O'Fallon councilwoman's ouster presents First Amendment concerns, attorney says
A councilwoman in O’Fallon, Missouri, has been impeached and removed after raising questions about the municipality’s now former police chief.
Katie Gatewood, a former law enforcement officer, had learned that the man hired as chief in 2020 had been the subject of controversy at his previous post in Conroe, Texas. According to a report by officers in the Texas Rangers, in 2017, Philip Dupuis responded to a domestic violence call that involved a fellow officer who was one of his friends. According to another officer who responded to the scene, Dupuis seemed more concerned with what would happen to his friend than about the victim.
Gatewood’s interest in determining what really happened in Conroe has now led to her ouster. Her attorney, Dave Roland of the Freedom Center of Missouri, said Gatewood made several public records requests and phone calls to learn more information about Dupuis’ actions. Her colleagues accused her of violating city ordinances by making those inquiries — and, last week, voted to impeach and remove her from office.
Those actions have Roland concerned. Gatewood, he said, merely exercised her right to free speech.
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2022-02-02/ofallon-councilwomans-ouster-presents-first-amendment-concerns-attorney-says?