Leon Todd

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Lloyd Barbee; Some Negroes are trying to get blacks to go and get a segregated education

fwd: re: Racially isolated voucher schools fail children of color
Voucher schools paradigm a George Wallace segregationist initiative
Failing voucher schools purpose is to segregate children of color
Barbee: What [some negroes] are now calling choice in education...
they're trying to get blacks to go and get a segregated education
Leon Todd: How MPS Board offened U.S. Constitution and deliberately
passed legislation to segregate the public schools [below]

Good schools, bad scores?

A beloved charter school in Harlem faces closure because of poor test scores. But parents, with few options, are fighting to keep its doors open.

By Teresa Méndez
Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

NEW YORK – It's 8 a.m., and students and parents are slogging through slushy Harlem streets on their way to the John A. Reisenbach Charter School. Families filter through the school's cheery orange lobby until 8:30 a.m., when breakfast ends and classes begin.

It's a Friday like any other here - a weekly "Color Day," when students celebrate school spirit by wearing the hues of their floor - orange, green, and blue - rather than their usual oxford shirts and gray pinafores or slacks.
Related stories
03/09/99
A school grows in Harlem

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Except, this day, and this month, are like no other. State evaluators who oversee New York charter schools have recommended that Reisenbach be shut, due in part to the school's results on eighth-grade state tests. The State University of New York (SUNY) Board of Trustees plans to meet Tuesday to decide whether to act on that recommendation.

The threatened closure has parents and experts both raising questions about a school's less tangible aspects - qualities no standardized test can measure. How, for instance, do you quantify the environment here - the safe, carefully monitored hallways, or the eager confidence of the students?

"These are important pieces that are part of these schools that perhaps can't be measured under traditional measures of accountability," says Luis Huerta, a professor at Columbia University's Teacher College in New York. Reisenbach's future may come down to "accountability" - modern education's trendiest buzzword, applied to everything from sweeping reform under the No Child Left Behind Act to the work of beleaguered local school boards.

But the charter school movement in particular is built solidly on the offer of greater autonomy in exchange for a promise to perform. So poor test results have serious consequences.

After seeing their children off, a handful of parents paused to talk. Some were disheartened: Wary of traditional public schools, they say they can't afford private or parochial alternatives.

"It's like a punch in the stomach," says Tiffany Foster, whose daughter Briah is in second grade. "All schools in Harlem are failing. Where does that leave my child?"

Both Craig Cobb and his daughter, Brittan who is a third grader, have fallen in love with Reisenbach.

Like other parents with children at Reisenbach, Mr. Cobb is smitten with the high level of parental involvement. Others rave about the safe, courteous atmosphere, an eighth-grade curriculum that includes reading Shakespeare and newspapers, and extras like drama class and a choir as reasons to keep the school open.

For many Reisenbach families, if the school closes, their only option will be a return to neighborhood schools, many of which are considered the city's worst.

Cobb sees Reisenbach as a work in progress - albeit one in need of assistance.

Among the state's first charter schools, Reisenbach is one of three to face re-chartering this year. The two other schools that opened in 1999 have fared a bit better.

Daniel Oscar, president of the Learning Project, a nonprofit that manages Reisenbach, says the school may have started too quickly - with four months from proposal to opening. It's had building troubles, shaky finances, and high teacher turnover.

There is no doubt that the school has not delivered on its promise to raise test scores. The report by SUNY's Charter Schools Institute (CSI) says Reisenbach "has failed to meet the terms of its charter and is not likely to improve student learning and achievement."

But administrators say the school has now hit its stride, with six new classrooms and more state dollars as enrollment has grown. Teacher morale is high. Last year, however, only 13 percent of Reisenbach's eighth-grade class met state standards in English; only 7 percent in math.

Eric Premack, codirector of the Charter Schools Development Center at California State University, Sacramento, cautions that such tests should be used over time - gauging long-term progress rather than relying on "snapshots."

But to others, hard numbers protect a school and should be relied upon. Benjamin Chavis, principal of the American Indian Public Charter School in Oakland, Calif., is a firm believer in scores, and skeptical of "feel good or other less quantifiable" measures of success.

In 2000, its fourth year, his school nearly had its charter revoked. But by 2001, a year after Dr. Chavis arrived, he'd turned the school around. Now, its scores are among the best in the state. "You can't win by saying, 'This is a safe school,' " he says. "That's a ridiculous argument."

Yet Reisenbach parents, teachers, and administrators point out that 2002 was the first year the school had an eighth- grade class. Some students tested had been there just five months, having arrived from failing neighborhood schools.

Still, says Mr. Oscar, the Learning Project president, there are other ways to hold a school accountable short of closure: a probationary charter, corrective action, requiring those in charge to step down. In fact, the school's director and its board members have offered to resign.

"There are a menu of options available," says Oscar. But closure "strips 432 families of their options."

The argument for shuttering struggling charters goes like this: If the only choice parents have is between a failing charter school and a failing district school, there is no parental choice.

But in the case of Reisenbach, the CSI report leaves some room for hope: "The school's full enrollment, waiting list, student-retention rate, and survey responses indicate a high level of parent satisfaction."

Ms. Popp's (pronounced Pope) first-grade class may be one reason. Her students are rowdy, but attentive.They pop out of chairs for bathroom breaks, but are engaged in a lesson on nouns.

Down the hall, Ms. Yu's kindergartners - her "scholars" as she calls them - are taking a spelling test.

And as for the larger test - the test of Reisenbach's future - some students are as intent as their parents. Two eighth graders explain what shutting the school would mean to them. Jonathan Mitchell worries about his third-grade cousin. Where will he go?

Jahari Mayfield worries about her teachers. "It's a good school," she says. "The teachers are going to lose their jobs. And jobs don't come easy."

Jahari attended a district public school before Reisenbach. "That school was bad. You got to roam the hallways," she says. At Reisenbach, she says, "They teach us right from wrong."

Some argue schools with low test scores but high community support deserve more time to prove themselves.

In 1998, California's Oakland Charter Academy was in a position similar to Reisenbach's. One of the first charter schools in its district, it squeaked through its first renewal. Test scores were bleak, faculty turnover high. But parents rallied to support the Latino educators who understood their Spanish-speaking children and their community's values. Since then, the school has made modest gains in scores - and received its third renewal.

