It is against state govt practice to use the state computer system, email/related for non job related items unless there is an exception. A state librarian was caught using the computer/email system and almost lost her job. Another animal rescue person (state employee) was granted permission to advertise a 501(c)(3) animal group and she was later fired for using state property and is now in court on the termination. CA Govt Code 19572(p)

One single email will not cause job loss. But many of the same might. I have seen cases where the govt brings in 3,000 pg of email documents.

Are you getting the picture?  They are “everywhere” mixed in with the government….remember the # of commies in government jobs…..its just like that…...there are some in the Attorney Generals office (and elsewhere) in Texas!!

I spent 6 years on the Santa Clara County Animal Advisory Committee (a volunteer position), and we were warned that this type of advocacy when discussing potential votes or discussion among ourselves was not allowed *even when using our own private email addresses and computers*.  To me, this type of email using a government address and equipment is a clear violation of her employment conditions and firing offense.  Somebody simply needs to point that out to her supervisors.

So hold on a minute here… We are mad because a political agent uses her political power and computer, email, etc., to promote attendance and participation in a vote of political importance?

However transparent her own opinion is, she is only promoting participation to a vote… And if I understand your post well, she is promoting it to a specific mailing list made out of people who care about the specific issue. I would assume that these particular people, added themselves to that mailing list, exactly to be informed of that kind of votes.

And this happens on both sides of the issues I am certain. What is wrong with that? The more people voting on the issue, the more accurate to popular opinion the vote will be. Isn’t it what we expect of our political representative? We vote so the issues we care about will be taken care of the way we like. The more people like one particular thing, the more likely it is to happen?

Veronique—as I pointed out, *it is against the law*, especially when using Government computers to do it.  This woman needs to be fired.

You are misunderstanding the law. The law is about misuse of government property. Yes, it includes using computer for personal interest. The same applies for a university email address (I am a professor). We cannot promote personal political stuff or forward the emails that do so, try to sell of promote businesses, etc.. But if there is a vote about education somewhere, people will definitely propagate the information. I am yet to see anyone get fired.

Contacting constituents to promote attendance to a meeting where a vote will be held on an issue they care about does not represent misuse. She most likely was asked to do so. It is a call to action.

This is a misinformed over reaction.

I am not misunderstanding the law—you are.  I have spent time on a County Government Committee—using government property to promote a political message is strictly prohibited.  She could have gone home and used her own computer and done so, and that would have been allowed.  However, using a government e-mail address and property to do so is not allowed. 

I have been to two ethics training sessions for participants in municipal government—this is what I was taught.

Using University property to promote a personal agenda may be allowed (though I think it shouldn’t be), but government property is treated differently.