Apparently unmoved by criticism received after tweeting out constituents’ personal information, Minneapolis City Council Member Alondra Cano remains defiant in the face of an ethics complaint. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports:
Cano was accused of “doxing,” Internet parlance for publicizing someone’s personal information online. But Cano rejected the label Wednesday, saying the term is typically associated with the intentional targeting and harassment of someone.
“I did neither of those,” Cano said. “And my intention was never to put anyone in harm’s way.”
But Stephen Dent — whose phone number, e-mail and a business address were posted [after he contacted Cano objecting to her participation in a Black Lives Matter protest] — said he recently filed a complaint over the incident. A city spokesman confirmed Tuesday that there is a pending ethics complaint against Cano, but no other information about it is public.
What Cano did violates no law, and it seems doubtful that an ethics complaint will go anywhere. But her behavior was certainly inappropriate.
When constituents approach public officials with concerns or complaints, there’s already a power differential in that relationship. To retaliate against critics in any way is an abuse of that power. Would you feel comfortable contacting Cano with concerns about her conduct in office knowing what she has done? Her action places a chilling effect upon speech.
Hopefully, voters in Minneapolis remember Cano’s disrespectful attitude the next time she’s up for election.
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