Standards for charter school survival vary widely from state to state - with New York raising the bar higher than most. In many other states, Reisenbach's performance would be considered acceptable.

As of 2002, only 6.7 percent of US charter schools had closed, says the Center for Education Reform - mostly due to financial mismanagement.

In the past, the organizations that grant charters have been thought lax.

Now, says Bruce Fuller, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Education, if they move to shut down schools loved by communities, they may face their own questions of accountability.

"Do these chartering agencies see their role as policemen ... ? Or is their role more political - trying to help these schools raise kids' learning curves? Those are two fundamentally different connotations linked to the word accountability."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0224/p11s01-legn.html

---------------------------------------------------

Subject: Milwaukee: a plantation meeting house with a bwana [white master]

fwd: re: Lloyd Barbee: Milwaukee is a plantation meeting house with a bwana

fwd: re: • Barbee: Milwaukee is a plantation meeting house where there's a
bwana (white master) mentality and little interest in fairness
• What [some negroes] are now calling choice in education... they're
trying to get blacks to go and get a segregated education
• Todd: How MPS Board offened U.S. Constitution and deliberately
passed legislation to segregate the public schools [below]

At the heart of Barbee's many causes was education

From the Journal Sentinel

Posted: Jan. 31, 2004

Raconteur. Radical. Reformer. By the end of his life at age of 77, Lloyd Barbee - an attorney and former member of the state Assembly - had been a bit of each.

--------------------------
Still Separate and Unequal: 1974 File Photo: As a state representative, Lloyd Barbee (D-Milwaukee), shown in this 1974 photo, quickly earned a reputation as someone willing to push for social change, even when there was little chance for political success.

Quotable: I wasn't interested in merely dismantling the system. I wanted to really integrate the system, at the teaching level, administrative level, clearly at the student level and other services.
- Lloyd Barbee, on his lawsuit against the Milwaukee Public Schools

Brown vs. Board of Education: 1954-2004

JOURNAL SENTINEL SPECIAL REPORT: http://www.jsonline.com/news/brown/
-------------------------------

Fifty years after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down legal segregation, most African-Americans in Wisconsin remain far behind whites in education, jobs, housing, safety and family stability. This ongoing series examines why.

A native of Memphis, Tenn., and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School, by the time he came to Milwaukee in 1962, Barbee had already become involved in the NAACP and politics. But at the heart of his many causes was education.

He founded the Milwaukee United School Integration Committee (MUSIC), and the committee became the vehicle for desegregation efforts and ultimately a class-action lawsuit against the city's School Board.

Barbee wanted few accolades for attempts at deconstructing segregated schools. He had become so fed up with the status quo that shortly before he died, he told his family he did not want a public funeral.

They gathered instead at his Glendale home to remember a man who attempted to tear down vestiges of Jim Crow in a northern school district that was reluctant to change. It was characteristic Barbee.

"I view Milwaukee," he once said, "as a plantation meeting house where there's a bwana (white master) mentality and little interest in fairness."

The following interview was conducted in 2000 for The Duncan Group's film on race relations in Milwaukee, "Through One City's Eyes: Race Relations in America's Heartland." It was not included in the film. These excerpts were compiled by Journal Sentinel reporter Leonard Sykes Jr. They are seen here for the first time in an abbreviated form.

Q. Why - when so much attention was on open housing - did you choose to get involved with the issue of school desegregation?

A. Education was important to me. There was no question that most of the people who were being educated in the Milwaukee area were being educated by the public schools. The government (bragged) about the way it was operating the school system. I mean both the administration and the School Board had sort of taken their leave. We had decisions being made that were racial. But they didn't call them racial. When the intact busing was used, black children and teachers were put on buses when the school building was being renovated. They were bused over to predominantly white school areas and they would have to take their brown bag lunches with them. But they didn't eat their lunch in the white schools. They would have to take them back to the predominantly black schools that were being remodeled and renovated. They would eat there and then they would put them on the bus and take them back. . . . I knew then that I had a long battle. We called it "school segregation, northern style." The liberals called it "de facto segregation."

Q. Can you describe some of the issues that you thought needed facing?

A. I'm going to use percentages rather than numbers. Fourteen percent of all the Milwaukee public schools were basically African-American - or "negro" in those days. They were concentrated in certain schools in the inner city. When some schools, say, like North Division, began to have a larger number of blacks attending that school, they would transfer whites. But blacks couldn't get a transfer. And they switched the policy from what's called an open transfer policy. You had to have a reason to transfer. Race was never mentioned except for the very few. But blacks just didn't get transferred.

Q. So what exactly did you and the . . . movement want to achieve?

A. We wanted what we called "equal educational opportunity."

Q. Why did you and MUSIC focus on the School Board?

A. Because the School Board was given first an ultimatum. We (wanted) the School Board (to) do seven things - including stop intact busing (and) hire more black faculty members. The board said it would not do any of those things. And we asked them to take a position that integrated quality education was an ideal - and that (as) a school board that had only 14 percent of their student body that was black that they should do that - just as a principle. They refused to do that. And it was equally clear that they thought I was basically a sarcastic sharp-tongued lawyer who wasn't that serious about education. They underestimated me really.

Q. How did you move from the more radical techniques to the decision to pursue a lawsuit?

A. It was calculated to get an organization to concentrate on what was necessary to do. And the city attorney represented the School Board on up to the time of the trial, then they had a private law firm. By that time I was left by myself.

Q. You fought this suit for 10 years. Now looking back, how successful was the battle for school desegregation?

A. The effort was partially rewarding. It took a long time for the decision. Then we had to deal with the appeal process and retry those issues that the court said we had to retry. When the decision was made, it was a doable system. I wasn't interested in merely dismantling the system. I wanted to really integrate the system, at the teaching level, administrative level, clearly at the student level and other services.

Q. So how do you react to the criticism of some (who) now charge that busing hasn't worked?

A. There were some blacks (who) think it is wrong for blacks . . . to be educated next to whites. It's what some people did with the abortion issue - they turned it around and made it look like you're talking about choice. I don't even want to get into that necessarily. But it's the same issue. Some people got some slogans, particularly when the white racists got into the education business as they have. What they are now calling choice in education . . . they're trying to get blacks to go and get a segregated education. They claim that it's beneficial and they want the state to pay for it! And I'm definitely opposed. First of all, I think that it's illegal. And the second place, if these people who want segregation can convince certain people . . . that the public school is failing . . . you go out and get white bigots to make them fail more. I'm opposed to that.

