Reno City Hall Sinks to (New) Low Levels
(And this is not just a "Sam Dehne Thing")
ALERT!
December, 2002
The Perpetual "Raping"of a Victim's Civil Rights Must Not Be Swept Under the Rug.
Dictionary: Rape - Abusive or improper treatment; violation: a rape of justice.
Reno City Hall Sinks to (New) Low Levels
(And this is not just a "Sam Dehne Thing")
Reno city hall, under the scandal-plagued out-to-lunch Lynch/Griffin regime has been committing one crime after another. It is a misdemeanor crime to exlude a citizen from participation in Public Meetings. Here are 6 separate viable Complaints that were filed during the last days of the Griffin/Lynch regime... one after another. But first, it must be reported that the (lame duck Del Papa) Nevada Attorney General has blatantly ignored the U. S. Constitution and Nevada Law and WHITEWASHED the valid reports on these Reno city hall crimes.
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
775 825-1398 / (renocit@accutek.com)
Subject: Please Throw the (Del Papa) Nevada Attorney General's Un-American Opinions In the Garbage... Where They Belong
To: Brian Sandoval, Newly Elected Nevada Attorney General
8 November, 2002
Dear Mr Sandoval,
Our Nevada Open Meeting Law preamble says: "It is the crucible of democracy that government cannot be by the people and for the people unless it exercises its powers under the scrutiny of the people."
Shame on deputy attorney general Janet Hess... and Lynch's right hand buddy, Frankie Sue!
Their asinine and innocuous "opinions" that WHITEWASH Reno city hall crimes are "legal" prostitution. Hess and her boss have made themselves accomplices in the horrible problems that have afflicted the conduct of Reno government meetings for years under the scandal-plagued Griffin/Lynch regime.
We have no choice but to add these two, by name and organization, to the Federal Lawsuit that has already been filed against the corrupt persons who have been (mis)running Reno city hall.
In response to the first of 6 recent similar Complaints (attach) challenging Reno city hall crimes [it is a misdemeanor crime to "exclude" a citizen from (participation in a) public meeting], Hess and her boss ignored the evidence and WHITEWASHED city hall's perfidious and cowardly activities. They failed:
* to even address the primary crimes committed by Griffin and Lynch.
* to admit that Reno's new Nazi-style policy of picking and choosing who gets to talk and who doesn't get to talk on Public Matters is rotten, cowardly, anti-constitutional, and evil.
* to admit that Reno's new Nazi-style policy was never even officially adopted or approved by city council. Lynch thrust it upon them.
* to admit that Reno's new Nazi-style policy was not clearly articulated on the Agenda as required by Law.
Furthermore, Dehne meets the legal requirements for being an "interested party" BY ANY LOGICAL DEFINITION OF THAT TERM. He is an American citizen who cares about America. He dedicated two decades of his life in the military to defend America against people who are not much worse than Hess and her boss. How dare they mutilate what is sacred about America. Shame on them. Massive evidence of Reno city hall's outrageous behavior is right there for anybody to see... on video and in the documents.
Dehne has freely spent the last 8 years on a Crusade of scrutinizing northern Nevada Government. It is a travesty that the Attorney General... the "official" body that is supposed to protect every citizen's right and duty to scrutinize their government... has instead made itself a part of Reno's grotesque perversions.
The scandal-plagued Attorney General's WHITEWASHING of this dire matter is a travesty unto itself.
All honorable citizens beg you to clean up the Attorney General's office. Advise Hess to immediately rescind her obnoxious opinions and replace them with honest determinations that follow the Attorney General preamble that citizens must scrutinize their government. Tell her to stop supporting cowardly Reno dictates that suppress the public. If she fails to do this, she should be fired summarily.
Nevadans pray that you will conduct a more honorable Attorney General Office. I am anxious to discuss this urgent matter at any time. The sooner the better!
Signed,
Sam Dehne, a Concerned Veteran Who Cares
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
Nevada Attorney General 27 Sept, 2002
Frankie Sue Del Papa
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701
(Via FAX and mail)
SUBJECT: Reno City Attorney and City Council Don't Give a Hoot About Your/Our Open Meeting Law... or the United States Constitution. They Broke Your/Our Laws.
Dear Frankie Sue Del Papa,
The Reno city attorney (with the acquiesce of Reno city council) stooped to premeditatedly pathetic new low levels during the Public Meeting on 24 September, 2002. Reno Watchdog Sam Dehne attended that meeting from 12 PM until 6 PM (with a brief absence between 2 PM and 3 PM to attend the Washoe county Public Meeting).
