One council member in Maryland not only didn’t want to comment on a story, but he also doesn’t want his name in any news articles about him.
The issue stems from an article Frederick News-Post reporter Bethany Rodgers wrote about concerns Kirby Delauter, a Frederick County Councilman, and fellow Councilman Billy Shreve had over County Council parking spaces. Delauter declined to comment for the article, which isn’t out of the ordinary for a public official.
But what he did next, is.
“Shame on Bethany Rodgers for unauthorized use of my name and my reference in her article today,” Delauter posted on Facebook.
He also had another request.
“So let me be clear … do not use my name or reference me in an unauthorized form in the future.”
Rodgers didn’t back down, and responded to Delauter on Facebook.
The News-Post attempted to get a further response from Delauter, but he didn’t respond to multiple calls for a follow-up on his Facebook post.
And yes, they used his name in that story as well.
The News-Post’s managing editor, Terry Headlee, said the only time they seek permission to publish a name is in the case of children.
Kirby Delauter can certainly decline to comment on any story, Headlee said in the News-Post follow-up story. But to threaten to sue a reporter for publishing his name is so ridiculously stupid that I’m speechless. It’s just a pointless, misguided attempt to intimidate and bully the press and shows an astonishing lack of understanding of the role of a public servant.
On Tuesday, the News-Post went a step further, running an editorial on the spat, with the headline “Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter, Kirby Delauter.”
And if you look closely at the first letter of the first 13 paragraphs, it spells out “Kirby Delauter.”
h/t: Mediaite
