Posted on 10/30/2006 11:55:38 PM PST by Jomini
Beaufort County Commissioner Hood Richardson was arrested Monday night after handing out campaign literature at Southside High School during a football game. Two Washington police officers met him at the gate of Washington High School, his second stop of the night and brought him to the Beaufort County magistrates office.
Richardson was charged with disorderly conduct. He was released after posting $1,000 unsecured bond.
I still dont know what was disorderly, he said, standing outside the office at the bottom of the Beaufort County Courthouse.
Maybe the tie, said his campaign manager Bill Tarpenning.
Richardson was handing out fliers with referees signals on one side and his platform on the other. He is running against incumbent Democrat Arthur Williams for the House District 6 seat. Richardson received a warning at Southside High School, but stayed and handed out his campaign cards until it sort of dried there, he said.
Bryant Hardison, the chairman of the Beaufort County Board of Education, notified Richardson in writing before Mondays game to stop handing out the campaign literature at such events. Hardison cited both a school-board policy and a state statute.
Were going to be out at both games our school resource officer and leaders, Hardison said Monday in a telephone interview before the game. Hes welcome to go and press the flesh, but hes pressing the issue when hes handing out campaign literature. Hell be asked to stop and if he doesnt, well take the necessary steps.
Richardson sent two press releases before the Southside-Manteo game indicating that he would not abide by Hardisons letter. This is an exercise in civics, the release stated. All the young people there, as well as their parents, should be aware that no one should allow their First Amendment rights to be trampled on.
Richardson arrived at the Beaufort County courthouse without handcuffs, in the front seat of a Washington police car, followed closely by Tarpenning and attorney Steve Rader in another car. Each man had a bright yellow campaign sticker on his lapel.
Let's get real....This was a HIGH SCHOOL.
They can't vote and the 1st Amendment provides for free political speech in public areas like town squares and the like.
It was never meant to disrupt a high school activity!
The high school football game is a government event held on government property. The government is forbidden by the Constitution from regulating political speech.
If he had gone to a free market school and trespassed on their private property, he would be wrong. He was at socialist schools. He was on government property and at a government sponsored public event. Banning political speech there is like banning it on the courthouse steps or in front of city hall.
If you dont want to hear political speech or be offered political literature, dont go to government events.
I didn't know that. Thanks for the info!
And luckily for Richardson, it appears he may not have broken a state law after all, just a school rule. (See post #50).
He wasn't really disrupting a high school activity. It wasn't like he ran naked out on the field with a wireless mic screaming "Vote for me!"
Richardson was handing out fliers with referee signals on one side and his platform on the other to patrons as they were heading toward the stands...before the game even started for the most part.
Other political candidates have been allowed to do the same thing, within the state of North Carolina and the Beaufort County School System in the past.
"Other political candidates have been allowed to do the same thing, within the state of North Carolina and the Beaufort County School System in the past."
I was unaware of these details.
Uglier than it's already been. Even though, I think the county may be split on the Commissioners -v- School Board case...which is in the Court of Appeals.
I'm not sure what the feel on this latest issue is. Tomorrow should prove very interesting.
I heard someone say today, "I've got a feeling that man [Richardson] is going to get elected. And if he does, that's going to turn them all on their heads."
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