The citizen below sent this response to Mayor Renner:
Dear Mayor Renner,
Thank you for your response to my email regarding your recent comments about Diane Benjamin on
blnnews.com. I do not know you personally, and its not my intention to attack you; however, I am going to be candid with my comments and opinion. Your comments about Diane Benjamin speak volumes about the content of your character and your feelings towards those who disagree with your political ideology. The definition of a private citizen is anyone who does not hold an official or public position. Regardless of Ms. Benjamin’s citizenship, your comments were insulting and unfounded. You mention that Diane Benjamin savages city staff, the city manager, the city council, and yourself. Diane does publish many controversial articles, and she furnishes verifiable data and sources to support her claims. I feel fortunate to have an alternative news source that provides coverage of events that other local news outlets ignore. The First Amendment applies to all speech, not just the speech in which you agree. Mayor, in all honesty, you cannot expect me to believe that the mere mention of your son being Facebook friends with one of your students would provoke such a vile verbal attack. I don’t buy it, and no one else is buying it either. I believe you have a deep aversion for Diane Benjamin for exposing your agenda and challenging your policies, and you lost control of your temper. Being mayor is not a classroom exercise, it requires leadership. This kind of behavior would not be tolerated outside of government. Elected officials should be held to the same standards as those whom they represent. Thank you again for your reply.
By: Diane Benjamin
A citizen sent this email to the City Council, including the Mayor, he asked that his name and email be redacted:
—– <redacted> wrote: —–
To: <
[email protected]>
From: <redacted>
Date: 02/15/2015 01:13PM
Subject: Renner should resign immediately!
Mayor Renner’s absurd comments to a private citizen whose only crime has been to question the policies of city officials is inexcusable. This kind of behavior in the private sector would be grounds for dismissal. Why aren’t government officials ever held to the same standards as those who pay their salaries? Why aren’t elected government officials and employees ever held accountable? I’m tired of the double standard. Renner needs to go right now. I urge you to do the right thing and ask him to resign immediately.
Renner responded:
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2015 6:34 PM
To: Redacted
Subject: Re: Renner should resign immediately!
Dear Redacted, I’m terribly sorry that this has happened and please consider this a direct apology to you as a citizen.
I would be more than happy to sit down with you in City Hall to discuss this because there must be some mistaken impression about the “private citizen” you refer to in your email. This is someone who consistently seeks publicity and has run for public office so this person is not a private citizen by any definition –
legally or constitutionally. Further, this is someone who is involved in many ways on a regular, if not daily basis, trying to savage our city our staff, city manager, city council and me.
So, while I’m totally fair game, when this person also aimed at my son – I reacted and most would say overreacted. I don’t know if you have any children but most people who do would at least understand the situation. I’m not justifying my remarks, just clarifying the contest that has been lost by the media and some people with a clear political agenda.
Thanks so much for your response and, again, I am more than willing to meet with you directly.
Take care!
Best,
Tari Renner
Mayor of Bloomington
109 E. Olive
Bloomington, IL 61701
Does this sound like a guy who is sorry?
Note: “I’m terrible sorry that this happened . . ” Not “I screwed up” or any recognition that he was wrong.
Tari is only sorry he did it – he meant every word because this is who Tari is! Villianizing opponents is what he has done over and over and over.
For a Political Science professor Tari, I assumed you knew the Constitution. It doesn’t define who a public and private citizen is – but it does define their RIGHTS. It’s called the Bill of Rights – please refer to the First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Keep that last one in mind for next Monday’s meeting – limiting Public Comment would be a really bad idea.
You claim I seek publicity. Do you mean like every other reporter who puts their name on a story seeks publicity? Do you actually think a write articles based on facts and substantiated with either links from the City website or documents I received under the Freedom of Information Act seeking publicity? I realize the Pantagraph doesn’t do investigative reporting, so you aren’t use to people presenting views other than your own, but you claim what I do is SAVAGE? Please provide proof of my savage attacks Tari – I will reprint the definition of that word for you:
– to assault and maul by biting, rending, goring, etc.; tear at or mutilate
– to attack or criticize thoroughly or remorselessly; excoriate
.