From the Feb. 1, 2004 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jan04/204117.asp

http://www.jsonline.com/news/brown/

-----------------------------------

Lloyd Barbee: Mentor, Role Model and Facilitator
Wisconsin Senior Advocate
Special Lloyd Barbee Honorary Issue
November/December
by Leon Todd

How MPS Board offened U.S. Constitution and deliberately
passed legislation to segregate the public schools

As a role model, Attorney Lloyd Barbee made a lasting impression on me personally, and strongly influenced my philosophy of life shortly after I was elected to the MPS School Board 1975. I knew of Barbee and what was known in the community as the Barbee Suit against the school board to bring justice to African American children who had been deliberately subjected to extreme forms of racial isolation and a perverse and deliberate segregationist policy.

Lloyd's job was to convince a federal judge that the MPS Board of School Directors had knowingly constructed a systemic scheme of segregation and racial isolation by a series of constitutionally offensive actions and votes over a number of decades. In matters of segregation Southern style, federal courts, including the Supreme Court, had moved away from only looking at segregationist Jim Crow state laws as the only instrument of de Jure [by law] segregation, and had begin to vet the policies and practices of direct agents of the state like school boards.

In 1963 Barbee, 12 years before I was elected to the MPS Board of School Directors, and the NAACP launched an attack upon deliberate segregation in Milwaukee. When Barbee and the NAACP voluntarily offered concrete desegregation measures backed up by a history of clear and convincing school system acts which enforced racial isolation, a majority of the MPS board reaffirmed its commitment to an intentionally segregated school system. Under Barbee leadership, the NAACP and coalition of ethnically diverse groups responded to the board's stubborn segregationist policies by sponsoring demonstrations, a school boycott and a rational plan of alternative schools in 1964. When the MPS board remained stubbornly committed to its racist orientation, the NAACP asked Barbee to prepare a desegregation suit, Amos v. Board of School Directors, which began in July 1965, now 10 years before I was elected in 1975.

Over the next 10 years Barbee continued with his legal case to end the racist policies in Milwaukee and prepared a massive study which demonstrated how the MPS school board had voted for Jim Crow policies and implemented a deliberate construct of segregation and racial isolation in MPS. Three of those MPS school board votes and actions Federal Judge Reynolds found constitutionally offensive: 1) In-tact busing, a system of transferring Black children to all white schools because of over crowding and keeping the children racially isolated at the white school throughout the school day; 2) school attendance boundary gerrymandering for the purpose of constructing and maintaining segregated schools; and, 3) a systematic construction program of building additions. Each of these rulings was deployed to reinforce and guarantee Milwaukee's own quiet and unique style of American Apartheid: Jim Crow segregation up North. Further, Lloyd Barbee's research found that the school board had negotiated employee contracts that had led to inner city children having teachers with the least amount of experience and confined central city Black children to the oldest school buildings which were too often temporary barracks like the row upon row of stopgap barracks at Auer Avenue School. Parents of Black children complained to Barbee that their children who attended schools in the inner city had to use used second hand throw-away text books, reading and mathematics materials from the newer schools in the white neighborhood. The institutional racism these votes set up further guaranteed the making of a permanent racially identifiable underclass in Milwaukee.

Shortly after my school board election in 1975, Judge John Reynolds accepted Barbee's petition on the behalf of Black children and ruled in Amos that MPS must desegregate and end its deliberate policy of racially isolation children of color. Much to my shock and surprise, in that the board was a continuing body, I was named a defendant, one of fifteen board members. I was peeved and offended because I as a Black man had never deliberately voted to racially segregate anyone, particularly my own race.

Barbee argued successfully that the whole system should be ordered to desegregate, root and branch. Barbee told me that he did not want just a paper victory. He wanted a substantive end to the horrific racial isolation in the city. We worked together along with a committee of 100 to establish a system of magnet schools that became a key element in our diversity plan in 1976, which the court accepted. We worked together again in 1978 along with the new and successful Superintendent, Lee McMurrin, after Judge Reynolds issued a second opinion in Amos on remand from the U.S. Supreme Court to keep this city from going the nasty and invective way Boston, Louisville, and Denver had played out over school segregation issues. Milwaukee became a model city for desegregation, and HEW often sent other school districts that said it couldn't be done to Milwaukee to learn about how to make positive progress at dismantling and eliminating the barriers to public school diversity. Barbee, along with State Assemblyman Dennis Conta and a new MPS board, played an active role in setting up the successful Chapter 220 urban suburban racial integration program which also became a model program for HEW After I had left the school board in 1981, Barbee continued to play an active part in a 1984 spin-off lawsuit between MPS and suburban school districts.

Even when the American Nazi Movement came to a school board meeting to tell the school board that a Black brain weight less than the average white brain, in other words they were speaking about my brain, Lloyd was there to council and mentor a measured response.

The leadership legacy of Lloyd Barbee to a diverse school system and an integrated society will always endure despite the recent attempts of Neo-Racist to once again racially isolate various neighborhoods of our city. We would have truly been a lot worst off with him.

As my mentor, coach and role model, I was truly sorry to hear that Lloyd had passed away.

For further anecdotes and additions for Barbee's contributions contact:

Leon Todd
Phone: 414-444-9490
E-mail: leontodd@execpc.com

For additional articles on Lloyd Barbee contact
Wisconsin Senior Advocate
Ph: 414-385-9779
Fx: 414-385-9807
E-mail: wcsc@execpc.com
-- 30 --

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Lena Taylor Payday Loan Hypocrite!

Lena Taylor Payday Loan Hypocrite!

Lena Taylor on a roll abandoning her community. It seems as if Sen. Lena Taylor Made has abandoned any residual pretense of representing the interests of her Black constituency. It is not bad enough that she continues to openly advocate the MPS takeover, but now she has voted against a cap on payday loans in Wisconsin, even the excessive 36% was too low for her.

