Lake Worth Commissioner McVoy: Channeling Clarence Darrow or just crass political grandstanding?

Here is a quote from McVoy in an article by Kevin Thompson at The Palm Beach Post:

“It’s my responsibility to keep my damn mouth shut if I agree or don’t agree”

This is about the invocation debate in the City of Lake Worth vis-à-vis how to handle the process so another Preston Smith "I'm-an-Atheist!" wannabe doesn't get another shot at our little 6 square mile City.

The quote above by McVoy is a hanging curveball for the Post editorial board making McVoy out to be the defender of free speech in America and defending constitutional liberties for all of us minions. Don't be surprised to see that treatise by the editors in the next few days while the issue is still a current one. Issues can change quickly in Lake Worth since election season starts earlier here than most cities in the U.S.

The Obtuse Blogger (TOB) excited to learn Preston Smith is (?) coming back to Lake Worth this holiday season.

Everyone's free speech is still protected in Lake Worth and McVoy can invite Preston Smith back to speak if he wishes. The new rules for invocations, if adopted by the commission, will be thus: each elected representative (there are five) will go in order and they can choose 1) a moment of silence, 2) say their own invocation, or 3) invite someone from the public. Sounds reasonable, right? Not to McVoy it isn't.

Commissioner McVoy voted against this newly proposed option. Why? Probably to keep the heat on Mayor Triolo, Vice Mayor Maxwell and Commissioner Amoroso and in the process bring more press attention to himself. His reasoning comes off mostly political and it'll play real good with his base. The vote was 4-1 with Commissioner Maier supporting the new proposal. Interestingly, at a debate while a candidate Maier's option then was to get rid of invocations altogether.

As long as the City Commission is taking a fresh look at new rules for meetings maybe they should consider a rule on how a commissioner should act when all the other elected representatives leave the room? (Note: things start getting interesting starting at the 1:00 mark in the video below)