Frankie Sue Del Papa's Open Meeting Law preamble clearly states that "... the crucible of democracy is that a government cannot be by the people and for the people unless it exercises its powers under the scrutiny of the people." (emphasis added)
Scrutiny, Websters: 1, a close examination; minute inspection, 2. a careful continuous watch, surveillance, 3. a lengthy, searching look.
(Note: It is impossible for any regular citizens, and especially a Watchdog, to properly scrutinize and examine Reno's powerful government without being able to ask questions and make observations.)
During the Public Meeting Sam Dehne turned in 9 Official Request to Speak forms on Agenda Items where "Direction and possible action" was contemplated and/or taken. (See Attachments) Some of these actions involved massive amounts of Public dollars. And one even involved a citizen's livelihood.
Sam Dehne's Official Requests to Speak were ignominiously (even with some snickering) either thrown in the garbage or denied.
On each of these Agenda occasions other people spoke. (Note: Any lame alibi that these speakers are city employees or were called to the podium doesn't cut the mustard... nor pass any smell test. Everybody must be allowed to speak. Picking and choosing is cravenly fraudulent and against the Law.)
As one "for instance" on the Redevelopment Agenda, item 3 and 4, one person spoke for some 17 minutes. But Sam Dehne was not allowed to speak at all. Another example was when Doug Smith was allowed to talk on an Agenda item at 5 PM. But Sam Dehne was turned down despite an additional (oral) plea to Speak. The official video tape will plainly show the Attorney General the escalating and exacerbating shameful perfidiousness of these Reno city hall people. Some scenes portraying the evil manipulations are hideous enough to turn a good citizen's stomach.
These repeated violations of the Open Meeting Law were blatant and arrogant maneuvers to deny Sam Dehne his right and duty to speak the Truth. They constitute fraud against the citizens of Reno.
The United States Constitution (1st and 14th Amendments), and the Nevada Open Meeting Law, and years and years of precedent, and just good honest American Democracy demand that citizens be allowed to give public testimony about their government and critical actions they are contemplating.
In California, the Ralph M. Brown (Open Meeting Law) Act states very clearly the right of its citizens to scrutinize their government.
"Public Testimony: Agendas for regular meetings must provide the opportunity for the public to directly address the legislative body on any item on the agenda either before or during its consideration of the item. Further, every agenda for a regular meeting must provide the opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any subject under the jurisdiction of the body (54954.3(a))"
It looks like Reno city council and city attorney could learn a lot about American Democracy from California.
The 14th Amendment forbids Reno to "pick and choose" who they want to listen to.
The Nevada Attorney General should thank a citizen like Sam Dehne who has dedicated his life on a Crusade to try to bring some honesty back to Reno government. It should thank him for caring enough to spend his time preparing this Complaint. Citizens can only pray that the Attorney General doesn't whitewash these premeditated Reno government perversions and mendacities.
The Official video tape of the meeting will corroborate these premeditated crimes.
NRS 241.040(1): "Each member of a public body who attends a meeting of that body where action is taken in violation of the Open Meeting Law, with knowledge of the fact that the meeting is in violation thereof, is guilty of a misdemeanor."
NRS 241.040(2): "Further, wrongful exclusion of any person or persons from a meeting is a misdemeanor."
Please investigate this atrocity and correct the matter immediately.
Please keep in mind that all actions taken in violation of the Nevada Open Meeting Law are void
(NRS 241.036)
Please contact Sam Dehne before believing anything you hear from Reno city hall.
Signed,
Sam Dehne
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
PS
As more than an anecdote, the Reno city attorney was absent from the meeting from approximately 5 PM to 5:12 PM... as well as during numerous other shorter periods of time during the Public Meeting... in defiance of the Reno city Charter.
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
URGENT!
Nevada Attorney General 1 Oct, 2002
Frankie Sue Del Papa
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701
(Via FAX and mail)
SUBJECT: Immediate Injunction Requested (re - Citizen's Complaint that Reno City Attorney and City Council Don't Give a Hoot About Your/Our Open Meeting Law... or the United States Constitution.)
Dear Frankie Sue Del Papa,
Every time the Reno City Council refuses to obey the Law and refuses to allow citizens to perform their duty of "scrutinizing" their government, another crime is committed, and the citizens of Reno have their fortunes and lives put in jeopardy.
