This post is about setting the record straight.
In October, 2021, the Arizona Daily Independent posted a false story about me at the request of a pro-Trump, stolen-election, conspiracy theorists named Merissa Hamilton. Hamilton runs a Arizona-based political organization called Strong Communities Action that is registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission but is not registered as an IRS-approved non-profit organization.
Since its creation, Hamilton’s organization has sought out political opportunities to inject itself in the body politic as causes arise. The 2020 Election as well as local school district governing board controversies are examples of issues that Hamilton has used in an effort to elbow herself and her organization to the forefront as a player in Arizona politics.
Prior to Strong Communities Action, Hamilton worked for Phoenix Councilman, Sal DiCiccio doing generic constituent work. She left that office for reasons unknown but decided to run for Mayor of the City of Phoenix.
Prior to her time with the City of Phoenix, she ran as an unsuccessful candidate for US Senate and Governor of Arizona. During one of these campaigns, she staged a publicity stunt in which she was arrested by Phoenix Police for “obstructing a highway.”
It’s fair to say that Merissa Hamilton has an obsession for making her presence known in Arizona.
Last October, Merissa began a series of online attacks (using Twitter) on the Maricopa County Recorder and election personnel over the 2020 Election. One of her tweets accused the County Recorder of enabling a perpetrator who had previously abused Hamilton. In her tweet to the County Recorder she decried that an early ballot with her abuser’s name had been sent to her residence. She argued that the Recorder was perpetuating the abuse against her by continuing to send the early ballot to her home.
I responded to the tweet by mentioning that if she felt in danger that Arizona allows victims to be placed on the Arizona Address Confidentiality Program which hides and protects a victim’s information from abusers. Hamilton ignored my suggestion for a solution.
My reply to Hamilton’s false information also included the response that only the voter can request a change to their voter registration information including a change of address. The County Recorder could not make that change nor could Merissa Hamilton herself. That is federal law.
Merissa Hamilton then began shifting her attacks to my suggestions and factual information by calling me a “abuser apologist,” “EVIL PERSON” and “asshole.” That obviously perked my curiosity of who Merissa Hamilton is and her associated organization. I looked up Strong Communities Action on the Arizona Corporation Commission, took a screenshot of the filing (see link above) and replied back to her asking if this was her organization.
She reported my reply to Twitter and Twitter immediately locked my account as a rule violation (pre-Musk). I simply posted the information about Hamilton’s political organization just like every other Twitter user does.
Let’s remember that Merissa Hamilton ran for public office as a US Senate candidate, a statewide gubernatorial candidate and Mayor of Phoenix. She circulated petitions among the general population which displayed and disclosed her personal information including address.
Merissa Hamilton wants to be a public figure.
Something you should know about me is that I have served on a real non-profit board of directors for over 16-years. That organization focuses on helping women in domestic violence situations. I have a heart for that ministry so I took Hamilton’s attack very personal.
After Hamilton reported my tweet to Twitter, she then began tweeting my employer demanding that I be fired from my job. Because my employer cannot block tweets, staff were subject to Hamilton’s constant attacks and harassment on my character.
Hamilton then contacted the Arizona Daily Independent and asked them to post a story about the incident on their fake news site. A writer with the blog, Terri Jo Neff, took up the request and posted the story. Neff who is a twice-convicted felon never contacted me to ask my side of the story. The Arizona Daily Independent simply ran with the story without any fact checking. I would consider this journalistic malpractice at least and slander at worst.
Shortly after ADI’s post went public, I received a call from a fellow board member who serves with me on the non-profit. He mentioned that a man had entered our main center location screaming and shouting about me and claiming that the organization was allowing a domestic violence perpetrator on its board of directors. Staff and women who were in the center when it happened, were terrified. This especially hit a nerve with me but I still refrained from responding.
My point in making this post now is to correct the narrative and lies that Merissa Hamilton and the Arizona Daily Independent have perpetrated on me and my employer and non-profit. I believe this was all motivated by politics because I first made a simple solution but then pushed back when attacked.
I hope this post addresses what really happened and how social media platforms like Twitter have been weaponized against individuals who point out the facts and stand up to bullies.
