FREE WHITEWATER

City, Libertarians, Police

Front Page: The Wisconsin State Journal Covers Municipal Actions Against Free Whitewater Website

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Good morning, readers from across Wisconsin.

This Sunday, March 16th, the Wisconsin State Journal‘s veteran reporter, Dee Hall, published a story describing my recent experiences as a blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It’s on the front page of the State Journal, and is entitled, “Whitewater Police Pursue Anonymous Blogger, Critic.”

http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/277169

The story details how City of Whitewater municipal officials acted against lawful, constitutionally-protected, anonymous political and social commentary. More startling, though, is the officials’ conviction that they were right to do so, and that there is no assurance that their efforts are not continuing even now.

It is an effort, Hall writes, that included our police chief’s “use of city employees to try to unmask Adams — exposed in a series of posts on his blog earlier this month — that is part Keystone Cops and part challenge to Adams’ constitutional rights.”

I am undeterred — I am an optimist and true believer in the American tradition of individual liberty, including the exercise of free speech.

(I will post a point-by-point reply to the City of Whitewater’s efforts against free speech in a post later today, entitled, “To the Municipal Opponents of Free Speech.”)

Here’s a picture of the print edition of the Wisconsin State Journal:

As local readers know, I recently published my true account of how a blogger became the target of public officials’ months-long witch-hunt, to learn his identity using public resources, on public time. (For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)

I am that blogger. My name is John Adams, and I am the pseudonymous author of FREE WHITEWATER, a local website with commentary on life in Whitewater, Wisconsin. My website is published almost every day at www.freewhitewater.com.

Although my story may seem incredible, I obtained the public records to confirm these events under the provisions of Wisconsin’s Public Records Law, Wis. Stats. 19.31 — 19.39. I sought these public records after fair-minded residents warned me that public officials might be working, with considerable zeal, during public time, in public facilities, on hunting through the community to determine my identity.

The Wisconsin State Journal has now published an account of my experiences.

Who am I, by the way? That depends on whom you ask. These public officials describe me one way; I would describe myself in another. I blog about municipal affairs, and other topics, as a libertarian, and my website has sometimes been critical of certain police practices and actions, and government planning. Most of all, I have hoped for a better leadership for our police force for our city, and I know that one day we will have just that.

The real message of my site, though, is an uplifting one: the greatness of the American promise of individual liberty and the liberating power of free markets. I have been fortunate to grow up libertarian, am religious, have celebrated the joy of a citizen’s life, offered photos of beautiful spots in my town, cheered public accomplishments, offered classic American animation, and even what’s great about HP calculators!

In the end, I’m just a common man, like so many others — citizen, resident, property-owner, husband, and parent. Bloggers are from all walks of life, across the political spectrum, and are, I think, just modern-day pamphleteers.

Uncategorized

New Features Next Week

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Beginning next week, FREE WHITEWATER will offer two new features. First, the website will have a weekday, early morning summary of events in Whitewater for that day. I have not hit upon a name for the feature, but if anyone has a suggestion for a name, please feel free to write me at adams@freewhitewater.com.

Second, I will post a weekly critique of the Whitewater Register. I have commented on that paper in the past, but it’s so remiss in so many ways, that I’ll start a weekly feature assessing its coverage.

Finally, my cartoon feature — with short animated films from America’s past — will be back this Friday. I have had questions, too, about a long-delayed video feature. It’s still a work in progress, so to speak. In the meantime, these new, expanded features (and the return of an older one) will start next week.

City, Police, Public Records 1

Police Commission Compliance: The Email Reveals Concern

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Frequent readers know that, last week, I ran a series entitled, “Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin,” in which I posted public records that showed how public officials used their resources, time, and effort against the lawful, pseudonymous commentary. (For that series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)

There is another email exchange from the public records that I received that addresses a concern I noted from my December series. I have contended previously that our Police and Fire Commission falls below Wisconsin’s required standards for adequate notice, including thorough agendas published before a meeting, and detailed minutes published after a meeting.

In an email from the public record, dated December 18th 2007, City Clerk Michele Smith writes to Whitewater Police Chief Jim Coan to inform him that, based on Wisconsin law, the agendas published over these last years have been inadequate.

