If Trump CAN'T block you on Twitter, why CAN Councilman DeFusco?

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/09/us/politics/trump-twitter-first-amendment.html

EXHIBIT A

https://twitter.com/mike_defusco

It's not just me folks.  

According to at least a dozen people whose complaints I have read online, it appears that anyone who challenges or criticizes Councilman Mike Defusco's political positions on his official (not personal) social media accounts ends up in the cyber-dumpster.  Blocked, banned.

This is not news; I have written about it several times in the past.  Here and here.  But, guess what?  Election season has begun.  Candidates are engaging the public, and doing so on social media.  In fact, Facebook and Twitter have become major communication tools for Hoboken council incumbents and challengers. 

Hoboken has five incumbents running and eight new candidates- a total of thirteen candidates who are vying for six Council seats. The only one of them (to my knowledge) who continues to block his Twitter and Facebook accounts is First Ward Councilman DeFusco. 

Arguably, no elected official or candidate relies on social media for crafting public opinion as does Mike DeFusco. His social media accounts are a constant churn of political positions, claims about accomplishments which he alleges to have done, campaign promises, public policy initiatives, attacks on the mayor, his administration and his opponents.  But, he continues to  enforce censorship in the manner of despots like Kim Jong Un.  DeFusco has literally whittled down access to his social media accounts until they are echo chambers for his effusive fan base. The impression created is that  like Dear Leader, he is beloved and unquestioned. Like me, I am told by other blocking victims that hey cannot view his Tweets.  On Facebook, he allows censorship victims to view everything, but they cannot join the conversation.  

https://twitter.com/stevenfulop/status/999646204756709376?lang=en

Oh, that's right, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop! 

Trolling elected officials' social media is protected speech. Ask Hoboken's Number One Troll Magnet, Mayor Bhalla. He'll tell you that even before the court affirmed free speech on officials' social media, that he has never blocked or banned anyone including trolls. Yes, Mayor Bhalla has inspired several accounts dedicated to trolling him, and their troll-spam stays up, even ugly, racist comments.   

I confess to trolling an elected official- no one in Hoboken. President Trump.

Okay... so I trolled him more than once. Since his election. Could be why this happened.  

TROLLING TRUMP (IT'S LEGAL!) 

Don't you love a country where you can call your president a moron (because he is) and not get sprayed with a radioactive isotope? 

But you know, GA has rarely (if ever) trolled a Hoboken elected official on Twitter or Facebook. Why bother? These are people I can see on the street.  I will never meet Trump (hopefully). Trust me, I have no inhibitions about expressing my opinions in person to anyone.

And so... of all the social media debates, disagreements and kerfuffles GA has had with Hoboken elected officials, only one has responded with censorship.

First Ward Councilman Mike DeFusco.  

CONTACT GA IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLOCKED ON COUNCILMAN DEFUSCO'S TWITTER AND/OR FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS

GA will not publish your information.  Let's call it taking inventory. Just send your Twitter handle with an @mik_defusco "You are blocked"  screen cap to grafixavenger666@gmail.com.  

Thanks, people. Elected officials who censor social media are in violation of the law.  In D.C. and in Hoboken.