The following is the final segment of a 3-part narrative establishing a sequence of events concerning the unprofessional and threatening behavior of Oro Valley Town Councilmember Steve Solomon. Part 2 discussed the email threat he made to a citizen. Today, we reveal her response.You can read Part 2 immediately beneath this article which also contains a link to Part 1.
She responded with a 4-page manifesto at his feeble attempt to intimidate her. Excerpts of her epic takedown are below:
“I’m entitled to draw my own conclusions. And it’s worth noting that many other residents have drawn the same conclusions and have stated so publicly…Also, an opinion cannot be defamatory. A qualified statement such as ‘My conclusion is…In my opinion…I think that…I suspect that…’ are not defamatory statements because they are opinions and are not stated as fact.”
“For someone who comes across as a know-it-all, I find it amusing that you do not know the legal definition of the word “slander." Allow me to enlighten you:
Slander is a false oral statement about someone made to a third party that harms someone’s reputation or standing within the community. Libel is a false written statement made to a third party that harms someone’s reputation or standing within the community.”
“In an [earlier] email you wrote me…you stated that “you and your opinions have absolutely no credibility in our community.” Now you’re claiming that my comments are so credible that they are harming your supposed stellar reputation. At this point, you’re arguing with yourself.”
“It is established law that the First Amendment protects citizens from government retaliation for exercising their First Amendment rights. I was exercising my First Amendment rights when I asked you, an elected official, to explain your conflicting statements.”
“We expect our elected officials to act with integrity and honor. We expect our elected officials to treat us with respect and to not berate, belittle, and lecture us when we have a difference of opinion. And we expect to be allowed to question our elected officials without fear of retaliation and the threat of a lawsuit. After all, citizens do have the right to discuss public affairs with their elected officials.”
“Your behavior (lecturing citizens, belittling citizens, and now threatening them) is unbecoming for an elected official, and is especially hypocritical for one who ran on a ‘civility’ platform.”
“The situation is that I asked you a reasonable question about conflicting statements you made and when you were unable to defend those statements, you, in your infinite wisdom, decided that the best course of action was to threaten a citizen.”
What do you think?
We now have Solomon threatening one resident in an email and accosting two other residents in public. Is this the kind of behavior that you expect from your elected officials? Is it appropriate behavior? Do you believe that the mayor and sitting council will condemn his behavior? Remember that this is the same guy that Mayor Hiremath was crying and blubbering over when he had to bid him farewell when Solomon was initially voted out of office in 2012.