It matters because without adequate, thorough notice — citizens have reduced opportunities or incentive to attend — as they are allowed to do by Wisconsin law — a public meeting.

The mail appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.


The email:

From: Michele Smith
Sent: Tuesday, December 18,2007 10:36 AM
To: James Coan
Subject: Police & Fire Commission

Hi Jim,

I’ve cut and pasted the most recent Free WW info re Police & Fire Commission. I meant to call you Friday but have been so busy with election work & agenda work I haven’t had time.

John Adams is writing on the PFC minutes. I talked to Kathy Boyd a little over a month ago, and when Adams first inquired about Agendas and Minutes for PFC, I started looking at them and noted that the Agendas PFC has are not in compliance with Statutes. The Agenda has to specifically identify each item the group will be discussing – Chief’s Report and Old Business / New Business don’t qualify as it doesn’t give the public specific information as to what will be discussed. I told Kathy I will help with the next agenda.

I did speak to Kevin about this subject on the blog as I am worried about the legality of the agendas PFC has issued. If something came of the agendas, which I do not believe comply with the Law, I did not want him to get blind sighted [sic].

Sorry, Jim – meant to get to you earlier, but am overwhelmed with work.

Michele


The files:

I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (10). (Please scroll the the end of the file to see the actual email.)


My comments:

1. Inadequate. I wrote in December that I thought that the agendas were inadequate — and failed under Wisconsin law. I am not alone in that view — the City Clerk of Whitewater, Wisconsin thinks so, too.

2. Where’s Chief Jim Coan? The law requires that Jim Coan send any public records specified in my request, and that requirement would include any email reply that he made to the city clerk. I received none, so did he make no reply via email? Did he reply to these concerns at all?

If he made no reply, then at least he is consistent — I am convinced that the agendas for our Police and Fire Commission have been inadequate for years. Inadequate agendas reduce the incentive for citizen attendance. No citizen attendance, no true community oversight as Wisconsin expects by setting out agenda requirements.

3. Where’s City Manager Kevin Brunner? To be City Manager is to be manager of all the community. The law requires that Jim Coan send any public records specified in my request, and that requirement would include any email that Brunner would have sent to Chief Coan on this matter concerning her concerns. I received none, so did Brunner send no email to Coan about these inadequate agendas? Did he reply to these concerns at all? What did he say? He has been, after all, in office for years.

Did our city manager speak to Coan himself? The email makes it seem as though Coan only learned of this concern from the city clerk. Did Brunner not trouble himself to speak to Coan himself? It is a matter of Wisconsin law, after all.

To manage the city — to be the leader one wants to be, and to be truly how one wants to be seen — is to step forward and be accountable, and to hold others accountable.

4. Where are the Members of the PFC? In all these years, there is no record that I can find in the tissue-paper minutes of our PFC that asks for better, reasonable agenda items. Never.

5. My challenge, unanswered. In a post entitled, Police and Fire Commission: February Meeting, I offered three questions — here they are —

Here are three questions, though:

(1) When the notice for a Wednesday, 2/20 PFC meeting comes out on Friday, 2/15, doesn’t that seem that the two weekend days reduce the available exposure & attention the meeting will receive?

(2) Was this meeting announced on the main page of the City of Whitewater website, like other meetings? I don’t recall seeing it there.

(3) If the agenda link on the website doesn’t work until after the meeting, what kind of website notice is that?

At the City of Whitewater website, as of this morning, there is a link to a February 20th agenda of the Police and Fire Commission. It doesn’t open properly as of this post, but it’s there. (The January 10th Special Meeting agenda of the PFC also mentioned that there would be a 2/20 — presumably regular — meeting.) I have two questions:

1. Did the meeting take place? I can’t tell, of course, from a broken link to an agenda.

2. If there were a meeting on February 20th, how did the City of Whitewater publicize it? I do not recall seeing it announced on the main page of the City of Whitewater website. The law requires notice (albeit short); most commissions and boards in our city in practice provide much better notice than the law requires.

The Whitewater PFC does not follow that practice. As I have noted before, this significantly reduces the chances for citizen participation, in what should be one of the best-announced meetings in Whitewater.

