Palm Beach County commission moves to rein in hate speech following anti-Semitic rant

Neo-Nazis and other purveyors of hate speech may find it more difficult to spew their hate at future county commission meetings.

The county's lawyer, Denise Coffman, was called on to determine what, if anything, could be done to prevent a reoccurrence of the racist and anti-Semitic remarks uttered by three speakers at an April 2 commission meeting. Two of the speakers ended their comments with “Hitler Salutes.”

In response, the County Commission, at Coffman’s request, amended its “rules of procedure” earlier this month to make it clear that the county mayor may cut off anyone who speaks about something over which the commission has no control. In addition, a speaker, who fills out a comment card, will now have to indicate what topic they will be speaking about.

Coffman explained that, for example, a speaker would be off-base if he or she began speaking about "Trump's cabinet," noting that the subject is something out of the jurisdiction of county government. The rules, though, she noted, must be consistently applied, and everyone must be treated the same way.