Bloggers & Mayors: Working Through Some Things

Gawker (via State Sunshine and Open Records) recently highlighted a bit of a spat between a blogger and the Mayor of Portsmouth, Ohio. Turns out the blogger filed a public information request. He got his info, as well as some constructive feedback from the Mayor. Now, I was once a small town journalist, so I do know the look of disdain from city officials rather well — but dang, guy. At least the Mayor was nice enough to dull the profanity with asterisks, and rehash a classic insult from the "Wayne’s World" movie (see if you can find it):

From: City of Portsmouth
To: rforr1@roadrunner.com
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information
Priority: Normal. Date: Sunday, September 27, 2009 1:47 AM
To: Robert Forrey

Per your public records request;

You are correct in stating that at the meeting in the park the fact was "acknowledged that such a written agreement existed". What I don’t understand is why you feel that a confirmation of this fact would necessitate a publication or distribution of the mentioned document.

As you requested, a copy of the document has been prepared for you to pick up at my office. Our regular office hours are from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday.

If there is anything else that I can do for you, which is required by law, don’t hesitate to call my office. If it isn’t required by law then don’t bother asking, because I think that you’re a worthless piece of s**t and I wouldn’t p**s on you if you were on fire (my opinion). You’re a poor, lonely, jealous, old man with aspirations of being a writer. You write your lies and uneducated opinions on people and issues from behind the safety of your slobber stained keyboard with the hope that somebody will read them that doesn’t know you and believe that you’re more than the pitiful, broke-down, lizard-looking thing that you are, in my opinion. Get a life old man. On second thought, don’t bother…………..

I do have a question for you. Do you have family and if so do they even like you?

Looking forward to your next Internet issue of "FORREY’S FOLLIES"…..NOOOTTTTTT

With little respect for you,
Mayor James D. Kalb

Now that’s freedom of speech at its best, in my opinion.

Sooooooo, you’re saying he can have the information?