Quiz time: Governor restricts First Amendment by executive fiat

[gratuitous]

Is the governor a Democrat or a Republican?

Go to today's editorial in the New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/22/opinion/22sat2.html

Gov. Robert Ehrlich of Maryland has pushed the public interest aside by promulgating an extraordinary ban forbidding tens of thousands of state employees from talking to two Baltimore Sun journalists whose coverage has displeased him.

______

Of course, you have to go all the way to the last paragraph of the editorial to find the answer: "It may seem good short-run politics to supporters of Mr. Ehrlich, a conservative Republican, to campaign against The Sun as elitist and biased. But in the long run, the governor, who faces re-election next year, is attacking a newspaper with a century-plus record of credibility. Cooler heads should prevail in settling the standoff short of the courthouse. Until then, Mr. Ehrlich's order stands as an embarrassing display of hubris."

Gee, a conservative Republican, upset because the press in Maryland is exposing some of his corrupt activities involving the sale of state lands (Side note to NYT: Why aren't you similarly pissing off the corrupt Bush administration?). Who guessed?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. can he do that?

I know the Hatch Act disallows Federal employees from making political statements. But simply talking to a reporter isn't necessary political.

[gratuitous]

2. CAN he do it?

Well, beyond a harrumphing editorial at the Times, I'm unaware of anyone who's trying to stop him.