What happens when members of a city council feel harassed or threatened by another public official? Who can they go to?
What if there's a pattern of abuse or intimidation, who do they turn to?
These are questions a city council may want to ask, because it seems it's not quite clear who represents who down at Maple Heights City Hall.
There are federal authorities that do handle what's called "deprivation of rights under color of law" abuses.
As stated regarding "Color of Law Abuses":
"U.S. law enforcement officers and other officials like judges, prosecutors, and security guards have been given tremendous power by local, state, and federal government agencies—authority they must have to enforce the law and ensure justice in our country. These powers include the authority to detain and arrest suspects, to search and seize property, to bring criminal charges, to make rulings in court, and to use deadly force in certain situations.
Preventing abuse of this authority, however, is equally necessary to the health of our nation’s democracy. That’s why it’s a federal crime for anyone acting under “color of law” willfully to deprive or conspire to deprive a person of a right protected by the Constitution or U.S. law. “Color of law” simply means that the person is using authority given to him or her by a local, state, or federal government agency.
The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating color of law abuses, which include acts carried out by government officials operating both within and beyond the limits of their lawful authority. Off-duty conduct may be covered if the perpetrator asserted his or her official status in some way.
During 2012, 42 percent of the FBI’s total civil rights caseload involved color of law issues—there were 380 color of law cases opened during the year. Most of the cases involved crimes that fell into into five broad areas:
continued HERE
There are also court rulings regarding suits against public employers for retaliation, COERCION OF A PUBLIC SERVANT OR VOTER, etc etc etc
And there are freedom of speech issues.
So again we ask, does a city council need its own special attorney chosen by them; and do individuals on a city council need their own attorney?
Related:
Intimidation (wiki)
Intimidation
City Council moves to hire its own lawyer November 4, 2013
Council Calls For Independent Attorney November 15, 2006
What if there's a pattern of abuse or intimidation, who do they turn to?
These are questions a city council may want to ask, because it seems it's not quite clear who represents who down at Maple Heights City Hall.
There are federal authorities that do handle what's called "deprivation of rights under color of law" abuses.
As stated regarding "Color of Law Abuses":
"U.S. law enforcement officers and other officials like judges, prosecutors, and security guards have been given tremendous power by local, state, and federal government agencies—authority they must have to enforce the law and ensure justice in our country. These powers include the authority to detain and arrest suspects, to search and seize property, to bring criminal charges, to make rulings in court, and to use deadly force in certain situations.
Preventing abuse of this authority, however, is equally necessary to the health of our nation’s democracy. That’s why it’s a federal crime for anyone acting under “color of law” willfully to deprive or conspire to deprive a person of a right protected by the Constitution or U.S. law. “Color of law” simply means that the person is using authority given to him or her by a local, state, or federal government agency.
The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating color of law abuses, which include acts carried out by government officials operating both within and beyond the limits of their lawful authority. Off-duty conduct may be covered if the perpetrator asserted his or her official status in some way.
During 2012, 42 percent of the FBI’s total civil rights caseload involved color of law issues—there were 380 color of law cases opened during the year. Most of the cases involved crimes that fell into into five broad areas:
continued HERE
There are also court rulings regarding suits against public employers for retaliation, COERCION OF A PUBLIC SERVANT OR VOTER, etc etc etc
And there are freedom of speech issues.
So again we ask, does a city council need its own special attorney chosen by them; and do individuals on a city council need their own attorney?
Related:
Intimidation (wiki)
Intimidation
City Council moves to hire its own lawyer November 4, 2013
Council Calls For Independent Attorney November 15, 2006
