Campaign nice, the city council says, but someone cuts a phone cord in city hall

In the wake of state auditor Tom Schweich’s suicide, the city council passed a resolution Thursday requesting civility of all candidates running for city council and mayor.

But even before it passed, Councilman Russ Johnson said someone had cut his assistant’s phone cord in city hall within the last 24 hours.

Mayor Sly James said of that, “It does kind of point out where we are in this country right now.”

Schweich’s death appears to have been driven at least in part by malicious attacks on him related to his run for governor, the resolution states.

Tom-SchweichAnother Republican leader wrongly told people Schweich was Jewish, for one thing.

The resolution notes that former U.S. Sen. Jack Danforth said at Schweich’s eulogy, “Words do hurt. Words can kill.”

The resolution states that unfair and malicious attacks that include anonymous comments of Internet blogs “reflect poorly upon the candidate, his or her campaign committee and supporters doing the attacking more so than the person being attacked.”

It notes that George Washington described “persons of quality” as those who avoid dishonoring political opponents.

It also said candidates in political races should obey the law by not placing campaign signs on the public right of way, a common problem.

The resolution passed 13-0.

As for Councilman Johnson, he of the cut phone cord, he is term limited out this year and is not even running for re-election.

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