Mayoral Candidate Snipes at Opponent on Twitter—Social Media #NotMayoral

DURING THE RECENT Ann Arbor mayoral race there have already been questions about the part “temperament” plays in a candidate’s fitness to hold office. At a mayoral candidate forum held in April, one of the first questions asked of the four Council members running concerned the “qualities” necessary to serve as mayor. Ward 1 Council member Sabra Briere assured those in attendance that she has the right “temperament” for the job. Her mayoral opponent Stephen Kunselman might beg to differ. Again.

Briere has a track record of being caught by the media secretly making unkind remarks about colleagues. Since 2011, Council members have privately and bitterly criticized what they allege as Briere’s disingenuous conduct. Council colleagues say such behavior makes working with Sabra Briere extremely difficult. A look at Sabra Briere’s campaign finance forms shows that trust is not the only thing she has lost since 2011—the names of Council members who once generously donated to re-election campaigns no longer appear in her 2013 campaign finance forms.

This time Briere took to Twitter to criticize her opponent Stephen Kunselman. Kunselman would not have seen the criticism as he does not have either a personal or campaign Twitter account. On May 5 former Ward 1 Council member Sandi Smith posted a Tweet during the City Council meeting in which she complains that Kunselman’s concerns about the safety of unlicensed taxis are “#NotMayoral.”

Briere did the electronic equivalent of chiming in and agreeing. She favorited Smith’s criticism. While Smith’s Tweet was posted at 7:45 p.m., mid-Council meeting, it’s not clear when Briere’s response was posted.

The Ann Arbor Independent revealed in December 2013 that Council members Briere and Warpehoski were sending private electronic communications to a small group of individuals via Twitter during open meetings. This is a violation of City Council rules and, possibly, the Michigan Open Meetings Act, though no formal complaints were ever made. After the story ran, both Council members stopped communicating via Twitter during open meetings.

The electronic interaction  between Sandi Smith and Sabra Briere can be viewed by anyone with a Twitter account.    It’s not clear whether Council member Briere was once again on Twitter during an open meeting or whether she saw Smith’s comment after the May 5 City Council meeting had ended.

Thirteen months ago, then AnnArbor.com used the Freedom of Information Act to get 50 pages of emails from the Downtown Development Authority. In an email the newspaper made public, Briere alleged that Kunselman was: “still trying to get back at DDA members for supporting his opponents in previous elections.” In response, Kunselman said: Her emails “…create a doubt or distrust of the sincerity of the person who wrote them. It’s not a very flattering way to work with your colleagues, for sure.”

Hundreds of City Councils across the U.S. have official Twitter feeds which are updated by city staff. The Boston City Council has 4,672 followers on Twitter. Ann Arbor City Council has no Twitter account. Newspaper reporters throughout the U.S. send out Tweets during City Council meetings.

Cindy Ramirez writes for the El Paso Times in Texas and live Tweets City Council meetings there for her newspaper. Ramirez has about 900 followers on Twitter who receive the 140 character updates throughout the public meetings.

The Ann Arbor Independent is on Twitter: @A2Indy.