Love it or hate it, Facebook is a powerful communication tool for Hoboken's elected officials and candidates. Eight council members have active Facebook accounts. Some use it to inform their constituents on local news and/or issues and/or events, some use it for expressly political purposes, some a little of both. Some use it rarely. Some pay third parties to maintain and post content.
Note, Council persons don't need Facebook accounts to communicate with the public. There are other ways- email or Twitter. It just so happens that most of them do.
So, it's easy to differentiate between Facebook accounts which are earnest, good faith efforts to share information and keep constituents in the loop, and the others. How a public servant uses his/her Facebook account says a lot about their intention. Particularly when the content on the Facebook page manipulates facts, conveys disinformation and omits information that doesn't drive the political narrative.
Note, Council persons don't need Facebook accounts to communicate with the public. There are other ways- email or Twitter. It just so happens that most of them do.
So, it's easy to differentiate between Facebook accounts which are earnest, good faith efforts to share information and keep constituents in the loop, and the others. How a public servant uses his/her Facebook account says a lot about their intention. Particularly when the content on the Facebook page manipulates facts, conveys disinformation and omits information that doesn't drive the political narrative.
That said, GA took a whirl around to see how Council people are using their public (not personal!) accounts, and graded them. My explanations for the grading is below.
From best to worst...
Fisher, Jabbour, Cohen, and Giattino provide very frequent to daily Facebook communiques from hyper-local goings-on, to issues of public interest and public concern, to breaking news, to council news, to local emergencies, to what's going on in Hoboken schools. Grade: A
Mike Russo keeps his ward in the loop on local events, advocates for causes, but uses Facebook for politicking hard on matters before the Council. His style is informal, friendly and he seems to have a good rapport with his constituents. Grade: B+
Council Vice President Vanessa Falco's last update was April 23, 2019. Prior to that she seemed to be keeping the public up to speed on her work with affordable housing. What happened? Grade: D
Councilman Ruben Ramos Jr. requires members of the public to "Friend" him for full access to his Facebook account. Automatic FAIL. Probably illegal. For that his public salary should be docked by the percentage of the public allowed to view his account. Grade: F
Councilman Michael DeFusco likes himself. A lot. When other officials were informing their constituents about 14 Million dollars in new funding for Hoboken's NW Resiliency Park (which will reduce flooding in NW Hoboken by 90%) the Councilman posted this thrilling interview for all to learn "how I got to where I am today..."
Oy vey!
If it weren't enough that his Facebook is a swamp of narcissistic preening, he blocks all who disagree with him on substantive issues, then defends the blocking by asserting his site is non-public; he claims his Facebook is an arm of his campaign, not used for governing purposes. (Because if it were his 'official' account, blocking users would be illegal.) Therefore, every DeFusco Facebook post must be viewed as political campaign material; the entire account is #FakeNews propaganda pumped out by a hired PR machine. Grade: F
There you go, people! I graded on substance and value. Props to all the elected officials who put time and effort into keeping the public well-informed. Feel free to disagree below.
what about doyle? BTW Cohen deserves an A++++
ReplyDeleteI don't disagree--there were definitely gradations of A. Doyle is the non-Facebooker- yeah, he set up a page, but it's not his thing. Like I said, Council people are not required to Facebook or Tweet.
DeleteI email the city council a lot - while most people attend city council meetings to voice their opinions, I just use email to get my voice out there. The most responsive are Cohen and Jabbour - I think Emily Jabbour needs more credit for at least really trying to help. Even Mayor Bhalla, to his credit, will respond to my emails. DeFusco & Doyle have responded from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI get zero responses from Falco, Russo, Fisher or Giattino. I'm not talking 1 or 2 emails, but likely 10 over the last year. Various subjects that pertain to upcoming votes.
But kudos to Jabbour and Cohen. Maybe there's something to be said about city council term limits. Get some new blood in there and they are at least a bit more eager to help.
Since DeFusco is a public figure, which is nauseating to write, I'm pretty sure the courts would not agree with his assessment of his Facebook page. Even the "Orange Caligula" had to allow the public access to read and comment on his deranged excretions.
ReplyDeleteWhat is he afraid of?
It's just another example of how he flouts any law that is inconvenient. Yet he thinks he can lead Hoboken when he can't even perform the duties of, or show up for, his very part time city council job without a lot of help from his paid puppet masters.