Earlier this month, Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) and the Society of Professional Journalists led a letter to Steve Catalano, chair of the Greene County Board of Supervisors, objecting to a policy that reportedly prohibited county employees from speaking to the press and required them to label anything they provide to the press as “opinion.”
In response, the county claimed that the policy does not exist, despite several county employees reportedly telling local newspaper The Daily Progress that they could not speak to the media about public records requests they’d denied due to the policy.
We don’t know why county employees would be “confused” by a nonexistent gag policy if such a policy had not been communicated to them but, to resolve any confusion, here is the email chain that includes the denial of the policy’s existence.
We hope any reporters whose requests for information are denied underthe supposed policy will show their sources this email, and that any Greene County employees who are confronted for not abiding by the policy will show it to their supervisors.
We note that even the above email denying the existence of the policy acknowledged that it is the county’s position that “When staff are asked about the County’s official position on policy matters, they are to represent the majority position of the Board or defer the question to the Chairman.”
We informed the County of the ambiguity of that position and the need to put its rules in writing, so that there won’t be further confusion if they’re constitutional, and so those impacted can challenge them if they’re not. As you can see, they said they would — we’ll hold them to it and will keep you posted.
