At the top of my right hand “headlines” column, a TL;DR summary of Mayor Steve Adler’s latest and possibly last injustice that many politically active people in Austin simply don’t like In more detail, on December 1, the first day of early voting for the council run-off election on December 13, Adler attended a press conference at City Hall to discuss election-related matters. We discussed the issue and asked everyone to vote.This included informing the audience, live and via signals on the city’s television channel, ATXN, that he, a resident of District 9, was to vote for Zohaib Qadri (and actually vote When Kadri), if he lived in D3 instead, he would vote for José Velázquez “because of his community organization history in that district”. but discussed it to some extent, saying, “Our city is lucky to have two candidates.” [with] I have the experience and the knowledge and the skills to do this job and I am ready for both. I have known both candidates for over 20 years.they are both my friends [and each] I have the city’s best interests at heart. ”

Ordinary sentiments that ordinary politicians speak normally. The question is whether Adler improperly used his ATXN’s resources to create and broadcast what could be considered political advertising (in fact he was a 30- or 60-second TV I’m sure I can provide the material for the spot). This is a complaint from activist attorney and former Travis County Judge Bill Alecher, who has filed a complaint with the Texas Ethics Commissioner on behalf of Kadri’s D9 opponent Linda Guerrero and now his D6 CM Mackenzie Kelly. He filed a lawsuit against the Board and County Attorney Delia Garza, and filed criminal charges against Adler. .

you can see it

Kelly said Chronicle This week she filed a complaint (with Aleshire’s help) after being alerted by a presser that morning and seeing it in real time. I’m sure Kelly wasn’t the only deeply invested city figure, elected or not, to tune in to Channel 6 in his office and watch the Adler press speak. many Viewers had no idea the crime was taking place before their very eyes.

There is no doubt that it is a crime to use public funds for political advertising, such as funds paid to ATXN. In Aleshire’s view, Adler is free to share his election support as a First Amendment newsmaker. other It’s the format he chose, but it’s not the city’s own TV station. And while the Ethics Committee has no teeth when it comes to holding despicable actors accountable, it has a broad view of what can be despicable. during a council meeting Any attempt to influence an election may violate state ethics laws.

There are legal issues here that are really interesting to me, and perhaps Aleshire. How can a city-owned media like ATXN operate independently without violating “public funding” restrictions? It was also a question that came up.) Are Adler’s comments really worth upholding? I checked with requirements Adler was taped, televised, and the general public has a right to know, simply because Adler is doing mayoral things as a mayor. I should have saved the words “I am voting for…”.

you know he doesn’t care

Because Aerscher is such a man friend Adler has described him as a “rolling barrel of steak knives” for years, but these criminal charges and his associated media hits soberly suggest that Adler took an ethical undercover. I didn’t point it out.

“Mayor Adler abused his position as mayor to rob city officials, audio/video equipment, and websites and engage in his own political endorsement of candidates,” Alesher said in Kelly’s complaint. said in The word “commander” does a lot of work there. I think it’s possible that all or some of his ATXN his staff of eight, named in the complaint, felt bullied by the staging and filming of the mayor’s press conference. The difference between the content of “Steve Adler Discusses the Election” and “Steve Adler Says He’s Voting for Zo Kadri” is the difference between the subject and the crime, which Alesher structured the issue.

Yes Steve Adler is rich and can pay the fines imposed on him.Both Kadri and Velázquez won the race.Alesher is doing this because he doesn’t like Steve Adler And soon we forget it all.