"Six senators who signed on to a bill last year to cap interest rates for payday lenders switched their positions and voted against the rate cap Tuesday. They were Sens. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay), Bob Jauch (D-Poplar), John Lehman (D-Racine), Mark Miller (D-Monona), Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee) and Bob Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie)."

http://www.jsonline.com/ne
ws/statepolitics/90804074.
html

Whatever it is that the local neocon conservatives have on her or however they are controlling her must be devastatingly powerful! Let's Recall Lena!

http://www.facebook.com/notes/leon-todd/lena-taylor-milwaukee-magazine-worst-legislator-list/433059234615

http://www.facebook.com/notes/leon-todd/leaked-memo-details-sen-taylors-mps-takeover-legislation/433048164615

http://www.facebook.com/notes/leon-todd/10-commandment-of-recalling-state-senator-lena-taylor-from-elected-public-office/433044089615

• Defeat Tom Barrett's New Law for his Jim Crow Legislative Effort against Voter Rights
• Defeat Tom Barrett for Governor for Disenfranchisement of Local Voters
• Defeat Tom Barrett for Gov for his attempted grab at the school children's tax resources
• Recall Lena Taylor from her seat for Betrayal of Democracy's Right to Vote
• Recall Pedro Colon from his seat for his Judas Kiss Betrayal of Local Control & the Right to Vote
• Tom Barrett, Lena Taylor, Pedro Colon; GONE ROGUE!

Milwaukeeans vs. the Privatization Pandemic
• Tom Barrett, Lena Taylor, Pedro Colon; GONE ROGUE!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Leon Todd's historical fight against Hostile Public School [MPS] takeover: Plantation Politics

Race issue raised at MPS takeover hearing
Legislators, School Board members question lack of input by blacks
By Daniel Biceof the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff
April 22, 1998
Bringing race to the center of the already heated debate over apossible state takeover of Milwaukee Public Schools, black lawmakers and School Board members charged Tuesday they have beenexcluded from formulating, drafting and now voting on the proposal.
"We don't need lily-white faces telling us what to do," state Rep. Johnnie Morris-Tatum (D-Milwaukee) said at a public hearing on the legislation, which would strip the School Board of oversight of MPS if students do not meet state-mandated goals in two years.
Board member Leon Todd offered even stronger remarks, saying the measure was developed "with the arrogance of the plantation master."
Todd said officials in Madison were acting as if they knew besthow to improve the predominantly black Milwaukee Public Schools.He said he believes state officials should try to be "more politically correct" and "more racially sensitive."
"This appears to me, and I'm not being facetious, a bit of plantation politics,"Todd said.
Later, Senate Education Chairwoman Alberta Darling (R-River Hills)criticized Todd for his comments.
She said her committee was interested simply in seeing that students in Milwaukee improve academically, something she labeled good public policy. By contrast, she said, Todd's "kind of language" did not offer constructive ways for solving MPS'problems.
"When you use the race card, it takes away from that target, whichis improving education for the children," Darling said.
On Tuesday, the Senate and Assembly education committees held ajoint public hearing on Thompson's bill at the Milwaukee School ofLanguages. About 150 people attended.
The governor's plan would require MPS to boost third-grade test scores and the attendance and graduation rates and slice thedistrict's dropout rate. If the district failed to reachbenchmarks set by the state in two years, MPS would be taken overby a commission composed of one appointee each of the governor, the mayor and the state superintendent of schools.
John Matthews, chief of staff to Thompson, told the committeesthat the governor came up with his proposal because he believes Milwaukee's schools are in a state of crisis. And, he said, thecrisis demands drastic action.
The governor's proposal received the support of state School Superintendent John Benson, who has often sparred with Thompson. Benson said it is questionable whether a state takeover willimprove MPS, but he said officials cannot maintain the status quo.
"Something different has to be done," he said. "I think this isworth a try."
But the overwhelming sentiment toward the legislation was negative, with Democratic legislators, black ministers, School Board members and city residents denouncing various elements ofthe bill. The GOP-controlled Legislature is expected to approve its shortly.
Most speakers objected to the provision that would replace theelected board with an appointed commission, leading to what anaide to Mayor John Norquist said would be "taxation without representation." Others suggested MPS was being unfairly attacked.
"What is implied in this debate is that Milwaukee Public Schoolsis a complete and absolute failure," said Sen. Bob Jauch(D-Poplar). "That is false."
"It is difficult to understand how the governor can justify holding MPS to the higher achievement criteria without allowingMPS the funds to improve its educational program," said SchoolBoard President Joe Fisher. "Some would say the purpose of thebill is to abolish the board rather than serve the children."
But the sparsely populated auditorium grew tense when board member Charlene Hardin drew attention to the fact that no blacks and no Milwaukee legislators sit on the two legislative education committees. Legislators are assigned to committees by their respective party leaders in each legislative chamber.
Hardin, a first-term board member, said she and other African-Americans were shown disrespect by not being representedon the panel. She said blacks have "the right to be part of thedecision-making process."
"I'm not going to be anyone's slave again," she said.
She said the takeover bill was not intended to help MPS. Iflawmakers truly cared about Milwaukee's school system, they wouldhave provided help and extra dollars long ago. Rather, she said,the bill was a power play by the governor and outstatelegislators.
Members of the Legislature's Black Caucus, all of whom representMilwaukee, complained that they were not consulted by Thompson before he drafted his proposal.
Send an e-mail to the editor:jsedit@onwis.com

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Lena Taylor Worst Legislator Milwaukee Magazine

In Dubious Battle

The best legislators? Hard to find. The two parties are so busy attacking each other that nothing has been getting accomplished.

Milwaukee Magazine
by Marc Eisen
Monday 1/26/2009

WORST LEGISLATORS
Sen. Lena Taylor, (D-Milwaukee): She’s no Gwen Moore, who, despite her occasionally rancorous style, was “brilliant and knew state law back to front,” says an admiring staffer. With Moore’s promotion to Congress, Taylor stepped up to the state Senate from the Assembly. Too bad for Milwaukee.

“She has absolutely no depth of understanding,” says a conservative-minded lobbyist. “And she’s tiresome. It’s just awful to have to listen to her talk and talk.” A liberal-minded lobbyist calls her “bombastic and egotistical. You can’t have a conversation without her reminding you she’s an attorney.”