The members of the Commission are free — yes, you really are, under the law — to offer an explanation.

Comment on a public duty should always be more important than silence to maintain social standing, or for any other reason.

I can be reached at adams@freewhitewater.com.

Beautiful Whitewater, City, Development, Free Markets

Best Whitewater Project of 2007: Stone Stable

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Over at Downtown Whitewater, Inc., there was a recent awards ceremony. The Stone Stable restoration project won, if I understand the award correctly, for the best public-private partnership. I am pleased that the Stable Stable won an award, but a worthier designation would be to stay that the restoration was the best Whitewater project of 2007.

I have praised the effort before, in a few posts, the first of which, from August, was entitled, Beautiful Whitewater: The Stone Stable. Here’s part of what I wrote then:

If someone told you that an old stone stable had been torn down, and some of your fellow residents had organized to rebuild, stone by stone, the stable on a new location, what would you think? I heard of this project months ago, and when I first heard of it, I was surprised; it’s a bold idea toward a traditional end.

Those who founded this town of wood and stone did so with horses and mules, lanterns and candles, steam and sweat. They had harder lives than we do, and despite the difficulty of their circumstances, they bequeathed to us the public thing – the municipality – which now defines much of our connection to each other. It is also, however regrettably, the thing over which we sometimes contend, as we differ in how we have managed our common inheritance.

Here’s information on the stable, from a local website:

Who built the stone stable and for what purpose? Little is known for sure. The first settlers came to Whitewater in 1837 and by 1850 a small village existed in a triangle formed by Church, Whitewater and Main Streets. The stable stood within this triangle. According to research by historian Carol Cartwright, Nelson Combs, a wagon-maker and immigrant to Whitewater from New York State, paid taxes and built houses on adjacent properties in 1845 and 1847, about the time the stable was believed to have been built.

The designation public-private partnership would not have been my favorite. The award was deserved in any event, but it was mainly a private effort, as it should have been.

The public contribution was, in any event, no inhibition to the market. The municipal contribution to this project denied nothing to a private, rival competitor, nor established any unfair preferences, as their were no rival competitors, so to speak.

In how many other recent projects of business support can the city say the same — that it did not boost one to the preference of other, rival private efforts? Whitewater should be out of the business of picking winners — that’s the market’s function, and a function that it does far better.

The Stone Stable was a worthy project in itself.

Congratulations.

City, Police

Lawsuit Against Larry Meyer Continues

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Longtime readers of FREE WHITEWATER know that I have followed the federal lawsuit against Larry Meyer, a former investigator of the Whitewater Police Department.

The lawsuit is a matter of public importance: (1) it involves
constitutional claims against a former public employee, (2) it tells much about how that employee was supervised and managed, and (3) and the proposed settlement included a confidentiality agreement.

Local press coverage of the case has been — sad to say — only
sporadic and shockingly incomplete. In the fall, a local paper presented stories on how — from the point of view of Larry Meyer’s defense counsel — the case had actually been settled. I pointed out that that reporting seemed, well, less than thorough: see, Questions for a Reporter, and the Community and Answers for a Reporter and the Community, on the Larry Meyer Case.

For my opposition to a confidentiality provision, which would hide information on public matters, involving a public employee, on public time, see my posts entitled, Questions on the Settlement in the Larry Meyer Case and Cat Has Your Tongue?

In late January, U.S. Magistrate Judge William Callahan, in a thorough, thirteen-page decision and order, denied federal defendant, and former Whitewater investigator, Larry Meyer’s motion to enforce settlement in the lawsuit against him.

Undeterred, defense counsel filed a motion for reconsideration (of the denial). That motion for reconsideration was also denied, on March 3rd. United States Magistrate Judge Callahan’s order included the following scheduling information:

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that on Tuesday, March 18, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in Room 253 of the United States Courthouse, 517 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a scheduling conference will be conducted to discuss with the parties the further processing of this case to final resolution.

The case continues.

Libertarians

Two Libertarian Websites

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Libertarians are — more than ever — a part of the American mainstream, and here are two websites that I suggest for those interested in more on libertarian thinking. Both main websites have their own accompanying blogs.

