http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/07/20/councillor-faces-inquiry-over-stupid-scientologists-tweet-91466-26886933/

A councillor is facing a disciplinary hearing after calling the Church of Scientology "stupid" in a post on the Twitter website.

Wales' public standards watchdog said John Dixon is likely to have breached the code of conduct for local authority members with his short message last year.

The Church of Scientology, whose followers include entertainers Tom Cruise, John Travolta and Kirsty Allie, made an official complaint after spotting the posting last year.

The church, created by American science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard in the 1950s, has a reputation for being fiercely litigious and has been accused in the US courts of trying to use the legal system to destroy critics.

Mr Dixon, who is Cardiff council's executive member for health and social services, as well as being a web developer and microbiologist, is contesting the complaint saying he was writing in a personal capacity.

He posted the message on his Twitter account, then called CllrJohnDixon, when he was in London last year buying his wife-to-be a wedding ring.

It said: "I didn't know the Scientologists had a church on Tottenham Court Road. Just hurried past in case the stupid rubs off."

In a follow-up comment after the Scientologists registered to receive all his Twitter posts, he posted: "Just realised the Scientologists are following me. Quick everyone, pretend you're out."


Comedians join debate about councillor's Scientology tweet
http://yourcardiff.walesonline.co.uk/2010/07/20/comedians-join-debate-about-cardiff-councillor-john-dixon-scientology-tweet/

Debate is raging on social networking website Twitter about a Cardiff councillor's Scientology tweet.

Adamsdown councillor John Dixon's message about Scientology being "stupid" has seen leading comedians have their say about freedom of expression.

Coun Dixon has also revealed via his personal Twitter account that he's due to go on Newsnight to discuss the comment with Kirsty Wark.

Controversial comedian Mark Thomas tweeted "Anything that upsets scientology and therefore Tom Cruise is a good thing" before linking to the WalesOnline story and adding the hashtag #stupidscientology.

Hashtags are a way for popular topics to be tracked via Twitter and his tweet triggered other comedians to get involved.

Flame haired Australian comic Tim Minchin pitched in "Has anyone written a kickarse song about scientology? Maybe that's next. I need me a lawsuit :| "

He then went on to criticise Coun Dixon's tweet, saying: "Tho for a councillor, calling anyone's faith/cult/religion "stupid" is a bit stupid, politically."

Star of Channel 4 show Peep Show, David Mitchell, has spoken out about freedom of speech in relation to the Dixon case.

He tweeted: "It's really not great for freedom of speech when someone is disciplined for expressing an opinion, a very restrained one, about a religion."

Coun Dixon will face Cardiff Council's standards & ethics committee about the tweet, no date has been set.