(WEST SACRAMENTO) -- Names are not mentioned in the report below to protect the alleged innocent, which I write ironically.
When a deputy city manager asks you to remove live quotes from a public meeting, you stop in your tracks.
Why?
Because it's a public meeting.
Email correspondence to West Sacramento elected officials and staff regarding public city meeting.
It was said on the record, true or not. It is my job as a journalist to report the same.
That is why I emailed the deputy city manager this email, "titled Mean Girls Club," before our publisher posted a video of the exact words that the citizen charged against the councilwoman in the report that is placed in the middle of the story.
She said, It's out there as it should be if the allegations are factual. Am I not supposed to report if a child is possibly harming another? Who is sticking up for the alleged victim if there is one? Me. It's my job.
I find it funny that last year, when I got West Sacramento's back against a citizen who constantly came to the podium, charging officials were ignoring her needs, they liked me. Even emailing me to say I cover the area well. And now they don't respond because what I report isn't flattering.
Email correspondence between West Sacramento's deputy city manager and OpGov.ai.
Not cool.
As you can read in the report here, the live quote was removed against my better judgment, as I noted to the deputy city manager, and I replaced it with "She spoke ill of Councilwoman Quirina Orozco's child, causing the councilwoman to leave the dias."
What the citizen said is that it is "public knowledge" that the councilwoman's child could be suffering from some issues that could be harmful to other children. Whether it is true or not, I must not ignore what took place and what was said in a public meeting, and no one will ever stop me from doing so.
Lastly, if the two councilmembers and the city manager cannot speak up for themselves, then the only alleged truth we have is what the citizen posed in public.
Reader, you do with it what you will. Read my emails to all council members and the one separately from the deputy city manager, and tell me how you would have handled the situation. I would love to hear from you at reporterangelaunderwood@gmail.com.
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