Hill Pulls Plug On Pemberton
“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” – Lord Acton
Sen. Hill
In the most stunning act of censorship this Government has perpetrated to date, Senate President Louis Patrick Hill has cancelled the Legislature’s contract with radio station WDHP because owner Hugh Pemberton refused to fire host Mario Moorehead and clamp down on callers who are critical of Governor John P. deJongh Jr.
The contract, a two-year agreement that was not set to expire until January, 2011, was terminated effective January 1, 2010 and was put out to bid last November. It is not known what station has been awarded the new agreement.
Pemberton spoke to the issue today on the Jimmie O’Bryan morning program.
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This is the latest in series of thinly veiled efforts by this Administration to control the information about government activities through the broadcast, print and internet media in the Virgin Islands. The past few months have seen an obvious campaign by those in support of the Administration to flood the airwaves with often illogical and inaccurate spins on the misdeeds in Government and the impact those actions are having on the present and future of the Virgin Islands.
Enough is enough. We call on the St. Croix Senators, any Senators of good conscience, and particularly on Senate Majority Leader Neville James, to take a stand on this blatant act of intimidation by Sen. Hill. Has he not heard of the First Amendment of the Constitution concerning free speech and freedom of the press? These are actions of a dictatorship – not of a democracy – and we shouldn’t stand for it.
Pemberton offered a piece of advice to Hill that he and all other elected officials should consider as we enter this critical election year.
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Access to the Reef Broadcasting website is blocked at the VI Legislature. But you can still log on to Roger Morgan’s station. What’s that about?
@ Pandora,
I’ll give you three guesses and the first two don’t count….
It’s not hard to guess why. The public needs to know that Hill is selectvely blocking this site.
Just heard C. Burke speaking on Jimmy’s Show.
Doesn’t she work for Senator Hill, who pulled Mr. P’s Contract to carry the “live” Senate Sessions?
Doesn’t she work for Senator Hill, who purportedly tried to pull Mario “off the air?”
Doesn’t she have any sense of decency or shame to still AFTER ALL THAT talk on the same Mr. P’s Talk Show?
My lord!
Most importantly, HAVE YOU “THE PEOPLE” FORGOTTEN SO SOON?