The Daytona Beach News Journal reported on March 5, that for the second time in six months, Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood did not alert them that a press conference was scheduled.
This is an abdication of his duties as sheriff.
When sworn in, a part of the oath Florida sheriffs take is to defend the United States Constitution.
Because the News Journal was critical of Mr. Chitwood, he has decided to infringe on their right of free speech. Note: infringe does not mean stop. However, these have been petty moves by Mr. Chitwood.
In short, he has let the personal get in the way of the professional.
What are We The People to think? That he is tough enough to be in law enforcement for 36 years but crumbles when some ink on a piece of paper is critical of him?
On the afternoon of March 5, Mr. Chitwood took to social media in response, "The News-Journal knew exactly when and where this press conference was, and they chose not to show up."
DBNJ Editor John Dunbar replied to the post, " Your office did not inform us that it was occurring or invite us, as you did with other news organizations. You also did not respond to questions about whether it was happening or not."
The sheriff isn't the first elected official to ban the press. Recently, President Biden and his predecessor, President Trump, did as well.
It is a disturbing trend for anyone who proclaims to love the US Constitution.
The electorate is partly to blame for this infringement on the press. If we keep electing or re-electing people who flout the Constitution, they'll keep running.
That is something to think about as Mr. Chitwood is hoping to be reelected this year.
His opponent is James L. Powers Jr. Unfortunately, Mr. Powers doesn't have a campaign social media presence. On his personal Facebook page, he penned, "I believe in our constitutional rights and will fight for those rights no matter how much I'm threatened."
"The freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable."
~James Madison~
1789
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Photo Credit: vice.com
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