As previously reported, Beaufort Insider submitted two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to the City of Beaufort in August. The documents sent in response were received approximately two weeks ago.
Of particular interest was this email sent by City Manager Scott Marshall to the City’s Attorney Ben Coppage and another attorney Lawrence Flynn stating that he wants to “go on the offensive now to properly discredit the Beaufort Insider as a source of information.” Copied on the email are all members of Beaufort City Council, Police Chief Stephenie Price, and Assistant City Manager JJ Sauve. Marshall’s email was sent on August 2, 2024, one day after Beaufort Insider published this article reporting that evidence, including the evidence from a 2006 rape case, was missing from the Beaufort PD evidence room. Also reported in the August 1 article was that Chief Stephenie Price had threatened officers with a polygraph exam if they spoke to the media about the missing evidence and 2006 rape case.
Attached to Marshall’s email is an “open letter” that he proposed to publish in his effort to discredit Beaufort Insider and me, the Editor. In the “open letter”, Marshall accuses Beaufort Insider of publishing unsubstantiated claims as fact and describes allegations in the August 1 article as having “no basis in reality or fact”, and as “inexcusable and reprehensible” as well as claiming that Beaufort Insider is subject to liability. More information about the missing evidence and 2006 rape case, including links to documents that back up the facts, can be found in this Beaufort Insider article published on September 29, 2024.
Any responses to Marshall’s email were not included in the FOIA documents so it is unclear whether City Council members responded or why Marshall’s “open letter” did not get published.
A simple Google search about Constitutional law and the First Amendment will show that government interference with the press getting information to the people has been shot down many times at the highest levels of government. It is true that recent articles in Beaufort Insider have not been favorable toward the city or city officials. However, the city cannot argue that there are not solid facts to back up everything that has been published. It is also worth noting that the August 1 and September 29 articles were both published based on information shared by a whistleblower, other sources, and documents shared by the city. These articles were not written with malice or with the intent of maligning anyone’s character. It could be argued however, that the city’s claims that Beaufort Insider is acting in “bad faith” and actively working to “discredit” Beaufort Insider as a source of information are actions against the spirit and intent of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
Beaufort Insider sent an email to the city, each of the current City Council members, and the two current City Council candidates. Each recipient was asked whether s/he condones the city’s actions against Beaufort Insider:
- The city responded, “We have no comment.”
- No response was received from Councilmen Scallate, Lipsitz, Mitchell, McFee or City Council Candidate Julie Crenshaw.
- Mayor Phil Cromer told Beaufort Insider that he believes that the city government should respond with appropriate information to any request by a citizen, person, or organization. He stated that he believes in open and transparent government.
- City Council Candidate Josh Gibson responded, “When the city serves its citizens, it has an obligation, both morally and legally, to treat them all equally. Whether that is a request for information, a building permit, or the ability to speak on the record at a public meeting. Deciding in advance to actively work against any person or entity displays a lack of professionalism that should be corrected.”
