior to reading only the parts of Hansen’s comment that Williams thought the public had a right to hear, damn the First Amendment and Open Meetings Act.
After Mayor Williams finished, he asked the City Attorney, James Simon, if he had a response.
City Attorney Simon responded by correcting the Mayor’s “thousands of FOIAs” comment, which the Mayor then went on to say he meant “hundreds of FOIAs” – which is still a wild, grossly exaggerated false statement about Hansen. Hansen has not sent “hundreds” of FOIAs to the City of Urbana – not even close.
Simon continued by opining on Hansen’s FOIAs to the City of Urbana, claiming “his followers” submitted many FOIA requests. Pointing out that when Hansen doesn’t like a FOIA response, he complains to the Attorney General’s PAC (which is a right and spelled out in the Freedom of Information Act). Simon said Urbana wins some and loses some.
He finished by saying that apparently Hansen has nothing better to do but to harass the city – but failed to explain that it is the right and duty of every citizen to monitor their government. FOIA is not harassment, and demanding meetings comply with the Open Meetings Act is not harassment…unless you run your city like Urbana has, and complain about speech while public official spews out f-bombs, make unreasonable public comment rules, which the city attorney attempted to defend, but failed, got sued for unreasonable public comment rules, demand government issued photo ID for a FOIA request, losing a FOIA lawsuit, and illegally charge FOIA requesters for public records and getting sued for withholding those records, getting sued for concealing complaints of discrimination, even suggesting that the city sue residents who expose corruption.
Simon was blaming Hansen for his own client’s (Urbana) shortcomings in FOIA and OMA – a really simple thing to accomplish once you realize it is the public’s right to public records and open meetings.
Simon should issue a verbal apology at the next meeting.
3 Comments
Mags
Posted at 08:30h, 12 AprilJust what I have been saying. They sit around and pat each other on the back ad nauseum. One needs an airsick bag to sit through the fawning.
This so called lawyer should be sued for defamation.
They need to be reminded every day about the Constitution and the fact that they work for us and we pay their salaries.
PK
Posted at 21:58h, 11 AprilSimon’s cavalier attitude about winning and losing in representing municipal government on FOIA matters caused me to think about the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission’s role in the process. So, on behalf of the PAC, FOIA requestors, and the public good; I’ll put in for the ARDC to establish a new performance standard and maintain programing to assure all registered attorney FOIA win rates are 15% or less.
Dave
Posted at 15:44h, 11 AprilI knew it was just a matter of time until an arrogant politician would act as though the Illinois Bill of Rights is unconstitutional.