A comment on the thread " Sarah Palin's new mouthpiece" had this information:
**** NEWS ALERT ****
Please pass this on to the folk(s) who had their ethics complaint dismissed due to announcing their intent to file…
Federal judge rules state Ethics Commission ban on discussing complaints against public officials violates free speech
by Pete Shellem, Of The Patriot-News Monday June 29, 2009, 4:47 PM
A federal judge has ruled that the state Ethics Act’s ban on publicizing filings against state officials is likely unconstitutional and has granted a temporary injunction to a local activist who was fined for violating it.
District Judge Christopher C. Conner granted the injunction to Middle Paxton Township activist Gene Stilp, who was charged with violating the act after he announced he filed a complaint against former House Majority Leader William DeWeese based upon a newspaper article that accused DeWeese of spending $290,000 in tax money on political polls.
Within a day, the State Ethics Commission ruled there was not enough evidence in Stilp’s complaint to conduct an investigation and instead charged Stilp with violating the act by publicizing the filing of his complaint. On Oct. 16, Stilp entered into an agreement with the commission in which he admitted violating the act and agreed to pay a $500 fine. Stilp then filed suit in federal court to enjoin the commission from enforcing that provision of the act, saying it was a violation of his right to free speech.
Well, Rep Bob Lynn can put his proposed bill in his pipe and smoke it!
(H/T to Sauerkraut)
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