Therefore, it is requested that an immediate injunction (and an immediate order that Reno City Council cease and desist from its illegal actions) be filed against the Reno City Council.
Reno City Council's outrageous white-collar terrorism against Reno must be stopped.
Reno City Council must be ordered by the Nevada Attorney General to IMMEDIATELY start obeying the Law. It must allow citizens to speak during Public Meeting Agenda Items.
This Request is self-explanatory when analyzed in conjunction with the referenced Complaint that was recently filed. However, if there are any questions or comments please call immediately.
Sincerely,
Sam Dehne, a concerned citizen of America
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
Nevada Attorney General 8 Oct, 2002
Frankie Sue Del Papa
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701 (Via FAX)
Attn: Deputy Attorney General Janet Hess
SUBJECT: Reno City Hall Crimes. Two Video Examples.
Dear Ms. Hess,
Thank you for contacting me yesterday, and I am glad I was able to clear up a couple of things. This is really a very simple case. It is about good versus evil. And the solution is to severely reprimand Reno city hall and order them to mend their perverted ways... as soon as possible.
As your boss says, "... the crucible of democracy is that a government cannot be by the people and for the people unless it exercises its powers under the scrutiny of the people." It can't be much simpler than that.
Reno city council violated the Open Meeting Law on numerous occasions on 24 Sept and 1 Oct, 2002.
In order to help lead you in the right direction and maybe save you some time watching the official video tape, here are a few of the many examples of Open Meeting Law crimes... as per the following:
1. (9/24) Agenda Item 12. A. - "Appeal of Denial of Privileged Cabaret Dancer License."
(approximately 3 hours into the meeting)
The Reno city clerk returned my official Request to Speak as I sat in the audience. I thereafter took my Request to Speak and handed it to councilperson Sferrazza. This can be seen on the video... as well as the Request to Speak form being insultingly passed around and then handed off to the city clerk as if it were all a big joke.
2. (10/01) 7. D. - "Potential direction to staff regarding the special use permit for Home Depot."
(approximately 1 hour into the meeting)
I turned in an official Request to Speak (one of many... on many public issues). The clerk brought it back to me and told me the council would not let me speak on Agenda items.
Another citizen was allowed to speak on this same Agenda item.
I asked, via a perfectly legal Point of Order from the audience, if I was going to be denied my right to speak.
Mister Griffin said "Yeh".
This can be seen and/or heard on the official video tape.
Some of these Reno city council criminal denial of my right to participate in a Public Meeting cannot be seen on the official video tapes. The fact that I am not in the video at the podium discussing public issues is defacto evidence of the criminal denial of my right to "scrutinize" Reno city council. This is because the record will show that I almost always "scrutinize" Reno government at least 4 or 5 times on Agendized public issues at almost every Reno city council meeting.
Sincerely,
Sam Dehne
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
Nevada Attorney General 2 Oct, 2002
Frankie Sue Del Papa
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701
(Via FAX and mail)
SUBJECT: More Reno City Council Crimes. Reno City Attorney and City Council Continue to Not Give a Hoot About Your/Our Open Meeting Law... or the United States Constitution. They Broke Your/Our Laws.
Dear Frankie Sue Del Papa,
ONCE AGAIN the Reno City Council stooped to premeditatedly pathetic new low levels during the Public Meeting of 1 October, 2002. Reno Watchdog Sam Dehne attended the meeting (and wanted to perform his citizen's duty and address and scrutinize 5 different Agenda items that were of significant interest to the Public) from 12 PM until 3 PM.
Frankie Sue Del Papa's Open Meeting Law preamble clearly states that "... the crucible of democracy is that a government cannot be by the people and for the people unless it exercises its powers under the scrutiny of the people." (emphasis added)
Scrutiny, Websters: 1, a close examination; minute inspection, 2. a careful continuous watch, surveillance, 3. a lengthy, searching look.
(Note: It is impossible for any regular citizens, and especially a Watchdog, to properly scrutinize and examine Reno's powerful government without being able to investigate, ask questions, and make observations.)
During the Public Meetings of 1 October, Sam Dehne turned in 5 Official Request to Speak forms on Agenda Items where direction and possible action was contemplated and/or taken. (See Attachs - circled Agenda items) Some of these actions involved massive amounts of Public dollars.
Sam Dehne's Official Requests to Speak were ignominiously (and with snickering) denied. Dehne was told by the City Clerk that Reno City Council would not allow him to speak other than the one time at the 3 minute Public Comment. And that his official Request to Speak forms were not going to be honored.