A veteran trade group representative faults Taylor for “never stopping to understand the issue, because she already has the answer.” She’s “all bluster, with no substance,” says another observer.

http://www.milwaukeemagazine.com/CurrentIssue/full_feature_story.asp?NewMessageID=24414

Saturday, April 10, 2010

ACE volunteers summoned in Holloway Black voting fraud probe

Volunteers summoned in Holloway voting probe

Six offer testimony in absentee ballot investigation

By LEONARD SYKES JR. and DAVE UMHOEFER

lsykes@journalsentinel.com

Last Updated: March 26, 2003

Six volunteers trained by the African-American Coalition for Empowerment were summoned Wednesday before a secret John Doe investigation into allegations of absentee vote fraud in the March 4 recall election of Milwaukee County Board Chairman Lee Holloway.

-------------------

What is ACE?

The African-American Coalition for Empowerment describes itself as a non-partisan voter education and mobilization group. ACE was paid $6,300 by County Board Chairman Lee Holloway's campaign for printing, literature drops and consulting. ACE says the services given to Holloway would have been extended to any other candidate.

--------------------

The volunteers appeared before Circuit Judge Karen Christenson to offer testimony in connection with the probe.

Attorney Alan D. Eisenberg, who is representing the volunteers, said he did not have a clue yet on who was being targeted in the investigation.

"So far I haven't been able to figure out why my clients have been ordered in," Eisenberg said.

Eisenberg accompanied clients into Christenson's chambers Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutors were present as well. Later, he said he was bound by a secrecy order and could not talk about the session.

John Doe proceedings allow prosecutors to subpoena and question witnesses and collect evidence for possible charges. The presiding judge can file charges or direct a district attorney to do so, or can order that none be filed.

The volunteers worked with the African-American Coalition for Empowerment, or ACE, apparently to educate potential voters about the use of absentee ballots during Holloway's race against Yolanda Staples-Lassiter in the special election.

Thus far, neither Holloway nor ACE officials Barbara White or Vincent Knox has been subpoenaed. But White acknowledged that she is probably a target of the investigation, which was started by the Milwaukee County district attorney's office.

ACE, which has close ties to Holloway, used a bold new tactic on absentee balloting, persuading hundreds of residents to allow absentee ballots to be sent to ACE's offices rather than to the would-be voters' addresses. ACE volunteers then delivered the ballots to the requesters and acted as witnesses for the votes. The tactic is legal, but investigators are checking apparent signature discrepancies and other alleged irregularities on nearly 100 ballots cast in the March 4 election.

On March 4, after a Journal Sentinel story revealed details of the absentee drive, the DA's office challenged and sealed 96 ballots as potential criminal evidence.

On Wednesday, the top official at the City Election Commission, citing the questions surrounding ACE's absentee drive, said she had set aside 222 absentee ballot requests for Tuesday's election that also were generated by ACE's door-to-door drive.

The office sent those 222 potential voters new applications to return if they wish; as of Wednesday, four had done so, said Julietta Henry, the commission's executive director. Rather than send ballots to ACE's office, the commission will send them to the electors' home addresses unless they direct otherwise. The application deadline is Friday.

"We believe that taking this extra step will help protect the integrity of the election," said Henry, who consulted with city lawyers.

Knox, of ACE, attributed the low response to the follow-up letter to the fact that ACE's door-to-door campaign targeted chronic non-voters in the African-American community in an attempt to spur them into voting.

The group is visiting those 200-plus residents to encourage them to fill out another absentee ballot application, Knox said.

Thirty-six of those residents live in the 10th Aldermanic District and are eligible to vote in that district's special election, which will fill the seat vacated by imprisoned former Ald. Rosa Cameron. Also on Tuesday's ballot are contests for Milwaukee School Board and judicial seats, and, in the 2nd Aldermanic District, a primary for the seat formerly held by Terrance Herron, who moved to Washington, D.C.

Staples-Lassiter tried unsuccessfully to stop the March 4 recall vote, citing fraud allegations and ACE's ties to Holloway's campaign. White, who ran Holloway's campaign, is ACE's president. In addition, Holloway's campaign paid ACE for consulting, literature drops and printing, records show.

White said Wednesday that Holloway had nothing to do with the absentee ballots in question and that everything ACE did in connection with the election was aboveboard. ACE officials have said they did not steer residents to vote absentee for Holloway.

Holloway, who decisively defeated Staples-Lassiter, did not respond to an interview request. He, too, has said he was not involved with the absentee ballot drive run out of ACE's offices.

White said she had no idea what authorities are searching for. She said if there was anything wrong, "it wasn't under our direction.

"Perhaps there were mistakes made by the people we were training," she said.

A version of this story appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on March 27, 2003.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/Metro/mar03/128766.asp

Rupert Murdoch appears to be unaware that Fox News network doesn't have any journalistic standards

Is anyone in charge at Fox News?

This week was a bit of a mixed bag for the journalistic ethics of Fox News.

On the upside, we confirmed that News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch is familiar with the idea of journalistic standards. On the downside, Murdoch appears to be completely unaware that his news network doesn't have any.

Responding to a question from Media Matters VP Ari Rabin-Havt about whether Murdoch thinks it is appropriate for a news organization to aggressively promote the tea party movement, Murdoch stated that Fox shouldn't be "supporting the Tea Party or any other party." Murdoch added, "I'd like to investigate what you are saying before I condemn anyone."

First, a point of agreement with Murdoch: It's certainly true that a news organization shouldn't be promoting political movements. However, a question arises as to whether Murdoch has taken the opportunity to flip to Fox News at any point over the last year. If he had, odds are good that he would have stumbled across evidence of Fox's incessant promotion of the tea party movement.

Since he is apparently too busy to keep an eye on his own news network, we offered some assistance with Murdoch's "investigation." Some lowlights:

Fox Business anchor and "business journalist" Stuart Varney on April 13, 2009: "It's now my great duty to promote the tea parties. Here we go."
In the 10 days leading up to the Tax Day Tea Parties last year, Fox News aired more than 100 commercials promoting the protests and Fox's coverage of them.
Glenn Beck encouraged viewers to "please go" to "FNC Tax Day Tea Parties."
Fox Nation hosted a "virtual tea party" that was promoted on-air by news anchorMegyn Kelly, news host Bill Hemmer, and Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson.
On April 3, 2009, Hannity directed viewers to his website to "get all the details about our special 'Tax Day Tea Party.' " He later added, "We hope you'll join us."

