Cooking the (Face)books
Your Congressman blocks constituents from his own social media forums
“You serve all your constituents when you raise your hand to take an oath to the Constitution,” said Congressman Paul Cook (R-CA 08) at a meeting of the Mojave Dem Club in Barstow on September 22, 2012.
Cook, who was elected in November of 2012 (two months after he made the above statement), has blocked an unknown number of his constituents on his official Facebook and Twitter pages, an action which is at the forefront of a First Amendment battle, as social media becomes increasingly used as a tool for elected officials to communicate with their constituents.
“Social media is revolutionizing the way we communicate, so join the conversation about our country’s future and make your voice heard today by connecting with Congressman Paul Cook on any of these platforms,” states Cook’s website, followed by links to the Congressman’s social media platforms.
Cook’s office did not respond to three separate Freedom of Information Act requests by The Sheet for a list of how many of his constituents have been blocked on Facebook and Twitter. Two of those requests were filed via email and U.S. Postal Service in January, and followed by a certified mail request in February.