On some of these Agenda occasions other people were allowed to speak. (Note: Any lame alibi that these speakers are city employees or were called to the podium doesn't cut the mustard... nor pass any smell test. Everybody must be allowed to speak. Picking and choosing and "singling out" is cravenly fraudulent and against the Law.)
As one for instance, on the Home Depot Agenda item, one person was "allowed" to speak. But Sam Dehne was not allowed to speak at all.
The official video tape will plainly show the Attorney General the escalating and exacerbating shameful perfidiousness of these Reno city hall people. These are crimes against the community that make Enron and Tyco appear like childs play. Some scenes portraying the evil manipulations are hideous enough to continue to turn an honest citizen's stomach.
These repeated violations of the Open Meeting Law are blatant and arrogant maneuvers to deny Sam Dehne his right and duty to speak the Truth. They constitute fraud against the citizens of Reno.
The United States Constitution (1st and 14th Amendments), and the Nevada Open Meeting Law, and years and years of precedent, and just good honest American Democracy demand that citizens be allowed to give public testimony about their government and about critical actions they are contemplating.
In California, the Ralph M. Brown (Open Meeting Law) Act states very clearly the right of its citizens to scrutinize their government.
"Public Testimony: Agendas for regular meetings must provide the opportunity for the public to directly address the legislative body on any item on the agenda either before or during its consideration of the item. Further, every agenda for a regular meeting must provide the opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any subject under the jurisdiction of the body (54954.3(a))"
Furthermore, the 14th Amendment of the U. S. Constitution forbids Reno's evil policy of "picking and choosing" who they want to listen to.
The Nevada Attorney General should thank a citizen like Sam Dehne who has dedicated his life on a Crusade to try to bring some honesty back to Reno government. It should thank him for caring enough to spend his time preparing this Complaint. Citizens can only pray that the Attorney General doesn't whitewash these premeditated Reno government perversions and mendacities.
The Official video tape of the meeting will corroborate these premeditated crimes.
NRS 241.040(1): "Each member of a public body who attends a meeting of that body where action is taken in violation of the Open Meeting Law, with knowledge of the fact that the meeting is in violation thereof, is guilty of a misdemeanor."
NRS 241.040(2): "Further, wrongful exclusion of any person or persons from a meeting is a misdemeanor."
Exclusion, Websters: "To refuse to admit, consider, include, etc."
Please investigate these ongoing atrocities and correct the matter as quickly as possible. In the meantime an immediate moratorium and injunction must be instituted to stop these crimes.
Every time the Reno City Council refuses to obey the Law and refuses to allow citizens to perform their duty of "scrutinizing" their government, another crime is committed, and the citizens of Reno have their fortunes and lives put in jeopardy.
Therefore, an immediate injunction (and an immediate order that Reno City Council cease and desist from its illegal actions) must be ordered against the Reno City Council's perverted tactics. Reno City Council's outrageous white-collar terrorism against Reno must be stopped.
Reno City Council must be ordered by the Nevada Attorney General to IMMEDIATELY start obeying the Law. It must allow citizens to speak on Public Meeting Agenda items.
Please keep in mind that all actions taken in violation of the Nevada Open Meeting Law are void
(NRS 241.036)
Please contact Sam Dehne before believing anything you hear from Reno city hall.
Signed,
Sam Dehne, a concerned citizen
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
PS
The Reno city attorney was once again absent during some periods... in defiance of the Reno city Charter.
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
Nevada Attorney General 11 Oct, 2002
Attn, Deputy Attorney General Janet Hess
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701
(Via FAX and mail)
SUBJECT: And Here are More Reno City Council Crimes. Reno City Attorney and City Council Continue to Not Give a Hoot About Your/Our Open Meeting Law... or the United States Constitution.
Dear Janet Hess,
Reno City Council again stooped to pathetic low levels during the Public Meeting of 8 October, 2002. Reno Watchdog Sam Dehne attended the meeting (and wanted to perform his citizen's duty and address and scrutinize several different Agenda items that were of significant interest to the Public) from 12 to 4 PM.
The Nevada Open Meeting Law clearly states that "... the crucible of democracy is that a government cannot be by the people and for the people unless it exercises its powers under the scrutiny of the people."
Scrutiny, Websters: 1, a close examination; minute inspection, 2. a careful continuous watch, surveillance, 3. a lengthy, searching look.