And if that isn't enough to convince Murdoch, Fox News explicitly branded the protests "FNC Tax Day Tea Parties," and ran this image on multiple shows:

Murdoch didn't even need to watch Fox to learn of the network's promotion. After the tea parties, dozens of articles on local tea parties reported that Fox News helped to promote turnout at the events.

And all of those examples are just from the lead-up to the Tax Day Tea Parties last April. Since then, Fox's promotion of the tea party movement has continued unabated.

In fact, just two weeks ago Fox spent an entire day promoting "Conservative Woodstock." It was just like the real Woodstock, except it was an anti-Harry Reid tea party protest in Searchlight, Nevada, featuring the musical stylings of former Saturday Night Live cast member Victoria Jackson instead of Jimi Hendrix and Jefferson Airplane.

If Murdoch wants an even more recent example, this week Neil Cavuto started running adspromoting his coverage of an upcoming tea party protest that "some say could be a very, very heated rally."

But do let us know how that investigation turns out, Mr. Murdoch.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Actual Complaint for NAACP Expulsion & Removal of Jerry Ann Hamilton

PETITION OF AN ARTICLE X COMPLAINT

ARTICLE X EXPULSION, SUSPENSION OR REMOVAL OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS

Officer: Jerry Ann Hamilton Date: August 25, 2009

4998 W. Dean Road

Milwaukee, WI 53233

________________________________________________________________________

The following undersigned members of the MILWAUKEE BRANCH NAACP hereby request an immediate investigation of the significant violations below.

When an individual becomes a member of the NAACP, that individual pledges to abide by the rules and policies of the Association and the decisions of the Board of Directors.

This complaint is being filed against the President of the Milwaukee Branch NAACP, Jerry Ann Hamilton. The Milwaukee Branch is located at 2745 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212. We the undersigned believe President Hamilton is guilty of conduct not in accord with the goals and purposes of the NAACP and these are continuing violations. It appears the National NAACP does not care about how President Hamilton violates the Bylaws for the Milwaukee Units of the NAACP.

Many of these allegations of improprieties have appeared in the local newspaper, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Many of those making allegations have signed this petition and have personal knowledge of the allegations; others believe the allegations have merit and feel compelled to exercise their rights as members to seek an investigation into the allegations that are filed in this Article X. We believe the allegations filed in this complaint are true and satisfy the standard that there is danger of harm to the Association (MILWAUKEE BRANCH NAACP) and that action is necessary.

Allegation 1 – Financial Audit/Mismanagement – President Jerry Ann Hamilton is derelict in her duties in refusing to submit to an audit.

The Bylaws state under Article V, Governance, p.28 Bylaws 2005, #19, “The books of the Unit shall be audited annually by an auditing system acceptable to the National Office.”

The Milwaukee Branch has not been audited in accordance with the above-mentioned Bylaws. The Branch has not been audited in over ten (10) years. There have been multiple requests for an audit and President Hamilton continues to ignore the requests. The Executive Committee passed a motion for an audit in November 2008 and nothing has been done by the President to obtain one. (see exhibit P)

A general pattern and practice of financial mismanagement continues to the present. The documentary evidence of financial mismanagement may not be available because the records are and have been for over ten (10) years under the control of President Hamilton, Ceola Mayberry, the Treasurer, Julie Carlisle, deceased, the Secretary and Linda Leaf, and Assistant Secretary. It is difficult to follow the flow of money because restricted funds are co-mingled with non-restricted funds and because of the many unauthorized transfers of restricted funds. An assessment prepared by Darlene Rose confirms this fact. EXHIBIT 1.

According to the Executive Leadership Training manual it states: “All funds received by a NAACP unit are to be identified as either “Restricted” or “Unrestricted”. Restricted funds are grants from individuals, corporations, foundations, government agencies, funds for scholarships, programs funds (i.e. ACT SO, Back-to-School/Stay-in-School), and bequests that are letter-specific.”

The books of the Milwaukee Branch should be audited for the following reasons: Financial abuse warrants an audit for years 2005 to 2008, in addition to the requirement that the branch’s books be audited annually. See the supporting documents for the following statements at Exhibit 1:

No prior approval of the President’s expenditures by the Executive Committee and no receipts of the expenditures on the President’s credit card bills that the Branch paid.

Failing to report receipt of a $5,000 check from American Family Insurance Company (in an Executive Committee meeting, President Hamilton revealed she had received a check and later a letter requesting her to return the money; there has been no entry on the financial report of receiving or returning the money).

Excessive spending on advertising without Executive Committee approval.

President Hamilton’s refusal to discuss the Branch’s deficit of $51,000 at an Executive Committee meeting on May 17, 2007.

A letter dated November 13, 2007 signed by President Hamilton and sent without the Executive Committee approval to corporations, churches, etc. appealing for money and disclosing the dire financial straits of the branch.

A list of questions regarding the 2008 budget submitted to the then Treasurer which President Hamilton refused to answer due to an arbitrary 5:00 pm deadline, preventing the Executive Committee from obtaining necessary information before being required to vote on the budget.

Failure to provide meeting minutes for the Executive and General Membership meetings for the entire year this far.

Failure to disclose how $3,000 the Milwaukee Branch paid to the President for the Wisconsin State Conference on May 20, 2008 was spent.

Failing to inform the Executive Committee that the Branch was to receive $18,000 from American Family Insurance Company (President Hamilton disclosed to the Executive Committee at the June 20, 2009 meeting that the money would not be received, which the Executive Committee was not even aware the Branch was to receive).

Unauthorized and unreported transfer of $30,000 from Columbia Savings on May 13,2007, without Executive Committee approval (it appears the money was deducted from the account in April or May but was not shown until August financial report; a beginning balance was $77,835.18 in January 2007; May’s financial report shows a balance of $45,363.48 which did not change through the month of July; August shows a balance of $15, 363.48; it appears $30,000 plus is not accounted for).

An unauthorized transfer and deposit of $48,391.44 on December 16, 2008 that was paid out the same day (no approval by the Executive Committee and no full disclosure of the use of the money).

Improper accounting for the Charter Investment accounts.

Unauthorized and unapproved payment by the Branch of 1^st Vice President Wendell Harris’s personal cell phone bill and the President’s personal cell phone bill.

Continued erratic spending by President Hamilton who has also paid her family members for volunteer work with Branch funds.

