Apparently, free speech doesn’t exist in Jackson, Georgia if the mayor doesn’t like your candidate:
A Butts County couple has filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Jackson, Ga. and its mayor, claiming their truck was towed because they’d displayed a campaign sign in its bed.
According to the suit, Ron and Debbie Moon parked their vehicle in downtown Jackson on Oct. 10, 2010 — in an area in which they’ve parked before and since — and headed to church. Public records show that about 16 minutes later, Mayor Charles Brown called police and requested that the truck be towed “immediately because it had political signs,” namely, a sign supporting Austin Scott — a 2010 Golden Sleaze award recipient — in his successful Congressional bid. Two separate documents indicate that the tow was authorized by “Mayor.”
The Moons, represented by Atlanta attorneys Gerry Weber and Craig Goodmark, are suing the City and Brown individually for violating their civil rights. Brown has been mayor of Jackson — a small city of about 4,000 that lies about halfway between Atlanta and Macon — since 1994.
The Moons are, as noted above, pressing forward with legal action. Here is a press release that was sent out on Thursday:
A Georgia family today filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that the Mayor of the City of Jackson, Georgia impounded their truck, while they attended church, explicitly because it had a political sign supporting Republican Austin Scott for the Eighth District Congressional race.
On October 10, 2010, Ron and Debbie Moon were on their way to church and dropped off their pick-up truck in a public area in downtown Jackson where vehicles have frequently been allowed to park both before and after that date. Their truck had a sign in the bed of the vehicle expressing their support of Austin Scott for the Eighth District Congressional race. A very short time thereafter, according to public documents, Mayor Charles Brown called the police dispatch within 16 minutes and demanded that the truck be towed “immediately because it had political signs.” After church, Mr. and Mrs. Moon returned to pick up their truck at the lot, but it was gone. Three separate inquiries to the Jackson Police Department revealed that the stated reason given by the Mayor, identified on police records as the “officer” authorizing the impound, was that the truck had a “political” sign on it.
Said Ron Moon, “We were shocked. The fact that a local elected official would so blatantly abuse the power of his office to impact an election is alarming and should concern everyone.”
“The Mayor’s dirty politics was a clear violation of the First Amendment.”
Politicians can’t pick-and-choose who citizens can publicly support,” said Attorney Gerry Weber. The lawsuit seeks damages for violations of the Moons’ constitutional rights but as Debbie Moon stated;“our main reason for filing this lawsuit was, as my Grandmother would say, ‘It just ain’t right.’”
The lawsuit was filed against Mayor Brown and the City of Jackson, and the Moons are represented by Gerry Weber and Craig Goodmark. Copies of the lawsuit are available upon request.
If the city had not been removing other signs, even political signs, then obviously Mayor Brown has made a huge blunder. Good luck to the Moons.
