After secret investigation, Oakley cuts off councilman's City Hall access

"An elected city councilman here has been effectively cut off from City Hall barred from contacting the city manager or staff, stripped of access to his government email and routed through the city attorney for nearly all official business following an investigation whose most critical findings the city has not made public."

"City officials say the measures were necessary to protect employees after an investigation found Fuller treated City Manager Joshua McMurray in a manner that was disrespectful, offensive, or undermining, and accused the councilman of making false and potentially defamatory statements in McMurray's performance review. But while the city has released more than 100 pages of records defending its actions, it has withheld the underlying investigative report and redacted the statements it deemed defamatory leaving the public unable to see the conduct that triggered penalties one free-speech expert described as grossly disproportional."

""It's basically telling (Fuller) he can't do his job or is significantly limiting him doing his job, said David Loy, legal director of the First Amendment Coalition. Now, I'm not saying his conduct was appropriate and polite but I do think what's going on here raises very significant First Amendment questions.""

An Oakley city councilman has been barred from contacting the city manager or staff, stripped of government email access, and required to route nearly all official business through the city attorney. The restrictions carry no expiration and could remain through his 2028 term. An investigation found the councilman treated City Manager Joshua McMurray disrespectfully, offensively, or undermining, and accused him of making false, potentially defamatory statements in McMurray's performance review. The city released more than 100 pages defending its actions but withheld the underlying investigative report and redacted statements deemed defamatory, preventing public scrutiny. Civil liberties advocates say the measures raise First Amendment and transparency concerns.

Read at www.mercurynews.com