Poll: Should public officials be sanctioned if they create or forward offensive emails on a public account? / LJWorld.com

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Response		Percent	Votes
Yes		77%	405
No		22%	117
Total	522

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WilburM 1 year, 5 months ago

I voted "No" -- the real sanction has to come at the polls. If you want to keep electing folks who say stupid things, that's your right in a democracy. And we have any number of examples...

Paul R. Getto 1 year, 5 months ago

I voted 'No' as well. That's up to the voters. You are correct, Wilbur.

snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 5 months ago

If I get to be the one who decides what is offensive, sure.

consumer1 1 year, 5 months ago

Yo Mamma

snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 5 months ago

Yo Yo Ma

Moderate 1 year, 5 months ago

And how do we decide what is offensive? Who does the deciding? What about due process?

WilburM got it right on the first response. The answer is no. That doesn't mean we can't express our displeasure, and if enough people speak up it could push an elected official toward stepping down. Of course, if something is offensive enough, one's own party might even ask a politician to step down.

I know Anthony Wiener stepped down because of his personal e-mails. It does happen.

Stain 1 year, 5 months ago

O'Neal is a disgrace to Kansas. I want him to resign. Kansas is better than this. Kansas are better than this.

Armstrong 1 year, 5 months ago

Where is the freedom of speech crowd now ?

Armstrong 1 year, 5 months ago

Ah, the I support only the speech I like crowd. Thanks for clearing that up. Emma would be ashamed

bevy 1 year, 5 months ago

If a state employee sent an e-mail like that one, he or she would at minimum be sanctioned,or possibly even fired. Don't elected officials have at least the same responsibilities?

hear_me 1 year, 5 months ago

Offensive or not, personal stuff should not be done on government equipment.

jayhawklawrence 1 year, 5 months ago

I voted no for the same reasons as others.

If voters keep electing dumb people, that is one of the things you have to accept in a Democracy. Being dumb is not against the law.

Grump 1 year, 5 months ago

". . . until he can demonstrate more personal responsibility and common sense."

My guess is that's not going to happen. (I've met him in-person.)

ivalueamerica 1 year, 5 months ago

anyone who is using government computers to present personal messages, offensive or not, should be sanctioned.

Also, State leaders who do not think they should be held to greater accountability than regular employees or a greater standard of ethics should leave their posts because they do not understand their job.

I voted yes because of that.

pace 1 year, 5 months ago

jayhawkinsf 1 year, 5 months ago

I'm just guessing, but with the use of mass mailings, mass e-mails etc., done by paid staff and by volunteers on behalf of politicians, I could easily see how some offensive things could be sent out without the politician ever having seen the material. It would be great if we could hold the politician responsible, but there are only 24 hours in a day. A pattern of such behavior would indicate a lack of managerial control, which might make such a person unworthy of public office.