Image Credit: @TnCoNews1 / X & Representative Patsy Hazlewood / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
In the middle of an election year, Rep. Patsy Hazlewood (R-Signal Mountain-District 27) is allegedly blocking constituent comments from appearing on her social media pages, likely because these comments attempted to call the GOP incumbent out on her voting record.
This type of behavior from a government official was previously not allowed under the rulings of multiple U.S. Appellate Courts a few years ago, including a July 9th, 2019 ruling from the Second Court of Appeals stating that Former President Donald Trump could not legally block people on social media without potentially violating their 1st Amendment rights.
“One of the core purposes of the First Amendment is to allow people, regardless of their views, to hold the government accountable through expression,” ACLU Staff Attorney Vera Eidelman wrote at the time. “So, if your elected representative has an official Facebook page where she invites comments, can she block you from commenting because you criticize her work? According to a federal appeals court, the answer is a resounding no.”
However, in March of this year the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that there are circumstances when government officials can permissibly block a constituent from their social media pages, provided they are not claiming to speak on the state’s behalf.
Now, according to our source, RINO incumbent Rep. Hazlewood is blocking the discourse of multiple constituents who penned comments criticizing her track record while in office.
Rep. Hazlewood faces conservative challenger, Michele Reneau, in the upcoming GOP primaries.
According to reports from Reneau’s campaign, hundreds of unique primary voters are visiting HowPatsyVotes.com every day to learn more about some of Rep. Hazlewood’s not-so-conservative votes.
Reneau is running as a constitutional conservative to defend faith, family, and freedom.
Her platform is anti-illegal immigration, pro-parental rights, pro-1st Amendment, pro-2nd Amendment, pro-sanctity of life, pro-limited government, and pro-informed consent for District 27 voters concerning her opponent’s voting record.
Volunteers for Reneau’s campaign say, “We know the message is effective, because when we show folks Patsy’s voting record at the door, they all say, ‘we’re not voting for that.’”
Still, locals report that many of the yard signs highlighting Rep. Hazlewood’s voting record are “mysteriously disappearing,” getting run over or being stolen.
This is despite the fact that theft and vandalism of political signs is a crime in Tennessee.
In most cases, theft or vandalism of a campaign sign is a Class A misdemeanor for property theft of an item valued at $1,000 or less. Various felonies are outlined for items valued any higher.
Other charges that could be accrued in the theft or vandalism of campaign signage include a Class C misdemeanor for criminal trespassing and a possible Class D felony for civil rights intimidation.
5 Responses
Chris Spencer running for state senate dist 18, Sumner & Trousdale counties, blocked me from his Facebook page.
THANX!! MAYBE enough will hear.
That is the way liberals work it, Republicans better catch on or lose out completely. Liberals inundated schools and colleges with far-left wing liberal nuts and now they are doing the same with politicians. We have several RINOS in Tn. John Lundberg is another that blocks conservatives every chance he gets. Hopefully others will be exposed and voted out.
Yes, that’s because you, John Gentry, are contentious. I do not blame him. Grow up.
People i moved here from blue crooked New York I thought Tennessee was a good conservative state I am beginning to have serious doubts. Wake up vote that rino out let her get a real job!!!!