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An Open Letter to The Town Clerk of Lewiston, Donna Garfinkel: From the Editorial Staff at the Niagara Falls Reporter

Dear Donna;

If it wouldn't be too much to ask, would you be good enough to stop throwing all the copies of our newspaper in the garbage when we write articles about Steven Reiter, as we are doing once again this week?

We know, of course, that you are a political ally of Steve's, and that loyalty is a fine thing everywhere - when it isn't illegal.

We realize also that you are annoyed that we write articles about Steve telling the pubic that he has stolen untold thousands of dollars of gasoline from the people who elected him and for that matter who also elect the town clerk.

Now, while we understand that you want to defend Steve, we nevertheless would like to remind you that, as a woman who is in an elected position, and, as such, is an official who has sworn an oath to defend the US Constitution, of something called the First Amendment. It reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

A town clerk, although not a member of congress, is still, nevertheless, supposed to be a preserver of records, not a destroyer of same.

It might be a better world, perhaps, Donna, if everyone followed your lead and, whenever anyone wrote anything that officials, such as yourself, did not like, they could merely throw the publication out, or, better yet, suppress the publication altogether as they do in some countries where government officials can arrest and imprison publishers of newspapers that are unpleasing to government.

We get your drift, Donna.

This week we are bringing our newspaper, as we do every week, into Town Hall and placing them again right on the bench just to the right of the court door and to the left of the offices. It has some stories criticizing Steve Reiter and some of your fellow Republicans.

If you cannot control your emotions and you must throw out our paper in the trash can, then, Donna, could you please do so when nobody is looking?

Although it is conduct like yours that keeps our paper interesting to readers, it is far too embarrassing and time consuming to continue to take calls from townspeople ratting you out.

Thanks, Donna.

 

 

Niagara Falls Reporter - Publisher Frank Parlato Jr. www.niagarafallsreporter.com

Feb 18, 2014