First, the Cato Institute, and its blog, Cato@Liberty, are always interesting. Cato’s motto is “Individual Liberty, Free Markets, and Peace.”

Second, the somewhat more freewheeling Reason Online (from Reason Magazine) and its blog, Reason: Hit & Run. Reason’s motto: “Free Minds and Free Markets.”

You may not agree with every position, but then that’s to be expected. No one is likely to agree in every last case, on so many different issues.

What you will see, I am very sure, is that these men and women of Reason and Cato offer a perspective worth considering, grounded in solid principles.

Free Markets

The Motorcycle for Sale

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A while while ago, I drove through a town nearby and saw that someone had a motorcycle for sale on, or near, his front lawn. It was an old motorcycle, and likely in only fair condition. There was a sign beside the motorcycle with the asking price. The price was almost surely too high.

I passed through a few times thereafter, and the motorcycle was still there. The price was still the same. One day, though, I saw that the seller had made made a change — the motorcycle was painted differently, with a bright pattern along the sides. Again, the price was the same, but the motorcycle was different — it was flashier, sportier.

I never saw the motorcycle again after that occasion when I noticed it was painted differently. I don’t know if it sold, or at what price, but I’d like to think that it did sell, at a good price.

Transactions like this happen all over America — someone has something to sell, puts out a sign, and waits for a buyer. If the offer’s not attracting any takers, the seller either waits still more, pulls the offer, reduces the price, or offers more value (a sportier paint job, for example).

Now, I suppose that there are any number of objections to displaying a motorcycle for sale the way the buyer in my story did. I know, it probably doesn’t look right to some people. Still, if a young person fixes up a bike for sale, with a sign, isn’t that just part of a first taste and chance at the market? I know that many people want to look ‘right and proper,’ and would disapprove of a prominent display of the motorcycle for sale.

I wonder though, if in the insistence that each of our neighbors does things just the right way, we’ll lose some of the charm and vibrancy of small town experiences.

A lemonade stand, a few fruits and vegetables, a bike for sale now and then — we’ll not melt away from these opportunities. They’re a part of what makes us special in the world — that we’re not so fussy and stodgy about these offers.

City, Libertarians, Public Records 1

Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin: Conclusion

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What’s Next?

I love my beautiful, but sometimes troubled, small town.

First and foremost, I hope that the man (and his family) that Coan unfairly pursued, confronted, and falsely accused is doing well. I have no connection to them, and have never spoken to them, but I have thought of them each day since I learned of Coan’s ‘conversation’ with the husband of that family. Coan must have felt entitled, and he initiated the confrontation over mere political speech. It’s no wonder the man was, in Coan’s account, very angry. Of course he was — Coan falsely accused him, on the basis of mere political speech.

As you know now, I was not the real subject of this witch-hunt. Someone else was. How many others had their names bandied about by Coan and those who helped him? I’m not sure, but I can say that any number was too many.

On election day in February, I believe that I saw the wife of the man that the Chief accused, on the other side of the Old Armory. (Someone pointed her out to me.) She seemed happy, and was smiling with other workers at her table. Coan falsely confronted her husband. She deserved better than that. I would have walked him promptly from the property. I had no interest in interfering with her work, and yet I might have kissed her on the cheek on another occasion.

Second, I look forward to a municipal culture that’s more tolerant of free speech. There are, as I have noted, hundreds of blogs on municipal topics in Wisconsin alone, and many are anonymous or pseudonymous. There are people in our town, as you’ve just seen, who think of speech as though it were a crime. Not in America.

If the Chief of Police in Whitewater, Wisconsin worries about political speech when real crimes are being committed, it’s sad and disgraceful. If anonymous or pseudonymous speech is so unwelcome, how will our city ever establish a trustworthy complaints process? The Department of Justice recommends one; I have called for one more than once. If some disadvantaged person is injured and wants to make a complaint anonymously, what confidence will that person have that he or she will be heard fairly?

Third, we need a public records collection process that’s transparent and dependable. I do not know who actually collected the records that I received. Some were withheld with explanation by the City of Whitewater. Did I receive all that I should have under the law? Who oversaw this process, to make sure that no documents were deleted, before they reached the City Attorney? I don’t know, really.

