Mayor Dave Bronson vetoed an ordinance passed by left-wing members of the Anchorage Convention that violates the public’s right to free speech and also suppresses the public’s right to carry a firearm.
Anchorage Ordinance 2020-117 is the left-wing assembly’s way of trying to control public dissent in its meetings. In the past year of conservative activism, some members of the public have used their three minutes on the assembly podium to hold a silent protest during public testimony. The ordinance states that they can protest in silence at will, but the next speaker will be heard during that silent protest. You can’t burn the clock with your silence.
Citing the Bill of Rights, the mayor said the freedom not to speak or express oneself in a non-verbal way is protected. “The ordinance violates a speaker’s ability to choose his or her own method of self-expression,” he wrote, defending the First Amendment.
Bronson also said that giving the congregation chairperson the power to ban the public from bringing their knives or guns into the congregation hall was a violation of the congregation’s powers. That authority is reserved for the state of Alaska and is also protected by the US Constitution, he said.
He also said the assembly had seized power from the executive branch by securing contact with the private security company that guards the assembly’s meetings. This contract is with the mayor’s office and “any attempt by the assembly to exercise control over the contractor is unreasonable. So I have to veto the ordinance,” Bronson said.
The assembly is likely to override the mayor’s veto given that there are only two Conservative members of the 11 and the left nine have consistently opposed the Conservative mayor since he took office.
