SUPERVISORS MULL PUBLIC 'GAG' ORDER.

Byline: Daily News

Those with too much to say about Los Angeles County issues may soon be banned from speaking at weekly Board of Supervisors meetings.

The board voted 3-2 Tuesday to be able to declare any member of the public ``disruptive'' who brings up for discussion what some members of the board feel is an excessive number of agenda items.

Those labeled disruptive would be banned from speaking at the Board of Supervisors' Tuesday meetings for three months.

The board has not written the definition of what constitutes too many items, but has one particular man in mind.

It was county Supervisor Gloria Molina's annoyance with 50-year-old church choir director and tailor Merritt Holloway of Los Angeles that prompted what some described as a punitive action.

Two weeks ago, Molina asked that Holloway be declared disruptive and banned for 90 days every time he asks to speak too many items.

First Amendment advocates and other members of the public jumped to Holloway's defense earlier this month and Molina asked for a two-week delay on the vote.

Critics said this was too subjective and argued that Holloway's three minutes didn't compare to the hours spent giving awards and issuing proclamations.