Executive Director of Visit St. Mary’s Says he was terminated for privately expressing criticism of Trump's performance

Editor

Editor

somd.com Editor
Staff member
PREMO Member
Patron
This post is not by any means an expression of opinion regarding Mr. Aul and/or his alleged opinions. It was sent to a public address, so I assume it is meant for public distribution.

Yesterday, I was terminated as Executive Director of Visit St. Mary’s MD due to my personal political opinion. My Board of Directors communicated this to me through phone calls and text messages and declined my request for a meeting. I was explicitly terminated due to private and personal criticism I expressed of President Trump in the wake of our country’s tragic events. I did so privately, on my own social media platform, away from the job and on my own time in a manner that in no way pertained to my work.​

I wrote these comments in good faith, believing that in Maryland, the birthplace of religious toleration, an employer carrying out public functions would certainly respect the personal expression of my personal opinions in a manner that in no way, shape, or form related to my work. However, sadly, I was mistaken to believe this. The substance of my views did not pertain to my work in any way.​

In short, this was nothing more than a political hit on my personal political beliefs, plain and simple. Not once during my tenure have my political beliefs played a part of my work. Not once, during my years of service to the County, have I made decisions based on the political beliefs of others. Not once have these ideas crossed my mind.​

I have retained a lawyer to protect me from additional attacks and violation of my labor rights.​

These are trying times, there is no denying. This issue is bigger than myself. It is an attack on our collective freedom of expression, freedom of ideals, and freedom of speech. As I have posted on my personal Facebook in the past, in regards to my opinion of President Trump:​
​
“I will continue to live my life as best as I can, love who I love, be friendly with whom I am friendly, and work diligently with all my colleagues and business partners. You can have the complete opposite policy position of mine on all issues, and it [will] not be a bother.”​
​
This is the ideal that I have tried to impart, and an ideal that we should all strive for – political opinions are secondary to how you treat your friends, family, and colleagues.​

It is my wish that we soon come together to see beyond our political differences and work together as a nation.​

Yours, in tourism, friendship, and in health,​

Jason Aul​
 
Editor

Editor

somd.com Editor
Staff member
PREMO Member
Patron
148788



Beginning today, Visit St. Mary's MD (VSMMD) and Executive Director Jason Aul will end their relationship. Mr. Aul was the tourism agency's first director and held the position for approximately two years. Under his leadership, a new identity was established for VSMMD and progress was made on key strategic priorities.

The change in leadership will allow VSMMD to refresh the tourism effort and to bring new energy toward goals and strategies contained in the Tourism and Hospitality Master Plan.

The Board will soon embark on a widespread effort to attract a new leader to VSSMD. The recruitment process will allow for consideration of local, regional, and national candidates for the position.

VSMMD is a non-profit created to carry out tourism duties on behalf of St. Mary's County. Previously, these duties were within the responsibilities of the County's Department of Economic Development. After a comprehensive review of tourism that resulted in the Tourism and Hospitality Master Plan, the County pursued a recommendation to separate tourism functions from County government in order to provide a more flexible and nimble tourism organization. Although the agency is a separate non-profit, all of the funding is provided by St. Mary's County. The County provides oversight to the agency, has a seat on the Board of Directors, and provides free office space.

VSMMD's website can be found at https://www.visitstmarysmd.com/

Questions may be directed to Board Chair Regina Faden at ReginaF@digshistory.org or (240) 895-4963.
23115 Leonard Hall Drive, Leonardtown, MD 20650
 
Last edited:
LightRoasted

LightRoasted

If I may ...
If I may ...

What's the old saying? "One is never off duty". Especially when working for a government, or corporation. And then's there's the best one, "One awe sh-t, wipes away ten atta-boys". Of course, there's another one which might apply in this instance, "Ever sh-t where you eat".
 
B

BernieP

Resident PIA
If he was not a critic of the President I might be supportive, but it seems they believe the door only swings one way.
When the opinion expressed by an individual by the liberals it's okay to:
  • rescind college admittance and the scholarship of a student
  • scream at them and deny them service in your restaurant
  • spit in their coffee
  • demand their sponsors withdraw and have them fired.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
He's lying. There's no way they canned him just for criticizing Trump. As in, NO way.

He was either violent or vicious on his social media, or he was flat out incompetent and that's why he was fired. There is no way he was fired simply for criticizing Trump.
 
D

DaSDGuy

Well-Known Member
vraiblonde said:
He's lying. There's no way they canned him just for criticizing Trump. As in, NO way.

He was either violent or vicious on his social media, or he was flat out incompetent and that's why he was fired. There is no way he was fired simply for criticizing Trump.
Click to expand...
Agree. If anything they would give him a raise. On a plus side for him, he should expect many job offers from state universities for teaching positions.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Note he follows up his post:



with more tweets tagging local and national leftwing news outlets (click on the post to see the whole thread).

I don't think it takes a genius to figure out why he was fired and where he'd like to go from here.

I hear there's a new community in Seattle that's looking for a publicist - maybe he should give them a shout.
 
stgislander

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
As I hear people on the left supporting #CancelCulture say, you still have your freedom of expression, but you don't have freedom from consequences.
 
spr1975wshs

spr1975wshs

Mostly settled in...
Ad Free Experience
Patron
Lowe's has clear guidelines about their employees and what they will tolerate on social media. I'd bet most every modern employer, whether public or private, has such.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
There are different levels of being critical, there is " I dont think he is doing a good job " and then there is the Kathy Griffin level of crap.
 
B

BernieP

Resident PIA
spr1975wshs said:
Lowe's has clear guidelines about their employees and what they will tolerate on social media. I'd bet most every modern employer, whether public or private, has such.
Click to expand...
True, but I think this is a big fat lie and he has the upper hand, if they comment, they are going to look guilty, if in their comment they say anything about his performance, they then open the county up to a lawsuit.
He will be running for office shortly
 
BrackishTortoise

BrackishTortoise

New Member
I think there's more going on here.

2 years on the job and all of sudden he's fired? If he was grossly incompetent, he would have been canned sooner. I don't know anything about his work performance, but has St. Mary's got more visitors over the past 2 years? I see there's a new website. He doesn't work for fed gov, Hatch Act doesn't apply. He works for a non profit doing services for a local government. Using his own resources, he should be able to talk smack about any President whether Obama, Trump,
 
B

BernieP

Resident PIA
BrackishTortoise said:
I think there's more going on here.
Click to expand...
Exactly and you are reading just his side of the story.
The letter he posted to Twitter is his statement, the news story is, well, his statement.
The county has only acknowledged that he is gone, they don't say he was terminated, they simply say they parted ways and are moving in a new direction. Read into that what you will.

I can only relate to this as an employee / employer (supervisor).
Employers are reluctant to terminate people "for cause" as this usually gets the litigation process flowing.
I know, for a fact, that in Maryland you can terminate a person on mutual agreement. The employer may have "cause", such as the employee was abrasive and did not fit well in the workspace. Terminated, possibly at the request of the customer,
Since the employee can collect unemployment it reduces the chances of a lawsuit.
If you were to call that employer to verify employment for the terminated individual they would simply state, "mutually agreed"
The suggested question is, "would you rehire them".
There is no evidence that he was terminated by the county because of his political views.

It's somewhat ironic that a Trump critic, most often a liberal democrat, would be on the receiving end of cancel culture.
It's usually the other way around. Irony is a form of humor, so some of us are laughing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top