The Louisiana Board of Ethics will meet Thursday and Friday as part of their regular meetings to discuss the possible regulation of political weblogs and ad placement.
According to an excerpt from the board’s docket, “a request for an advisory opinion concerning the regulation of web-blogs and blog sites and the placement of political campaign signs” was made.
TheDeadPelican.com, a state news weblog, reported that Thomas Kates, a Bogalusa councilman, made the request as a result from a post on the “Washington Parish Hard Copy Messageboard” regarding local politicians. Reports say Kates inquired about a possible “blogger code of ethics.”
Kates declined to comment when contacted by a reporter from The Daily Reveille.
Kathleen Allen, deputy general counsel for the Louisiana Board of Ethics, said she thinks this issue has been blown out of proportion.
She said Kates only made a request for an advisory opinion not a ruling on the issue.
Lee Kelley, who works with Hardcopy, said weblogs are important, especially in Louisiana because of the well-known corruption.
“Political blogs allow people to remain anonymous and get opinions and ideas out there,” Kelley said. “When [blogs] are used to generate conversation and get people thinking, I think they are a wonderful thing, and they should not be up to the government to censor.”
Emily Metzgar, Manship doctorate student, political communication instructor and blogger, said blogs are an important tool used by people to share their opinions.
“[Blogs] provide information and analysis that previously hasn’t been widely available in Louisiana,” Metzgar said. “I wish the ethics board the best of luck in trying to overturn the First Amendment without stirring up a blog swarm that garners national attention.”
The Daily Kos, one of the most trafficked national blogs according to Metzgar, has already picked up on the issue.
In a front page post on the blog, writers of the blog said, “Hopefully, sane heads on the panel, if they exist, prevail.”
Metzgar said this is just the latest example of politicians not wanting to take responsibility for their actions.
“If that weren’t so consistent with elected officials’ obvious squirmishness at the possibility of being held accountable, this development would be funny,” Metzgar said.
—–Contact Nathan Trifone at ntrifone@lsureveille.com