HRC Under Fire (Fresno Mayor expects litigation as a result of HRC smear of FR?)

KFSN-TV ^ | September 14, 2003

[Timesink]

HRC Under Fire

A pair of controversies could mean double the debate inside Fresno city council chambers this week, while a special city commission and some council members are feeling the heat.

A lot of the political tension has centered around an upsetting e-mail, and more recently, a news release that calls a local conservative organization a, "hate group."

Now, the future of Fresno's Human Relations Committee is on the line.

Fresno mayor Alan Autry went on TV for "Ask The Mayor," but Autry says he has questions of his own for the city's Human Relations Commission.

It sent out a news release about rallies planned by the "Free Republic," Calling the local conservative organization a hate group.

Now, Autry wants the HRC out of commission, at least for now, "I'm going to do my best to suspend operations until we find out who thought it appropriate to send out a release with city staff ... to call a group a hate group."

The HRC's chairwoman, Debbie Reyes wasn't available for an interview. But, in a written statement, Reyes said, "The intention of the alert was to merely alert the public to say away from a potentially volatile situation."

Still, Autry says the HRC release was irresponsible, "Factor that in with the fact that you spend $193,000 to fund this, liability issues, litigation ... all of those things come into play."

Council president Tom Boyajian supports the HRC, "It was bad information ... they should've done their homework ... but I don't think that warrants wiping out the Human Relations Commission."

Boyajian may also butt heads with conservatives at city hall on another issue. As Action News first reported, he'll present a resolution Tuesday regarding council members conduct. This, after Jerry Duncan wrote what some considered a threateing e-mail about the Human Relations Commission.

Duncan declined to comment Sunday, but he has apologized for the e-mail.

Boyajian says his resolution will not go so far as to officially censure Duncan. He says legally, the council can't force Duncan to resign.

Boyajian will suggest a possible seminar to improve sensitivity to minority groups.

[BenLurkin]

Generally speaking, a group can not be libeled. Its members also do not have standing to sue as inviduals for statements made about the group

[Calpernia]

Uhhh, thanks Bob. Where on earth did you get the impression from ANY of my posts that I wanted to put FR in the 'category of money-hungry lawyers'?

Thanks for the democratic impression of me.

[MamaTexan]

Why not?

[BenLurkin]

Interesting decision (apparently ) involving exceptions to group libel rule in California: http://www.xenu.net/archive/CourtFiles/occf142.html


This doesn't have the answer but it does have alot of info about libel: http://www.megalaw.com/top/defamation.php

Also an interesting site: http://www.gened.arizona.edu/jbehling/history_of_hate_speech_laws.htm

[jokar]

Marker Bump.