Finally, like most bloggers, I look forward to a more varied set of topics. I look forward to the day in my town when the very idea of public records like these, with scheming like this, will be unimaginable.

As I have written before, I have everything that I have ever wanted, and by any reasonable standard, I have led a charmed life. I very much enjoy the Citizen’s Life.

Still, everyone needs a break now and then. I think that I might even take some time off, to unwind until I begin blogging again. I am not sure how long – I’m thinking twenty-four, maybe thirty-six, hours. That should about do it.

I’ll see you again this Friday.

Adams

City, Libertarians, Public Records 1

Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin: Part 13

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Part 13, “The Wrong Man.”

(For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)

Chief Coan finally decides upon the blogger’s identity, and to confront that man. He shares his experiences with the City Clerk. It was upon learning about the encounter – that took place at the man’s house, apparently – that I decided upon a Public Records Request, to learn more about what Coan might be doing in opposition to free speech.

That’s what led to this series – Coan put his finger on the wrong man, and confronted that man, over lawful commentary on public matters.

I was surprised and disappointed when I learned of it, and I decided upon a series about it. I was even more disappointed when I saw the records.

The exchange appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.


The exchange:

From: James Coan
Sent: Mon 1/7/2008 10:07 AM
To: Michele Smith
Subject: Miscellaneous

Michele,

I am not sure if you are going to be able to check your e-mails white in Egypt. If so, I hope that you guys had a safe flight and that you all are enjoying your vacation. If not, welcome back!

Although it has been raining and foggy here in recent days, we are enjoying record high temperatures. At the rate which the snow has been melting you might be returning to a lot of green grass.

Michele, I can’t wait to tell you all about my conversation with our No.1 suspect in the “John Adams” case. Although he denied being John Adams, everything he said in the lengthy conversation that followed served to reinforce our suspicion that he is the guy. It was at times a very “surreal” conversation. [Name deleted by City of Whitewater] was certainly accurate in his assessment This is one very angry and confrontational man. I’ll share with you the details when you return to the office.

Take care and enjoy the rest of your vacation!

Jim

******

From: James Coan
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 8:59 AM
To: Michele Smith
Subject: RE: Miscellaneous

Welcome back!

Michele, I am 99.9% convinced that it is either him or someone he is directly working with because of the things he said to me. Way too many coincidences. I am anxious to tell you about our conversation. Call me when you have the time.

Jim

******

From: Michele Smith
Sent: Friday, January 18, 2008 1:47 AM To: James Coan
Subject: RE: Miscellaneous

I am very anxious to hear about this. I actually came home and as soon as I could open my eyes and read Free Whitewater again. I just never pictured the suspect as being in the loop.

ms


The files:

I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (13).


My comments:

A blogger – a modern day pamphleteer – writes about municipal affairs, and his website has been critical of certain police practices and actions.

As one might imagine, some officials in town are disappointed with the criticism.

One day, the police chief, perhaps accompanied by someone else, visits the house of someone in town, to confront that man about being the ‘evil blogger.’ The man apparently has relatives who had been active in local politics, he may be libertarian, etc. The man’s wife sometimes attends public meetings, and takes notes.

Those slim – ludicrous – facts convince the official that the man he visits is the blogger.

The chief goes to the man’s house with the apparent purpose of confronting the man, perhaps to shame him into silence, whatever that might mean.

Here’s what’s especially odd — it wasn’t the blogger’s house.

They went to the wrong house, and confronted the wrong man.

In fact, the blogger has never met the man that the chief visited.

Did the chief expect the supposed blogger would stop? If the blogger said ‘no,’ what did the chief say or intend to say (other than conveying the impression of intimidation and coercion)?

Basic Reflections:

(1) An official who would make a visit like this is disrespectful of fundamental constitutional rights of all citizens.

(2) An official who would make a visit like this is arrogant, or self-deceiving. He would have to imagine that his presence would intimidate and dissuade.

(3) An official who would make a visit like this is wasteful of public time and money.