(Note: It is impossible for any regular citizens, and especially a Watchdog, to properly scrutinize and examine Reno's powerful and evil government without being able to investigate, ask questions, and make observations at the Public Meetings.)
During the Public Meetings of 8 October, Sam Dehne turned in Official Request to Speak forms on Agenda Items where direction and possible action was contemplated and/or taken. (See Attachs - circled Agenda items) Some of these actions involved massive amounts of Public dollars.
There can be no possibility of an honest Public Hearing unless citizens are allowed to participate in the discussion. Thanks to the criminal actions at Reno city hall there has been virtually no viable citizen input allowed concerning critical Public issues.
City hall's latest boneheaded (criminal) scheme has them trying to play loosey-goosey with the term "Public Hearing". They have conspired to juggle up a preposterous postulate that they will not "allow" citizens the opportunity to speak at Public Meetings... on anything other than what City Hall describes specifically as "Public Hearings". This dimwitted "berserkness" is almost too bogus to discuss.
Is it not a Hearing of Public interest when they:
*Vote to create new laws/ordinances,
*Vote to create massive new taxes for RR trenches, Convention boxes, baseball stadiums, etc.
*Vote to build a high rise cemetery in the lot next to your home,
*Vote to take away someone's business license,
*Vote themselves pay raises,
*Vote to condemn property away from citizens,
*Vote to annex half of Washoe County,
*Etc etc etc?
They must not be allowed to get away with these crimes. You join with Sam Dehne in stopping them.
Sam Dehne's Official Request to Speak forms were ignominiously (with more snickering) denied. Dehne was again told by the City Clerk that Reno City Council would not allow him to speak other than the one time at the 3 minute Public Comment. And that his Request to Speak forms would not be honored.
On some of these Agenda occasions other people were again allowed to speak. (Note: Any lame alibi that these speakers are city employees or were called to the podium doesn't cut the mustard... nor pass any smell test. Every citizen must be allowed to speak! Picking and choosing and "singling out" is cravenly fraudulent and against the Law.)
As one for instance, on the Condemnation Agenda items, several people were "allowed" to speak. But Sam Dehne was not allowed to speak at all.
The official video tape will plainly show the Attorney General the escalating and exacerbating shameful perfidiousness of these Reno city hall people. These are continuing crimes against the community that make Enron and Tyco appear like child's play. Some scenes portraying the evil manipulations are hideous enough to continue to turn an honest citizen's stomach.
These repeated violations of the Open Meeting Law are blatant and arrogant maneuvers to deny Sam Dehne his right and duty to speak the Truth. They constitute fraud against the citizens of Reno.
The United States Constitution (1st and 14th Amendments), and the Nevada Open Meeting Law, and years and years of precedent, and just good honest American Democracy demand that citizens be allowed to give public testimony about their government and about critical actions they are contemplating.
In California, the Ralph M. Brown (Open Meeting Law) Act states very clearly the right of its citizens to scrutinize their government.
"Public Testimony: Agendas for regular meetings must provide the opportunity for the public to directly address the legislative body on any item on the agenda either before or during its consideration of the item. Further, every agenda for a regular meeting must provide the opportunity for members of the public to directly address the legislative body on any subject under the jurisdiction of the body (54954.3(a))"
Furthermore, the 14th Amendment of the U. S. Constitution forbids Reno's evil policy of "picking and choosing" who they want to listen to.
The Nevada Attorney General should thank a citizen like Sam Dehne who has dedicated his life on a Crusade to try to bring some honesty back to Reno government. It should thank him for caring enough to spend his time preparing this Complaint. Citizens can only pray that the Attorney General doesn't whitewash these premeditated Reno government perversions and mendacities.
The Official video tape of the meeting will corroborate these ongoing premeditated crimes.
NRS 241.040(1): "Each member of a public body who attends a meeting of that body where action is taken in violation of the Open Meeting Law, with knowledge of the fact that the meeting is in violation thereof, is guilty of a misdemeanor (crime)."
NRS 241.040(2): "Further, wrongful exclusion of any person or persons from a meeting is a misdemeanor (crime)." (Exclusion, Websters: "To refuse to admit, consider, include, etc.")
An immediate injunction ordering Reno City Council to cease and desist from its illegal actions must be issued against the Reno City Council's perverted tactics. Reno City Council's outrageous white-collar terrorism against Reno must be stopped.
