cinnamitch
I’m old so shut up
http://www.indystar.com/article/20110223/NEWS05/102230406/Indiana-AG-fires-deputy-over-live-ammunition-tweets?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|IndyStar.com
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller has dismissed a deputy, Jeff Cox, for posting inappropriate comments online critical of the labor union protesters in Wisconsin.
Cox sent out a message on his Twitter account saying that police should "use live ammunition" against the protesters.
A staffer for the political news site Mother Jones sent a message back to the person, who was then only known by his online account name. Cox messaged back that the demonstrators were "political enemies" and "thugs."
"You're damned right I advocate deadly force," Cox wrote to the Mother Jones staffer.
Earlier today, the attorney general's office said it was investigating whether Cox had sent the tweet and said it was a serious matter.
This afternoon, the office issued a statement saying Cox was no longer employed there. The office said it had conducted "a thorough and expeditious review" after it learned of the Mother Jones article.
"Civility and courtesy toward all members of the public are very important to the Indiana Attorney General's office. We respect individual's First Amendment right to express their personal views on private online forums, but as public servants we are held by the public to a higher standard, and we should strive for civility," the office said in a statement.
Cox told WRTV he realizes the tweet wasn't a good idea, but he doesn't think public employees should lose their free speech rights.
Cox is the son of WRTV reporter Norman Cox.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller has dismissed a deputy, Jeff Cox, for posting inappropriate comments online critical of the labor union protesters in Wisconsin.
Cox sent out a message on his Twitter account saying that police should "use live ammunition" against the protesters.
A staffer for the political news site Mother Jones sent a message back to the person, who was then only known by his online account name. Cox messaged back that the demonstrators were "political enemies" and "thugs."
"You're damned right I advocate deadly force," Cox wrote to the Mother Jones staffer.
Earlier today, the attorney general's office said it was investigating whether Cox had sent the tweet and said it was a serious matter.
This afternoon, the office issued a statement saying Cox was no longer employed there. The office said it had conducted "a thorough and expeditious review" after it learned of the Mother Jones article.
"Civility and courtesy toward all members of the public are very important to the Indiana Attorney General's office. We respect individual's First Amendment right to express their personal views on private online forums, but as public servants we are held by the public to a higher standard, and we should strive for civility," the office said in a statement.
Cox told WRTV he realizes the tweet wasn't a good idea, but he doesn't think public employees should lose their free speech rights.
Cox is the son of WRTV reporter Norman Cox.