(4) An official who would make a visit like this is incompetent. Even in my post concerning the discredited actions of Maryland Governor William Schaefer, at least Shaefer identified the correct protesters. Schaefer was wrong but accurate. In the scenario I have just described, the Whitewater official is merely wrong – twice over.

In this circumstance, the official identified the wrong man! Here would be the case of an official who was incompetent to identify correctly the political critics that he wanted to intimidate.

(5) A response to criticism based on supposed social pressure only works if the one being pressured cares about the opinion of any number of wrong-headed simpletons. These critics cannot think through the issue, and they cannot defend themselves on the merits.

Their response is proof of their substantive inadequacy – and also of their child-like view of dissent and how to respond to criticism in a free society. No one who dissents would yield to embarrassing, ludicrous people like this. If these critics had even a shadow of a counter-argument, they would make it.

(6). Again, Coan treats a blogger, and the man he believes is a blogger, as a suspect. In fact, by his own account, as his “No. 1” suspect. Coan distorts the language of the criminal law against political speech.

How many other suspects does Coan have, and did he keep a list? If he kept a list, why was it not included in the public records request that I received? (I will have more about collection of public records later.)

It’s reminiscent of Nixon’s enemies list. Coan — the little Nixon of Whitewater. Not even as good, really; at least Nixon went to China.

(7). Coan is 99.9% convinced that he went to the right house; I know that he was 100% wrong. Coan’s complete conviction is therefore the same as a common person’s complete error.

They have nothing worthy to say, and so they futilely try to stop someone else from speaking.


Next Up on Wednesday, March 5th at 2 PM CST: Part 14, “What’s Next?”

City, Libertarians, Public Records 1

Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin: Part 12

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Part 12, “The Call Would Be a Mere Pretext”

(For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)

Coan settles his gaze on one family, and receives an email suggesting that someone call the family when the husband might be away, to see if the husband’s travel schedule coincides with my possible vacation schedule.

What if the man’s wife answers? The person emailing has a plan.

The exchange appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.


The exchange:

From: “Michele Smith”
To: [Name deleted by City of Whitewater] James Coan”
Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2007 9:59 AM

Attached is obituary.

Michele

******

From: [Name deleted by City of Whitewater] Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 10:14 AM
To : Michele Smith; James Coan
Re: Scanned from [name deleted by City of Whitewater]

Thanks Michele! I was a bit concerned when I read that [I have deleted name] Sr., had just 2 children. If I remember correctly, “John Adams” has written as if he grew up in a very large family, although his older brother did have 8 children and, if they all lived in the same area, I suppose “John Adams” did grow up in a very large “extended family.” If there is some way for Jim, through other resources, to find a “smoking gun” that would be a good idea.

If it were me, I would want more proof and some type of evidence that directly links [I have deleted name of Whitewater man that the document mentions] to “John Adams.”

Thanks again,

[City of Whitewater has deleted name]

******

[Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] [Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] To: James Coan; j-coan@ [I have deleted remainder of address] Subject: Golden Opportunity!!! CALL ME!!!! [First few lines deleted by City of Whitewater]

This would be a perfect time to see if [I have deleted name] is out of town. I am not sure how you would do that but I have a couple of ideas;

1. [Name of wife] is on the Landmarks Commission and maybe another commission or two. Perhaps someone could call her home, ostensibly about some city business (just in case she’s home!). If they’re not there, that would be very, very interesting.

2. Perhaps the Post Office is holding their mail this week if they’re gone. I don’t know if that’s something they can reveal, but if it is something that can be found out that would be very valuable.

[Name deleted by City of Whitewater]

******

[Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] [Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] To: j-coan@[I have deleted remainder of address]; Michele Smith; James Coan
Subject: [I have deleted name of woman]

I just did a “Google Search” on [I have deleted name] and found and read the article in The Wisconsin State Journal about the MAP group in Whitewater. The article was published November 16, 2003. I never paid any attention to that group so I didn’t know until just a few minutes ago that [I have deleted the name] was the president/leader of that group. I think it would be a great idea to go through past issues of the Whitewater Register from November 1, 2003 through March 1, 2004 (the artcle [sic] says the referendum on the issue was scheduled for February 17, 2004). By reading articles about MAP and, perhaps most importantly, reading Letters to the Editor during that time frame, I think you’ll be able to find several samples of the writing and thinking of both [I have deleted name] and [I have deleted name]. The article about MAP in the Wisconsin State Journal article I just read (from November 16, 2003) has several quotes from [I have deleted name]. They are almost identical to the views expressed and the words used by John Adams/[I have deleted name of man] in his postings about Whitewater City government and city officials.


