Michael J. Merritt
Pro Se
PO BOX 187
Newton, IA 50208
cipher.hunter@cipherphoenix.com

IOWA PUBLIC INFORMATION BOARD

1.Time of alleged violation: 0001 CST

2. Date of alleged violation: 18 AUG 2022 – Failure to provide a complete and adequate response to a request for records:

3. Place of alleged violation: Jasper County, IA

4. Names of government employees/officials involved:
Jasper County, IA Supervisor Doug Cupples
Jasper County, IA Attorney Scott Nicholson
Jasper County, IA Sheriff John Halferty

5. Name of Government Entity involved: Jasper County, IA 6. Alleged Violation of: Iowa Code Chapter 22 7. Other Persons Having Information and their Contact Information: Unknown 8. Description of Alleged Violation:

Jasper County, IA leadership, allegedly executed actions in early June 2022 abridging the Complainants rights in accordance with the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America and Section 2 and 7 of Article 1 of the Constitution of the State of Iowa while denying the Complainant access to public accommodations while possibly producing evidence of a violation of Iowa Code Chapter 216.

On 17 AUG 2022, the Complainant electronically served a request for public records regarding the list of citizens blocked from social media assets managed by Jasper County, IA, during the 2022 election year.

On 18 AUG 2022, Sheriff John Halferty communicated, “After conferring with the Jasper County Attorney, I am not able to fulfill your request, as I do not have access to that information.”

On 29 AUG 2022, the Complainant sent an electronic mail to Jasper County Attorney Nicholson requesting a response regarding his position on making available evidence confirming Jasper County, IA has blocked one of it’s citizens from accessing social media public accommodations during the 2022 election year while he is seeking re-election. As of 06 SEP 2022, Jasper County, IA County Attorney Nicholson has failed to respond. However, in all fairness to Jasper County, IA Attorney Nicholson, the Complainant did not expect that a County Attorney that has produced evidence of failing to adequately protect a victim of domestic abuse that has been publicly critical of Jasper County, IA’s Second Amendment Sanctuary Status would allow a citizen he has silenced to waltz into the Jasper County, IA Facebook Command Center and verify that he has been blocked by local politicians currently seeking re-election during the 2022 election year. At the same time, these politicians have produced evidence of possible political corruption while evidence indicates they have blocked the Complainant’s ability to associate his speech protected by the 1st Amendment and Section 2 and 7 of the Constitution of the State of Iowa from being associated with their profiles during the 2022 election year while they seek re-election.

“Political Corruption Law and Legal Definition Political corruption means the abuse of political power by the government leaders to extract and accumulate for private enrichment, and to use politically corrupt means to maintain their hold on power. However, abuse of political power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Political corruption takes place at the highest levels of the political system, and hence it can be differentiated from administrative or bureaucratic corruption. It can also be distinguished from business and private sector corruption.”

Legal, US. “Political Corruption Law and Legal Definition | USLegal, Inc.” Uslegal.com, 2018, definitions.uslegal.com/p/political-corruption/.

“Contemporary America has more corruption than any other western democracy, resulting in considerable damage to the economy and moral climate. The functional theory argues that corruption comes with rapid social and economic modernization and is more likely to occur in societies with few established institutions and social norms. This concept fails to explain much of the corruption in 19th and 20th century United States, although some elements may apply to Federal and State regulatory entities. Other social scientists have emphasized that the lack of rigid class structures in the United States has facilitated the development of political corruption, citing the British traditions of upperclass dominance in a comparatively honest government. The vertical mobility of American society should not be altered, but efforts should be made to indoctrinate citizens with a special sense of public responsibility. Another reason often given for corruption is the American emphasis on business and free enterprise. Other critics have suggested that the separation of powers system be abandoned. In summary, political corruption can be attributed to strong urban traditions of ethnic voting, semicorrupt police, and bribe-offering contractors along with decentralized and inefficient law enforcement machinery. The ineffective teaching of moral standards by schools and churches constitutes an underlying reason for continuing corruption. These institutions with assistance from the media, should emphasize individual ethics such as honesty, truth, and courage. Central supervision of law enforcement efforts and programs to improve conditions in poorer areas are also needed.”

“Causes and Cures of Political Corruption | Office of Justice Programs.” Www.ojp.gov.www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/causes-and-curespolitical-corruption.

Logic would suggest if these politicians executed their responsibilities correctly and responded to their constituents when they were contacted, there would be no need for these elected leaders seeking re-election to block critical voices. At the same time, they attempt to maintain the political power their elected positions provide them while seeking re-election during the 2022 election year.

What would you like the Board to do?

I respectfully request the Iowa Public Information Board to assist these elected leaders who have produced evidence of blocking a citizen from accessing social media public accommodations during the 2022 election year with locating records on social media assets they claim to manage. At the same time, the Complainant reaches out to Meta Platforms, Inc. and communicates evidence of their alleged violation of the Facebook Terms of Service while requesting account suspensions of these government body pages that evidence indicates have failed to adhere to local laws as required by sub-section 2 of Paragraph 3 of the Facebook Terms of Service.

The Complainant would like to add his personal belief that Jasper County, IA Sheriff John Halferty is a good law enforcement officer who showed interest in viewing the evidence in the Complainant’s case that every other law enforcement department has disregarded. Sheriff John Halferty showed professionalism and a commitment to meeting with the Complainant and viewing his case file prior to this social media block that Sheriff John Halferty’s 18 AUG 2022 response indicates Jasper County Attorney Nicholson holds the keys to the Jasper County, IA Facebook Command Center.

DATED: September 6, 2022