Reno City Council must be ordered by the Nevada Attorney General to IMMEDIATELY start obeying the Law. It must allow all citizens to speak on all Public Meeting Agenda items.
Please keep in mind that all of these actions that have been taken in violation of the Nevada Open Meeting Law are void. (NRS 241.036)
Please contact Sam Dehne before believing anything you hear from Reno city hall.
Signed,
Sam Dehne, a concerned citizen
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
Nevada Attorney General 18 Oct, 2002
Attn: Deputy Attorney General Janet Hess
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701
(Via FAX)
SUBJECT: And Here are More Reno City Council Crimes Against Nevada Open Meeting Law
Dear Janet Hess,
The Reno City Council continued its blatant and arrogant violations of the Nevada Open Meeting Laws at the Public Meeting of 15 October, 2002. I attended the meeting and wanted to scrutinize government concerning several Agenda items that were of significant interest to the Public.
Citizens have a "statutory right" to address Reno city council on matters of public importance.
Evidence and arguments provided in my previous Complaints about similar Reno crimes continue to apply to this Complaint.
During the Public Meeting of 15 October, I prepared Official Request to Speak forms on 4 Agenda Items of Public concern. (See Attachs - circled Agenda items). I was (again) told at the start of the meeting that I would (again) not get to speak.
Powerful evidence of their crimes is the absence from the podium of Sam Dehne in the videos. This Watchdog has averaged at least 4 Public Comments on Agenda items of Public Concern at every Reno meeting for the last 8 years. (This is a fact that nobody will dispute... in fact council person Pierre Hascheff reiterated, and even exaggerated, the fact at the 15 October meeting... although he was wrong when he stated that all Dehne talks about is the airport.)
This Complaint includes several instances of wrongful "exclusion" from a Public Meeting. But it focuses also on the fact that, not only did Mister Griffin wrongfully exclude me from participation in the meeting during Agenda items, but this time he exacerbated his previous crimes and ordered the police to remove me physically from the public chambers.
I had gone to the podium for "Public Comment" and brought up issues of public concern. As I was leaving the podium, the city attorney started discussing the issues of public concern that I had brought up.
Since these were issues of public concern that I had brought up and since they were being addressed publicly, it was my right and duty (by precedent and logic) to participate in discussing the issues of public concern that I had brought up. This is especially poignant because the city attorney had not been forthright about the issues of public concern that I had brought up, and her new "Reno" rule to vote on whether or not citizens can speak on issues of public concern is grossly in violation of precedent, common practice throughout northern Nevada, and the United States Constitution. I had every right and duty to stand at the podium.
Mister Griffin thereafter wrongfully ordered me removed from the chambers. I was not the person being disruptive. It was Mister Griffin. This can be plainly seen on the video tape.
For a specific point of perspective as to the precedent concerning addressing citizens during Public Comment, a person who had spoken before me is powerful evidence that it is standard procedure for citizens to remain at the podium while issues that the citizen brought up are addressed. This only makes sense! Council spent almost 2 minutes discussing the matter of public concern that he had introduced and he remained at the podium and participated throughout that discussion. Mister Griffin's ordering me to not be allowed to participate in the city attorney's discussion of issues that I had brought up breaks from precedent (an example of which had just taken place just 10 minutes earlier) and is just plain lousy governance.
I had done nothing to justify exclusion and removal from the public chambers. The city attorney did not know the Rule that was being discussed. I had the Rule in my hand and was trying to tell council. You can see me holding it up. Furthermore Griffin has a master button that turns the citizen's mike off.
And relative to the specific instance of my not being allowed to speak at an earlier meeting (that the city attorney focused on during the discussion on 15 October), I did not go to the podium under "Agenda Item rules" that time. That (rare) issue concerned the Business License of a dancer. And the dancer, who was single-handily up against a juggernaut of city officials, had specifically asked me to speak on her behalf during her hearing. That is why I was at the podium then. I had a right (and duty) to be there.
As another instance of egregious behavior, at the very beginning of the meeting I turned in a Request to Speak on Agenda item 10 (among others). I was told I would not be allowed to speak on it. Early on, Mister Griffin can be heard telling another citizen that he would be allowed to speak. You can hear my cry of outrage at this criminal activity on the video. That man was going to be allowed to speak and I was not!
Furthermore, the city attorney's false comment that I was "yelling and screaming" is another example of a lie. It is obvious from the video that I was merely speaking with a powerful voice in justified righteous
indignation in an attempt to bring some truth to the issue that I had brought up.
