Fresh chairman. Same old double standard on “decorum.”
At a recent Maricopa County Board of Supervisors meeting, the new Chair read the strict Rules of Decorum aloud:
“No person… shall engage in disorderly or boisterous conduct… Signs, placards… will not be permitted… Those disregarding the rules will be subject to removal.”
She called for everyone to “be respectful” and “exercise our First Amendment rights” — then immediately began interrupting speakers with repeated “Stay on topic. Stay on topic.”
Watch the full clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIzIVPKSJOg
Citizens pushed back hard, pointing out:
- Selective webinar access (some got 3 minutes, others denied)
- Agenda items involving major spending, land use, and easements largely off-limits to public comment
- Inconsistent enforcement of rules the Board itself doesn’t always follow
One speaker noted the hypocrisy: “You’ve now set precedent by allowing those four people to speak for 3 minutes each… I’m sure you’ll follow that for everyone else, especially those with ADA issues.”
This is the same Board that preaches professionalism while shutting down uncomfortable questions about budgets, elections, contracts, and accountability.
New chair. Same playbook. Rules are weapons — used strictly against the public, loosely (or not at all) when convenient for themselves.
The public is done with the selective decorum game. Real order comes from transparency and equal application of the rules — not from silencing citizens who show up and do their homework.
Times have changed. We see the pattern. We’re documenting it.
Demand consistent rules for everyone — elected officials and citizens alike.
It is Our Duty.
Stay vigilant.
#MaricopaCounty #DecorumDoubleStandard #PublicComment #FreeSpeech #HoldThemAccountable #TimesHaveChanged
