SF City Councilor Greg Neitzert defends Councilor Christine Erickson from attacks by political opponent who wants her silence.

@SoDakCampaigns

Sioux Falls City Council Candidate Greg Neitzert has a timely post on his facebook page this afternoon defending City Councilor Christine Erickson for exercising her constitutionally guaranteed rights of free speech.

Why did Neitzert think this was necessary? Because there are those who don’t want Erickson expressing her support for candidates for office, such as when Erickson supported Alex Jensen who is running for the at-large Sioux Falls City Council race.

In this case, long ago former Sioux Falls Mayor Rick Knobe went after Erickson because he knows that her support matters to people in Sioux Falls. Because in a government body that’s as fraught with drama as the Sioux Falls City Council can be, Erickson has been a steady voice of reason.

If Knobe is so concerned about Erickson supporting a candidate, my question is, why doesn’t he do something about it himself?  Because it comes off as a bit hypocritical.  Rick purports to publicly judge the ethics of a sitting elected official while he sits on the South Dakota State Board of Elections that actually has the ability to propose laws regarding elected officials.

Instead of opining and defaming Councilor Erickson, Knobe could actually work to draft potential legislation.

Why doesn’t he do it? I suspect he knows that he’d have trouble getting any proposal for legislation to squelch the free speech rights of elected officials past his own board much less the entirety of the state legislature.

He can squeak and squawk all he wants, but when the rubber hits the road, no court is going to uphold limiting people’s First Amendment rights. Whether Knobe likes it or not, the Constitution trumps whatever limitations he wants to see on the rights of those he disagrees with.

And in this case, as Councilman Neitzert advocates – it’s time to stop the smear campaign against Councilor Erickson and time to stand with Christine.

13 thoughts on “SF City Councilor Greg Neitzert defends Councilor Christine Erickson from attacks by political opponent who wants her silence.”

  1. So it was unethical when Barack or Donald sign fundraising letters for themselves or others? Give me a break. This has been standard operating procedure for hundreds of years, literally hundreds of years.

    For him to make this a charge of ethics tells one an awful lot about the person Rick Knobe has become since becoming irrelevant. It is so much more attractive when old horses go quietly into the night instead of biting those who have stepped up and entered the race.

    Sad. Sad. Sad.

    1. Rick Knobe is just expressing his freedom of speech. Everybody has a right to their opinion whether you agree with them or not. Knobe was a great Mayor and should run for an office. We need more Independent voices that put people over party.

      1. And Christine Erickson is just utilizing her right to free speech, which Knobe apparently doesn’t like.

        Knobe’s day has come and gone and he needs to stay out of office.

  3. Pondering …Last I heard, he was sailing his boat down the Sioux River near Sioux City.

  5. Didn’t Knobe endorse Jo in the last election using the title of former Mayor of Sioux Falls?

  7. I can tell you that, from speaking to our friends across Sioux Falls, the vast majority support Greg Neitzert and Christine Erickson. Granted, some folks don’t care either way. But among those who actually care about city council, which is a decent fraction, it’s not close. The mayor seems popular too.

    unscientific poll, i admit, but a decent sample size. Guess the city election will prove it one way or the other

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