ATTACK MADE ON FIRST AMENDMENT
By Tony Brockmeyer
An attack was made on the First Amendment last weekend when local businesses, who advertise in this newspaper, received a mailing asking them to stop advertising in the First Capitol News.
The letter, shown at the far right, came packaged with a a recent copy of the First Capitol News and a form letter asking the advertiser to sign and send to the FCN requesting that their ad be stopped. A stamped, addressed, envelope was included for their convenience. The letter was unsigned and had no return address so the business owners do not know who sent it.
First Capitol News Publisher Phyllis Schaltenbrand said, “For the past seven years we have been shining a light on St. Charles City Government. We take our readers behind the scene so they know what is going on. Now that this group is successful in taking control of the city council and the Mayor’s office, this newspaper is one thing standing between them and complete dictatorship.
Apparently they are frightened that one of our investigative reports is going to uncover activities they do not want the St. Charles resident taxpayers to know.”
Attacks have previously been made against this publication. Linda Meyer, who headed the recall efforts in the attempt to remove Councilman Mark Brown and Dottie Greer from office, has written and made phone calls to our advertisers in her attempts to have them stop advertising in this newspaper. She is married to a St. Charles police officer who was the president of the St. Charles Police Officers Association and a member of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).
We have had advertisers tell us they have been contacted by the Mayor and her husband, Lionel, in an attempt to have them stop advertising in this publication.
TR Hughes spent thousands and thousands of dollars on the defunct St. Charles Citizen whose sole purpose was to put the First Capitol News out of business. His publisher, Ed Watkins, was quoted in the May 18th St. Charles section of the Post Dispatch as saying, “That was the worst mistake I ever made.” Watkins was also quoted in the May 21, 2006 edition of the Journal as saying, “I think people really underestimate the First Capitol News and the power of the First Capitol News. I have a healthy respect for them.”
Prior to the advent of the First Capitol News, those who were feeding from the public trough and living high on taxpayer dollars were able to do so without being exposed.
For the past several years they have been placed under the spotlight and their actions are being reported. That is why they are trying to stop this newspaper from reporting the true news about their schemes.
You should have received with this edition of the newspaper a subscription envelope. If you would like to help in the support of the First Capitol News so that you continue to receive local news coverage and investigative reports you won’t find anywhere else, we ask that you enclose a check or money order and mail it to the First Capitol News Post Office Box 1, St. Charles, Missouri 63302. If for some reason there is not a envelope enclosed any envelope will work just fine.
Home delivery of the First Capitol News is $20 for six months and $35 for a year. Although any contribution is welcome and we thank you for being a supporter of the Free Press.
Daily news is also available online at
firstcapitolnews-today.blogspot.com. Our entire edition including ads is available at
firstcapitolnews.com.
