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7.pl.- <br />S T A N D F O R J U S T I C E <br />October 17, 2014 <br />Miguel Pulido, Mayor <br />Sal Tinajero, Mayor Pro Tem <br />Vicent Sarmiento, Council member <br />Michelle Martinez, Council member <br />Angelica Amezcua, Council member <br />David Benavidez, Council member <br />Roman Reyna, Council member <br />CITY OF SANTA ANA <br />20 Civic Center Plaza <br />P.O. Box 1988, M31 <br />Santa Ana, CA 92701 <br />CCM: 10/21/2014 <br />Via Electronic Mail and U.S. Mail <br />RE: Free Speech Rights at Public Meetings of the Santa Ana City Council <br />Dear Mayor Pulido and Council Members: <br />We write to express our strong concern with Santa Ana's policy and practice of restricting <br />speech at open and public meetings of the Santa Ana City Council. Specifically, the Council's <br />interpretation of Santa Ana Municipal Code Section 2 -104 (as currently written) and the City's <br />actions at the October 7, 2014 Council meeting, constitute viewpoint discrimination in violation <br />of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the Liberty Speech Clause of the <br />California Constitution. Accordingly, we urge you to: 1) immediately issue a public statement <br />where you affirm the right of the public to openly criticize and/or express views contrary to those <br />of the council or others; 2) provide training to the Council, its staff, and its police department to <br />ensure that the public's free speech rights to attend and participate in Santa Ana City Council <br />meetings are not unlawfully restricted or further chilled; and, 3) carefully review any proposed <br />revisions or amendments to the Council's rules of decorum to ensure that they pass constitutional <br />muster. <br />Chair Shari Leinwand 1st Vice Chair Richard Barry 2nd Vice Chair Susan Adelman <br />Chairs Emeriti Danny Goldberg Allan K Jonas' Burt Lancaster' Irving Lichtenstein MD- Jarl Mohn Laurie Ostrow' Stanley K. She inbaum Stephen Rohde <br />Executive Director Hector 0. Villagra Deputy Executive Director James Gilliam Orange County Office Director Belinda Escohosa Holzer <br />Director of Philanthropy Julie Weinstein Director of Strategic Partnerships &Marketing Vicki Fox <br />Legal Director & Manheim family Attorney for First Amendment Rights Peter J. Etiasberg Deputy Legal Director Ahilan T. Arulanantham <br />Director of Policy Advocacy Clarissa Woo Director of Community Engagement Elvis Meza Executive Director Emeritus Ramona Ripston -deceased <br />ORANGE COUNTY OFFICE 2100 N BROADWAY, SUITE 209 SANTA ANA CA 92706 t 714.450.3962 f 714.543.5240 ACLUSOCAL.ORG <br />