Furthermore, when the Reno city council convened as the Redevelopment Agency at about 3:20PM, Griffin called a citizen directly to the podium to speak on an Agenda item without the foul treatment that I had received. This is blatant favoritism and violation of the 14th Amendment.
Examples of these types of egregious violations of Nevada Laws (and my rights) abounded throughout the meetings of the last several weeks; wherein my official Request to Speak forms were denied.
On some of these Agenda occasions other people were allowed to speak (as good government demands), but I was singled out and denied free speech. Every citizen must be allowed to speak! Picking and choosing and "singling out" is fraudulent and against the Law.
These repeated violations of the Open Meeting Law are blatant and arrogant maneuvers to deny Sam Dehne his right and duty to speak the Truth. They constitute fraud. They are a crime.
The United States Constitution (1st and 14th Amendments), and the Nevada Open Meeting Law, and years and years of precedent, and just good honest American Democracy demand that citizens have a statutory right to give public testimony about their government and about critical actions they are contemplating.
Reno City Council must be ordered by the Nevada Attorney General to IMMEDIATELY start obeying the Law. It must allow all citizens to speak on all Public Meeting Agenda items.
Please keep in mind that all subsequent actions that have been taken in violation of the Nevada Open Meeting Law are void. (NRS 241.036)
Please contact Sam Dehne before believing anything you hear from Reno city hall.
It is respectfully suggested that you view portions of Sparks city or Washoe county video tapes of public meetings to get a feeling for local public meetings that are much closer to being run according to the Nevada Open Meeting Law. These meetings are conducted with dignity and with at least a semblance of an understanding of the fact that the elected officials are bound by law to listen to the words of the citizens.
They recognize that, whether or not they always like what they hear, they have a statutory duty to permit citizens to scrutinize a public body concerning topics that are within the scope and jurisdiction the public body. "The crucible of democracy is that government cannot be by the people and for the people unless it exercises its powers under the scrutiny of the people."
Signed,
Sam Dehne, a concerned citizen
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
Nevada Attorney General 23 Oct, 2002
Attn: Deputy Attorney General Janet Hess
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701
(Via FAX & mail)
SUBJECT: And Here are More Reno City Council Crimes Against Nevada Open Meeting Law
Dear Janet Hess,
I have documented massive amounts of Reno city council violations in 5 recent Complaints about Reno government. Please incorporate all appropriate references therein into this new Complaint. In other words, evidence and arguments provided in my previous Complaints about similar Reno crimes continue to apply to this Complaint.
I attended the Reno Public Meeting of 22 October, 2002 and wanted to scrutinize government concerning several Agenda items that were of significant interest to the Public. I do note that Reno city hall mended the gross errors of their ways... a tiny bit. They did move a little closer to obeying the Law.
However, at this council meeting they instituted some sort of illegal policy of voting on whether citizens can speak on Agenda items of public concern... one by one... as each Agenda item came up. But then, sometimes they didn't vote.
I was "allowed" to speak on several Agenda items, but the stigma still permeates their blatant abuse of the Open Meeting Law. I never knew in advance if I would be allowed to perform my duty of scrutinizing Reno's government. Please see attached agenda with circled items that I was "allowed" to speak on.
All citizens must attend all meetings with the confidence (before and throughout the public meeting) that they will be able to scrutinize their government on issues of public concern. Such is still not the case with this disgraceful and humiliating "picking and choosing" scheme of voting on who can speak As it is under the current rules, citizens are relegated to sitting in the chambers all day long not knowing for sure if they will be able to voice their concerns about matters of Public importance. Reno city hall continues to trample all over the 1st and 14th Amendments.
To exacerbate the perversion even more (as if that was possible), it appears that they never even voted to adopt the new illegal rules that they have been perpetrating upon the public since 24 September, 2002. (Thus, to reiterate, according to the clearly written dogma in the Open Meeting Law book, the decisions they made during the meetings between 24 September and 22 October must be declared void.)
Please also note that the Reno Agenda states that all Agenda items (over 95% of them) that do not have an asterisk are "Action" items in which a decision of some sort will be made by city council. Citizens have a statutory right to speak on all Agenda items.
Also, mister Griffin again threatened me with removal from the chambers. I was not the person being disruptive. It was Mister Griffin. This and other violations can be plainly seen on the (6 hour) video tape.
These repeated violations of the Open Meeting Law, albeit slightly less gross than previous violations, are blatant and arrogant maneuvers to chill Sam Dehne's right and duty to speak the Truth. They constitute fraud. They are crimes.
