Written by: Sam Orlando
In a heated Augusta County Board of Supervisors meeting on Wednesday evening, former Supervisor and ex-Board Chair Tracy Pyles was forcibly removed from the podium after speaking out about alleged corruption within the Board. Despite meeting rules stating that speakers have a three-minute limit — or five if speaking on behalf of a group — Pyles was silenced and escorted out when his address extended beyond the allotted time.
Pyles used his speech to voice concerns that the Board was stifling free speech, and not appropriately addressing accusations of corruption within the county government. Midway through his remarks, the Board's three-minute timer sounded, but Pyles continued to speak, citing an allowance for extended time when speaking for a group, to which the room responded with applause.
Despite these appeals, three deputies from the Augusta County Sheriff's Office approached Pyles at the podium, physically placing their hands on the senior citizen, cutting off his mic, and ultimately dragging him out of the room. Pyles defiantly continued his speech until the end, invoking the nation's founding fathers and their stand for democratic values.
Pyles' allegations of corruption, and his subsequent removal from the meeting, have ignited debate over free speech rights in local governance. Board members were visibly shaken, as their former colleague vociferously criticized their approach to transparency and accountability.
"Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech...or the right of people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances," Pyles said, quoting the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He further argued that limiting speech to three minutes infringes on these fundamental freedoms.
His expulsion marked a dramatic turn of events during the contentious meeting, exposing what Pyles characterizes as the Board's "anti-democratic policies". The incident raises questions about the balance between maintaining order during public meetings and upholding the democratic right to free speech.
The incident has sparked backlash from local citizens, who view the enforcement of the time limit in this context as an attempt to silence Pyles. This comes amidst growing concerns about the management of Augusta County, with some residents alleging instances of corruption and a lack of transparency.
The Board has yet to issue a statement about the incident.
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