In an attack more worthy of a rabid pundit than a legislator, Knoxville’s State Representative, Stacey Campfield, decided it would be a good idea to post the mugshots of a couple that he doesn’t like to his blog and award them with a lump of digital coal.
Their offense was apparently being the owner and the wife of the owner of Knoxville’s Metro Pulse, a news zine that Campfield dubs a “Looney left news rag,” as well as being two individuals he doesn’t like. I echo TnProgressive’s sentiments on the matter in that I expect this kind of thing when I go to Drudge, Limbaugh, or Hannity –even us bloggers and regular media personnel, but not from a state representative.
Apparently, I would be wrong in those expectations.
Not even attempting to disguise his glee that his “enemies” have fallen, Campfield writes:
“Well what goes around has come around. The Conleys were pulled over and were arrested for PI and the misses for as I understand it, hindering the arrest. I guess the reason they were against Lumpy so much was, they thought if the police were out looking for a double murderer they would not have time to catch them on their drunken spree around town. I hear this is not their first run in with the law either. More on that later.”
It would be bad enough if Campfield, were simply attacking Mr. Conley. After all, a case can be made that Mr. Conley, by virtue of his ownership of the Metro Pulse, is a public figure but posting Mrs. Conley’s photo crosses the line.
The amount of joy, or more properly Schadenfreude, in Campfield’s words is disturbing coming from a man who is in part responsible for voting, writing, and enacting the laws of our state.
When a legislator uses a pulpit, even a digital one, to point out the flaws of citizens it smacks of bullying and a pettiness of the worst sort.
Perhaps, Mr. Campfield should be awarded the “Pettiest Attack by a Legislator Award.”
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