The files:

I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (12).


My comments:

1. Familiarity. Whoever is writing these emails is familiar with Coan; it’s no arms-length correspondence.

2. “Golden Opportunity!!! CALL ME!!!!”. Quite a touch, that exclamation, “Golden Opportunity!!! CALL ME!!!!” It’s the language of a flyer on a telephone pole, applied to a police chief’s search for someone who has broken no laws. It would be funny, if there weren’t a family wrongly subjected to speculation on the other end.

3. Same Writing. Someone else writes the way I do? In a town of fourteen thousand, is that so hard to believe? These are people who know only their small, insular, stodgy circle. There’s a bigger world than that.

4. Obituary? Someone sends an obituary, to confirm the size of the man’s family, perhaps? You’re free to do that sort of thing, but I will not do that, ever.

5. The Call Would Be a Mere Pretext. The email’s author writes to our chief of police, and suggests that a call to the home of a woman on a local commission could be falsely presented as city business. There’s no record of a reply from Coan rejecting that approach. None. That the email’s author feels comfortable with broaching to Coan the idea of a call under a pretext speaks ill of all involved.


Next Up on Wednesday, March 5th at NOON CST: Part 13, “The Wrong Man.” more >>

City, Libertarians, Public Records 1

Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin: Part 11

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Part 11, “California?”

(For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)

I have a link on my website to a California blog called “The Foothill Cities Blog.” It’s well-known in the blogosphere (what bloggers call their part of cyberspace) as a pseudonymous blog, covering the foothill cities of California. I admire its efforts, and months ago I wrote to one of the authors of the Foothill Cities Blog, to mention that they were an inspiration to me. Publius (that’s his pseudonym) replied, and posted my email. Thanks, Publius.

That’s my connection to the Foothill Cities Blog – that’s it! There’s no mystery, no weird connection, no conspiracy of bloggers, etc. There’s also no connection – at all – between someone who posted for that blog and my FREE WHITEWATER website, or even Whitewater, Wisconsin.

The exchange appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.


The exchange:

[Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] [Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] To: James Coan; Michele Smith
Subject: Fascinating!!!

WOW!!! BINGO!!! I just found a long, detailed, fascinating article by Gary [I have deleted surname, it’s the name of a family in town] in the archives of the “FOOTHILL CITIES BLOG” on the legal rights of bloggers, especially in small towns across the country as these bloggers turn their sights [sic] on their local city halls and city governments. This article, written by Gary [I have deleted surname] is INCREDIBLE because he states, in lengthier and more detailed form, all the same arguments that “John Adams” wrote about with a link on “Free Whitewater”. Here is the link to Gary [I have deleted surname] article in the “Foothill Cities Blog” – www.insidesocal.com/editorsditors/20Q1lQ91. It was written on September 28, 2007.


The files:

I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (11).


My comments:

1. California? No, not really. As you see in this email exchange, someone – name deleted by the City of Whitewater – thinks that there is a connection to the Foothill Cities Blog. He is sure of it, and believes that because the surname of someone who writes in California is the same as a family in Whitewater, there must be a family connection.

It’s nonsense: someone who believes in empty coincidences like this probably doubts that Americans landed on the moon, or is likely convinced that O.J. must have been innocent, because the glove just didn’t fit.

I have deleted the references to the surname of the Whitewater family, but as you’ll see, subsequent emails sadly and erroneously focus on this one family.


Next Up on Wednesday, March 5th at 10 AM CST: Part 12, “The Call Would Be a Mere Pretext.” more >>

City, Libertarians, Public Records 1

Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin: Part 10

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Part 10, “A Person of Interest.”

(For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)

From the public records, in perhaps December 2007 — Over time, Chief Coan, aided apparently by citizens in our community — your overly inquisitive neighbors and mine — begins to focus erroneously on one family.

