Within 90 minutes of ShowMe Better Courts’ decision to withdraw and resubmit their initiative petition, a post from someone known as “patriot” made its way to FiredUp Missouri. News travels fast in Jefferson City, but an hour and a half from office to web has some wondering if it might have been an inside job. Is it possible that one of Robin Carnahan’s employees is serving as an information conduit to FiredUp? It seems highly likely.

Why is this a big deal, you might ask? After all, it’s no secret that a lot of bloggers are low-level staffers for politicians. However, given the nature of the Secretary of State’s office and the importance of non-partisanship to the petition process, having a partisan hack on the taxpayer payroll could put a damper on the exercise of direct democracy in this state. The partisan rancor which the post’s author demonstrated, as well as the tactless way in which they gave the news to a partisan blog before it had even been through the normal channels, may make some potential petition-seekers wary of filing for fear that the person receiving their paperwork may allow their own ideology to slip into the process and give certain initiative preferential treatment while working to tear apart others.

What “patriot” did is not right, if they are indeed a state employee. It undermines public trust in the civil service and in the function of the Secretary of State’s office. Carnahan should work to find the leak and plug it if she wants to retain any integrity in her office.

Related:

24th State: The FiredUp Family Tree, Part I

Comments

comments