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Editor, News-Register:
With the recommended dismissal by the special prosecutor of some of the 22 charges related to so-called "MailerGate," it's important to clarify what these mailers were -- and what they weren't.
They were not campaign materials. They didn't attempt to advocate for any candidate, didn't solicit votes, and didn't qualify as electioneering under the law. They were public interest mailers, meant to inform residents about matters others have consistently chosen not to cover. The First Amendment protects that kind of speech.
The remaining charges -- mostly tied to reporting technicalities -- are based on those same nine mailers. Without the underlying claims, the reporting violations have no independent foundation. That's a conclusion the facts will soon demand.
So next time anonymous public interest mailers arrive in your mailbox, take a moment to consider the substance before rushing to condemn the source. Not all uncomfortable truths are attacks, and not every truth-teller is looking for your approval.
Anand A. Patel
Wheeling