Comptroller's e-mail a violation of Hatch Act

[im1013]

Garriga: Keep politics off county computers

Comptroller's e-mail a violation of Hatch Act
(DeSoto County, Mississippi)

By William C. Bayne (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Wednesday, October 8, 2008

An Internet message pleading for prayers to help defeat Barack Obama that was forwarded
to dozens of DeSoto County government e-mail users brought a stern rebuke Tuesday from County
Administrator Michael Garriga.

The prayer chain message was sent out by Comptroller Tom Arnold to at least 35 addresses on
the county's e-mail user list.

- snip -

Garriga sent out an e-mail message to all DeSoto County government employees:

"Please be advised that the federal Hatch Act prohibits certain state and local government employees
from participating in political or partisan activities.

"Now that we are a few weeks from the Presidential Election, I know people want to be involved anyway they can.
However, please remember, federal law prohibits county employees from using any county resources, like e-mails,
for conveying a message related to political activity."

- snip -

The tract sent out by Arnold is titled, "Pray, Pray, Pray." It was forwarded to him by a private citizen.

The letter seeks to create a prayer chain to defeat Obama.

"Maybe (John) McCain on his own cannot defeat Obama," the message reads, "but our God can and He will if we take to our knees in prayer and raise a mighty cry to the heavens to 'Save us O Lord.'"

Later in the tract, the reader is told, "We have the power to change the course of this election and to keep a man as suspect as Barak (sic) Obama from leading our country to who knows where with his message of 'change'; a change which I fear will be away from our Christian ideals, and away from Christ, and further away from one nation under God to one nation under Allah."

The tract also defends President Bush.

"George Bush is being buffeted because he has fought a holy war against the evils that attack us . . . and we should not be surprised because a prophet is not honored in his own country."

Garriga did not say what action he was taking regarding Arnold, but he said the matter "will be dealt with in an appropriate manner."

-- William C. Bayne: [phone]



This is the kind of crap I have to put up with all the time...Aaaaccccckkkk!!
Dammit, when are my Obama/Biden yard signs going to get here?!


:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

[NYC_SKP]

1. Pray for him, pray for Garriga.

:sarcasm:

[smoochpooch]

2. Obama should move the White House to Mississippi, just to rub it in the racists' faces every day. nt