Supervisor Rubio Violated State Law
Posted by: An Insider | 07/25/2008 10:34 PM
Kern County Supervisor Michael Rubio violated county regulations and state law by utilizing taxpayer equipment for political purposes.
A constituent sent an email to Supervisor Rubio's office. The email was received on a government owned computer and then forwarded by Supervisor Rubio or his staff to the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party then forwarded the email to the local newspaper, who published the contents without permission.
Further, if the newspaper wishes to obtain a constituent's correspondence to their elected representative, they must follow the legal protocol via the County Counsel's office.
Hopefully, Supervisor Rubio will refrain from violating county regulations and state laws against using taxpayer funded equipment and staff for political purposes in the future.
A constituent sent an email to Supervisor Rubio's office. The email was received on a government owned computer and then forwarded by Supervisor Rubio or his staff to the Democrat Party. The Democrat Party then forwarded the email to the local newspaper, who published the contents without permission.
Further, if the newspaper wishes to obtain a constituent's correspondence to their elected representative, they must follow the legal protocol via the County Counsel's office.
Hopefully, Supervisor Rubio will refrain from violating county regulations and state laws against using taxpayer funded equipment and staff for political purposes in the future.
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I followed up through the FOIA on this and we found very little about who, specifically sent the email. However, the important question for me as a constituent is less about Rubio and more about the entire board. What assurances do I have as a constituent, that my heartfelt pleas to my electeds aren't being passed off to a special interest group for fodder? For instance, if I am fighting the sierra club on a property rights issue could my letter be forewarded to them for thier use agianst me?