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04/22/2008: "Rosenfeld Concerned About Partisan Press"

(File photo)
County Council Chair Howard Rosenfeld asked the Council and staff on Tuesday “what do we do for the press”?. This captured everyone’s attention, since under County Administrator Pete Rose and the new County Council and their staff, an excellent working relationship with the press has been established, so the few people in attendance were curious why Town of Friday Harbor Council representative Rosenfeld would ask the question.

Rosenfeld then said “We have no definition of what constitutes a legitimate news organization here;” and with that the staff and members of the Council either had broad similes, or joined in the laugher with that the two members of the press who were in attendance.



Councilman Kevin Ranker said “I’m not touching that.” Rosenfeld continued by expressing his concern about “whether one is a legitimate news organization, or a “blog” or a blatantly political partisan rag; and I think at some point we are going to need a policy, because in the instance of particular partisan organizations, that has a website of something, were putting out press packets and …it could be construed as public funds going to a partisan cause.”

Councilman Bob Myhr said “I don’t think I understand what you said,” and then added that because most of what the Council does is in the public interest, “we should be comfortable in letting the public be aware of that.”

But Rosenfeld said that “while anybody can request information, we are forthcoming with information..” and added he has brought up the question with Prosecutor Randy Gaylord, who “did not see it as a problem.”

Councilman Ranker said “This is odd.” Ranker gave an example of the Democratic party as a partisan group that may “in the future have a newsletter, and frankly it is still a media source, so I can’t understand why they would not be provided the same information” as the press.

Myhr said he was “still mystified” by Rosenfeld’s point. Rosenfeld responded that the issue is: should the Council give out press packets to “particular partisan news” organizations or blogs,” and provide seating for them, since “they are taking up our time and space.”.

Myhr then asked “how do you determine which particular tail is being wagged?” Councilman Gene Knapp said “I would be amazed if the U. S. Supreme Court has not given directions on how you treat the press and what constitutes the press.” Knapp said it is not an issue now and I don’t think we should spend time discussing it.”

Rosenfeld said he would like to see a definition of what a press is. With that, and with no support from the Council, Rosenfeld returned the Council to the agenda.

Rosenfeld has had some missteps as Chair, and the recent MRC proposal to make areas of SJ County a Marine Reserve did not look good for Rosenfeld when it was reported by some of the media.

Rosenfeld had given incorrect and misleading information before on the rules that govern citizen access time, and he has allowed discussion items on the agenda to become de facto hearings with randomly allowed testimony to take place, and then the Council allowed to take action on the items.

If the any of this is related to his sudden voiced concerns on who, or what organization should be treated as “press” or not, was not made apparent in the discussion. One member of the media said they believed they had been threatened when Rosenfeld had told them “I will not forget this” after he had objected to some news coverage of his actions.