To reitereate, again, the United States Constitution (1st and 14th Amendments), and the Nevada Open Meeting Law, and years and years of precedent, and just good honest American Democracy demand that citizens have a statutory right to give public testimony about their government and about critical actions they are contemplating.
To capsulate, here are just a few of the ongoing Violations committed by Reno city hall.
1. Gross infractions against the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
2. Wrongfully enforcing a new illegal policy that was never formally decided or voted on for approval.
3. Failure to observe Open Meeting Law in not clearly articulating "new" illegally non-approved policy.
4. Wrongful (PHYSICAL) exclusion of Sam Dehne on 15 October when he protested Reno's prostitution of due process.
5. Threats against Sam Dehne of (PHYSICAL) removal from a Public Meeting.
Reno City Council must be ordered by the Nevada Attorney General to IMMEDIATELY start obeying the Law. It must allow all citizens to speak on all Public Meeting Agenda items.
Please keep in mind that all actions, that have been taken while the Nevada Open Meeting Laws are being broken, are void. (NRS 241.036)
Please contact Sam Dehne before believing anything you hear from Reno city hall.
Signed,
Sam Dehne, a concerned citizen
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
MEMO
Sam Dehne, Lt Col, USAF (ret)
(775) 825-1398
Nevada Attorney General 7 Nov, 2002
Carson City, Nevada
100 N. Carson City, Nev. 89701
SUBJECT: Complaint # 6 - And Here are More Reno City Council Crimes Against Nevada Open Meeting Law (Evidence In Previous Complaints to be Incorporated Appropriately)
Dear Nevada Attorney General,
Reno city council continued to violate the Nevada Open Meeting Law on 5 November, 2002. Mayor Griffin and city attorney Lynch presided over the Public Meeting from noon until about 1:45 PM. And during that time they continued to promulgate the illegal and cowardly tactic of picking and choosing and voting on whether Sam Dehne was going to be allowed to perform his duty of scrutinizing Action taken by Reno's government on issues of Public Concern that were on the official Agenda.
"Public Comment" was conducted as usual. BUT when Sam Dehne submitted official Request to Speak forms on Action Agenda items 6 H/I and 6 K, city council broke the Law and defiled the U. S. Constitution by subjecting Dehne to a vote about whether they would let him perform his duty and talk on issues of Public Concern. This continues to fly in the face of good government and historical (up until September 24, 2002) procedure. Lynch and Griffin continued to promulgate a dastardly rule THAT WAS NEVER EVEN OFFICIALLY APPROVED BY RENO COUNCIL. A rule designed to illegally shut Sam Dehne down.
Later, with assistant mayor Rigdon overseeing the meeting, suddenly the rules were changed and Dehne was "allowed" to speak on Agenda Action items of Public Concern. However, it is mandatory that citizens always know in advance with confidence that they can publicly scrutinize and speak about Agenda items... and that they will not be subject to the whims of the presiding officer or a vote.
The Griffin-Lynch machinations, that are captured on official video tape, represent horrible governance and are gross violations of the Open Meeting Law and Federal Law and the Civil Rights of citizen Dehne. They are premeditated continuations of violations that have been exposed in 5 other Attorney General Complaints filed by Dehne since 24 Sept, 2002. Lynch's new (UNAPPROVED) rules about Public Input at Public Meetings must be immediately expunged.
To capsulate (again), here are just a few of the ongoing Violations committed by Reno city hall.
1. Gross infractions against the First and Fourteenth Amendments and Sam Dehne's Civil Rights.
2. Wrongfully enforcing a new illegal policy that was never formally decided or voted on for approval.
3. Failure to observe Open Meeting Law in not articulating "new" (albeit illegal) non-approved policies.
4. Wrongful (PHYSICAL) exclusion of Sam Dehne on 15 October when he protested Reno's prostitution of due process... and other unjustified threats of physical exclusion from Public Meetings.
Reno City Council must be ordered by the Nevada Attorney General to IMMEDIATELY start obeying the Law. It must allow all citizens to speak on all Public Meeting Agenda items.
Please continue to keep in mind that actions that were taken while the Nevada Open Meeting Laws are being broken are void. (NRS 241.036)
Please contact Sam Dehne before believing anything you hear from Reno city hall.
Signed,
Sam Dehne, a Concerned Veteran
297 Smithridge
Reno, Nevada 89502
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