Permitting the Treasurer to refuse to answer question on the financial reports at Executive Committee meetings (financial reports are always placed on file for potential audit without any discussions; the Treasurer would instruct the Executive Committee members to call her home if there were any questions, thus preventing any discussion at the meetings). This method is a continued practice to date by the Branch and the Treasurer.

A motion passed at the October 2008 General Membership meeting for an audit; the President has taken no action on it.

An audit is necessary for full disclosure of the excessive spending for the Youth from the Branch’s general fund without Executive Committee approval. (secure all financial reports)

There has been no full disclosure of the money the Branch received from Workforce Investment to the Executive Committee. President pays her daughter thousands of dollars from this fund. (see financial report)

There has been no disclosure of the financial obligation the Branch has to a local radio station whereby the President has paid money to without the Executive approval. (see exhibit r, financial report for 5/26/09).

At the March 21, 2009 meeting, President Hamilton had her son Henry Hamilton, III, pass out the financial report and she told the Executive Committee members that they had only two minutes to look at them and her son would pick them back up. When one Executive Committee did not return the financial report, President Hamilton and her son confronted her with hostility. Members had to restrain the President from having direct contact with the Executive Committee member. Her conduct was unbecoming to the presidency and promotes hostility.

In 2001, Dr. Jerome Reide and Tom White used the same hostile tactics with the financial reports when President Hamilton was been accused of mismanagement of Branch’s funds. The reports were numbered, distributed and taken back up and the Executive Committee members were not allowed to take a report out of the room. Is this a tactic that the National Office approves?

According to the Bylaws: Article VII, Duties of the Treasurer, p. 37, it states the treasurer is “to submit reports to the NAACP Unit and the Executive Committee at all regular meetings, or whenever required by either body, covering the financial condition of the NAACP showing receipts and disbursements and outstanding accounts unpaid since the last report…” The Milwaukee Branch regularly violates this procedure. In a letter dated May 15, 2009 from members of the Executive Committee an audit was requested. This request was reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. EXHIBIT 2

Allegation 2 - Logo, and Letterhead usages

According to the Bylaws, Article III, p. 14 #7, it states, “The NAACP prohibits the personal use of the NAACP logo, trademark and letterhead.”

President Hamilton sponsored an Appreciation Luncheon in celebration and honor of her own volunteer work in the name of the Milwaukee Branch NAACP. This event was held on Saturday, June 14, 2008. The invitation was sent out to corporate sponsors for a $500.00 sponsorship. The invitation states: “To the People of Milwaukee Through the NAACP and Other Organizations.” Checks were to be made out to “Jerry Ann Hamilton Appreciation.” When asked by a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter about the money she received from this event, the President told her that it was none of her business, but yet this event was given through the NAACP using the name and logo for personal gain. There was no disclosure statement to donors or contributors notifying them that their contributions were not tax deductible. EXHIBIT 3

According to the Bylaws, it states a financial report of all such entertainment, contributions and fundraising activities shall be rendered to the Unit, the National Office and the public. This report must be submitted to the National Office, with the National Office’s share within 45 days following the date of the event. There were contributions obtained through the use of the NAACP and the use of the logo, which is in violation of the By-laws. There are no records that President Hamilton adhered to the Bylaws in this instance. Monies collected through this event were not reported to the Executive Committee and properly deposited.

During this time, the President was kicking off her campaign for the November 2008 election and she re-announced this in her booklet by using the ad from the June 11, 2008 Milwaukee Times newspaper. EXHIBIT 4

Allegation 3 – Undisclosed Donations

It is the duty of the Treasurer to receive all monies of the NAACP Unit and promptly deposit the same in the name of the NAACP Unit: Article VII, Duties of Officers of Units, p. 36, #4. President Hamilton has violated the Bylaws.

President Hamilton refuses to disclose monies received in the form of a grant for someone to perform work services for her personal benefit. The President advised the Executive Committee that money was not placed in the budget.

At the August 2008 Executive Committee meeting, President Hamilton informed the Executive Committee that she had solicited a grant from anonymous donors to hire someone to get her personal papers filed and that she had hired her sister, Audrey Hamilton. From August to present Audrey Hamilton has and will receive payment for work from money paid out of the Milwaukee Branch general fund account. EXHIBIT 5

It appears the Milwaukee Branch has hired Ms. Audrey Hamilton, her sister, but President Hamilton did not follow the Bylaws relating to hiring Article VIII, p. 41, (g.). No legitimate job description has been brought to Executive Committee, no personnel committee has been formed for hiring, and no authorization for the work has been given.

According to the NAACP Executive Leadership Training 2009, p. 1-95, it states: “Grant Proposals and Requests for Approval by National Office, -- National Office must approve all grants for which the grantor will seek to claim a tax deduction for a charitable contribution prior to NAACP Unit acceptance.” President Hamilton did not comply with this directive and did not bring this transaction before the Executive Committee. President Hamilton is in violation of this provision.

Allegation 4 – Nepotism – President Hamilton Violates Lesson 6 of the NAACP Executive Leadership Training Manual

Lesson 6 of the NAACP Executive Leadership Training manual under “Ethics” states that: “Ethics is a philosophical term meaning character or custom. The definition is relevant to effective leadership in organizations in that it suggests an organization code conveying moral integrity and consistent values in service to the public. Ethical behavior is that which is morally accepted as “good” and “right” as opposed to that which is “bad or “wrong” in a particular setting.” President Hamilton has violated this standard of pattern and practice set forth in Lesson 6 – Ethics- in the NAACP Executive Leadership Training, p. 1-180-185. EXHIBIT 6

Nepotism is a violation of common sense and moral values. It is true that it continues to run rampant and that the President’s family, friends and close relatives are regular recipients of funds of various purposes. The same violations were reported in the first Article X filed against the same President in 2000 and nothing has changed. Although the National Office has not put a stop to this, we renew our request. In the May 2, 2009 meeting at the Milwaukee Branch, Rev. Ford praised President Hamilton for employing her family and said it was ok because President Obama did it when he hired Jarrett and Vice President Biden did it with his sons working at the White House.

Ethics is not a Bylaw or about following the law but rather a standard of behavior that tells us how human beings ought to act in the many situations in which they find themselves – as friends, parents, children, citizens, businesspeople, teachers, professionals, etc.