Tari are still promoting the lie that I attacked his son. I guess I have to reprint the conversation again. It was never in a story, it was a response to a comment made by another reader. The media DID get it Tari (see today’s Pantagraph story-“perceived”) and so do people with NO agenda. I’m sure you are plotting some way to escape resigning, again ignoring the wishes of citizens. I see the bird-cage liner just posted another story. Your potted plants on the Council are looking at what to do. Sure. Are you writing the script for them Tari? You appointed Painter and Hauman, Black went to IWU-served on the County Board with you-then quit to be on City Council with you. The rest vote almost 100% of the time the way you want them to. Holding another Executive Session (Secret Meeting) isn’t going to pacify fed up citizens. You have damaged Bloomington and need to go.
One more time:
I wrote this story:
Look at the comments to the story:
I’m as conservative as they come, but why are you coming at a college kid and his girlfriend? Seems kind of creepy that you’ve been posting their twitter statuses. Even the NSA doesn’t do that.
Tari says:
NO! Diane! It shows what an ABSOLUTE AND TOTAL PIECE OF GARBAGE you are -actually worse because garbage can be converted into something useful – you are a TOTAL ABSOLUTE HUMAN CANCER! PLEASE quote me on that! I haven’ checked this site in ages because it’s mostly crazy bullshit -to be charitable! But, WHEN YOU ATTACK MY SON YOU ARE GOING TO PAY THE PRICE YOU SICK DIRTY SLIMY IGNORANT FOOL! And, frankly, that’s raising you to a level you ABSOLUTELY don’t deserve!
Nothing you ever report on this site makes any sense because I will give people anything they want to know about their government. Diane you REALLY are the craziest human being I”ve ever known. This WILL be my last post on this sick site of the worst part of humanity! The fact that some of you still think you’re Christians is PATHETIC! There is a special place in hell for you!
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I agree that the letter is still trying to justify his manic response. It’s a textbook example of an individual that has issues that run deep. The City Council of BLM must ask itself whether they want to continue the risk of another outburst which could further damage an otherwise good reputation that might enhance the vibrance they seek. This man is not a poster boy for what’s good about this city. Never has a mayor of this community been such a bully!
Tari Renner is the most dangerous kind of liberal on the planet. He has the power of the classroom working in his favor. I have e-mailed both Karen Schmidt and Scott Black demanding they seek his immediate resignation (for what good that will do) and I am going to continue my dialogue. I am deeply offended that a sitting mayor would cyber bully anyone for simply having a different point of view. Renner needs to go and quickly and I do hope that IWU does something about his future as a professor.
If you get a response, I’d love to see it. Some aldermen are not answering emails.
To further aggravate the situation, I discover this:
BLOOMINGTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE- CANCELLED?
By who? Reliable and multiple sources have revealed and confirmed that Monday night’s Bloomington City Council Committee of the Whole meeting has been cancelled by City Manger, David Hales. But, the authority to cancel a City Council meeting rests only in the hands of the City Council itself. Bloomington’s City Code nor any law in Illinois, based on recent research, provides the City Manager – or the Mayor, for that matter – with authority to cancel those meetings. Why, then, are City Council members folding under the demands of a City Manager who is exercising no legal authority, in fact illegally acting outside of his authority, and not performing their required duties to the citizens of Bloomington? Can’t help but to resort to speculation here, but considering all the hoopla surrounding the public display of unprofessionalism recently by the Mayor, it could be obvious that the cancellation might be to avoid uncomfortable discussion, more time to coach Council on what to say and not to say, not compel Council Members to confront the matter individually, and ultimately avoid due diligence and ignore their responsibilities to address the issue. Its difficult not to bet that city-wide pressure is being placed on Aldermen to take the Mayor to task. Nevertheless, City Manager says no meeting – then there’s no meeting. I am reminded of Al Capone running the City of Chicago in 1932. He had no legal authority. But when Alphonse said “jump”, they asked, “how high?” Who’s running the show here? The elected public-policy makers or the hired help
The Liberal Pressed
At least it was a cheap decision that didn’t involve hiring a $40,000 consultant from out of town to make. A wrong decision….but cheap, nonetheless.
The city manager likely had to engage an out of town lawyer for consultation. Oh, just bill the city, no problem.
Here is a thought experiment I have been playing. What would have happened if Tari had said something similar to a Pantagraph reporter?
They would have a new job at the City of Bloomington making a six-figure income!
Assistant Communications Director? Sounds about right.
This blog of full of crazy people. And I live on the west coast.
Your use of specifics is atonishing!