The exchange appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.


The exchange:

[Line deleted by City of Whitewater] [Line deleted by City of Whitewater] To: James Coan
Subject: Interesting!

Here’s what “John Adams” writes in an archive from his “Inbox Reader Mail.”

I have lived in this town for so many years (our person of interest has lived her since 1968), [remainder deleted by City of Whitewater].


The files:

I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (8).


My comments:

1. Our Person of Interest. Someone writes to Chief Coan — a private citizen, I suppose — and describes someone as ‘our person of interest.’ Like the term suspect, it’s a term of the criminal law. Some of your neighbors and mine helped Chief Coan in his use of public time and resources to advance his search. As you can see in the email that Coan received, they have identified someone that they think is John Adams. They have even figured out when that man arrived in our town.

2. Familiarity. Whoever writes Coan this way expects to be well-received, and discusses a common understanding (that is, “our” person of interest). How often did Coan discuss this man’s name with others? I don’t know, but as you’ll see tomorrow, his search grows ever more fervid.

Next Up on Wednesday, March 5th at 8 AM CST: Part 11, “California?” more >>

City, Libertarians, Public Records 1

Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin: Part 9

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Part 9, “Wikipedia? Yes, Wikipedia.”

(For earlier parts of this series, please click this link: Witch-Hunting a Blogger in Whitewater, Wisconsin.)

From the public records, with the date and sender deleted by the City of Whitewater — Someone writes to complain about a link that I have in Wikipedia. As I’ll show, it’s someone who doesn’t understand how Wikipedia works, or what a link on Wikipedia means.

The exchange appears below in black font, followed by the actual PDF documents I obtained, and then my commentary in blue font.


The exchange:

[Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] [Line Deleted by City of Whitewater] To: Michele Smith; James Coan; Kevin Brunner
Subject: Free Whitewater & Wikipedia

Dear Jim, Michelle and Kevin,

[First paragraph of email deleted by City of Whitewater.]

One of the rules of Wikipedia is that nobody Is allowed to post false, malicious or harmful material or to promote their own personal interestes [sic], viewpoints or agendas. The administrators take such prohibited behaviors and actions very seriously, enough so that you can contact Wikipedia to file a complaint against anyone who posts defamatory, false or malicious information. I would guess that Wikipedia would not only be willing to delete the link to “Free Whitewater” on the “Whitewater, Wisconsin” Wikipedia page, but that they might also be quite willing to give you the name of the person who first posted the link, especially since this person is engaging in the very actions that Wikipedia and it’s [sic] editors have prohibited.

I would also think that both Wikipedia and whoever hosts the “Free Whitewater” website might be more than happy to provide the name of the person since there may be some legal questions ahead for “John Adams”, including possible libel charges and damage to professional reputation. I think consulting a lawyer and providing a lawyer with copies of “John Adams” rants would be the proper starting point.


The files:

I have made the PDF files confirming this exchange available here — 2008-1 (9).


My comments:

1. Misunderstanding Speech. Here I find useful the expression, “that one forgot more than someone else ever knew.” This is political speech, about political topics, public officials, and public matters. There are over 100 political bloggers – many using pseudonyms — in Whitewater. This is commonplace now. Note, though, the false idea of a ‘proper’ starting point.

The original emailer wants to stifle speech, any way he or she can. There’s a bit of desperation in it all; this original email may be from December; I have been writing since May.

2. Misunderstanding Wikipedia. The original writer in this exchange really doesn’t understand Wikipedia. I don’t have an article on Wikipedia — FREE WHITEWATER is listed as an external link on the article for “Whitewater, Wisconsin.” There can be links to all sorts of commentary; it’s like saying that one cannot link to an opinion journal on the “External Links” section of a Wikipedia article.

3. Familiarity. Whoever writes this original email is on a first-name basis with “Jim, Michelle [sic], and Kevin.”

4. Speech and Rants. One man’s rant is another man’s truth. The emails that I have cited speak for themselves, about the some of the employees of our city, and none too well, either.

Next Up on Tuesday, March 4th at 4 PM CST: Part 10, “A Person of Interest.” more >>