It is the responsibility of the President to hold high standards of integrity and ethics as it relates to the principles, aims and purposes of the NAACP.

Article VIII, 2 (g): “In the case of Branches, Executive Committee shall appoint, employ and enter into employment arrangements with employees of the Unit subject only to employment procedures and qualifications approved by the National Office.” This Bylaw has been continually violated in the employment actions taken by President Hamilton.

There are many family members and close friends being paid from the general fund account of the Milwaukee Branch NAACP without Executive Committee approval. Her daughter, son, husband, brother-in law, sister, grandsons, nieces, friends, cousin of former Treasurer as an Administrative Assistant were paid without approval by the Executive Committee. There was payment of an Executive Committee member and now first vice president’s cell phone bills for over a year. Her daughter is paid for coordinating a Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) summer program from NAACP Branch funds. EXHIBIT 7. The Branch funds have become a slush fund for Hamilton family and friends and it continues to be run as a social club with the President favoring her family and friends.

The Executive Committee approved none of the actions taken by President Hamilton regarding placing her family members and friends in these positions at the Branch that were volunteer positions but are now paid positions. It also violates the hiring procedures of the national office and securing prior approval of payment to these family members before payment. The President has continually appointed her daughters, son and other close relatives and friends over standing committees where large amounts of money are received, such as ACT-SO, Back-to-School, Freedom Fund, and American Family Insurance Trust Fund, etc. Presently her son is the trustee of the Community Benefit Trust Fund/American Family settlement where a large sum of money could be allocated to the Branch. This is a conflict of interest and reflects no transparency of funds received or their use.

Allegation 5 – Reported misuse of Branch Resources for Personal Gains

It is has been reported that President Hamilton has operated a business out of the NAACP Milwaukee Branch office and refused to give full disclosure to the Executive Committee. The NAACP Executive Leadership Training manual states that an unrelated business income must be separately reported in the year-end financial report filed by the NAACP units. There has been no reporting of this income.

It is reported that President Hamilton has operated a business, Life Impact Personal Development Center, out of the NAACP Milwaukee office. The name of the business is under the auspices of the NAACP located at 2745 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the same address of the Milwaukee Branch office. The links to the business are:

HYPERLINK "http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Life.Impact.Personal.Development" http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Life.Impact.Personal.Development. Center at 414-372-7688

HYPERLINK "http://www.hotfrog.com/Companies/Life-Impact-Personal-Development-Center" http://www.hotfrog.com/Companies/Life-Impact-Personal-Development-Center

HYPERLINK "http://Milwaukee.citysearch.com/profile/map/46578353/milwaukee_wi/life_impact_personal_devmnt.html" http://Milwaukee.citysearch.com/profile/map/46578353/milwaukee_wi/life_impact_personal_devmnt.html

HYPERLINK "http://www/getfave/cp,/locations/13702133-life-impact-personal-development-center" http://www/getfave/cp,/locations/13702133-life-impact-personal-development-center

Allegation 6 - Failure to make Full Disclosure of Programs Operated at the Milwaukee Branch

President Hamilton has not made full disclosure of UWM partnership, a coalition formed with the NAACP, and whether National approved the coalition in accordance with Bylaws Article II, #3 (a). No contractual agreement document has been brought to the Executive Committee for approval. There has been no proposal for implementing the program. It was budgeted and brought to the Executive Committee and General Membership for approval, but no contracts of any kind were brought to the Executive Committee for prior approval.

President Hamilton has not made full disclosure of money received to operate the MPS Summer School program. During the June 20, 2009 meeting, President admitted that the Branch could no longer afford to financially run the MPS School. The MPS School program has been paid with Branch money without Executive Committee knowledge and approval. EXIBIT 8

President Hamilton has not made full disclosure of the settlement involving a discrimination case at UWM. Did the Branch receive money? Branch financial obligation to radio station WGLB AM? Workforce Investment grant.

Allegation 7 - President Hamilton failed to hold an Election to fill the vacancies of the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, and Secretary

According to the Bylaws, Article VI, 1 (a), the elective officers of the NAACP shall be, the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer and Secretary, etc. President Hamilton did not hold an election with a secret ballot to fill the vacancies. She appointed the individuals by listing them in her December 2008 President’s report. She violated the Bylaws in filling a vacancy of elected officers by appointing them.

Membership is no longer a single standing committee. It is combined with Life Membership. President Hamilton appointed Joshua Honey chairperson of Membership, which allowed him to become an Executive Committee member.

Allegation 8 – Youth Council – Appointments by President Hamilton not in Accordance to the Bylaws

Youth Work

Youth Work is a Standing Committee and President Hamilton appointed her daughter Beverly Hamilton-Williams as the Chair. She is an elected Executive Committee member and has been appointed the Youth Council Advisor and chair of the Youth Work by President Hamilton, thus holding three (3) Executive places. This is a clear example of nepotism and monopoly.

According to the Bylaws for Branches Article VII states: “The duties of the President shall be to appoint the Chair and members of all Committees not otherwise elected by the General Membership or the Executive Committee of the NAACP unit, except the Chair of the Youth Work Committee”. Page 32 of the Revised February 2009)

Under Article VIII, p. 44(f), it states: “The Committee on Youth Work for Branches shall consist of the Youth Advisor(s)…The Youth Unit Advisors and the Youth Unit Presidents shall choose the chair of the Committee.”

According to Article VII, p. 33(j.), it states: “Youth Unit Presidents shall represent the Youth Unit on the Executive Committee of the Branch.” The Youth President never attends Executive Committee meetings. The President is in violation of the Bylaws as stated above, respectively.

Youth Council Advisor –

President Hamilton appointed her daughter Beverly Hamilton-Williams to be the Youth Council Advisor.

According to the Bylaws, Article V, p. 25(b), it states the following:

“There shall be an Advisor for Youth Council in conformity with the rules of the Association. In jurisdictions where there is a Branch and a Youth Council, the Youth Council shall submit in writing the names of the elected Advisor to the Branch Executive Committee at the Branch Executive Committee meeting immediately following the Annual Meeting of the Youth Council, which would be held between March 15 and April”. The Branch Executive Committee must accept or reject the submitted name within fifteen (15) days after the submission in writing to the Youth Council President.

The Youth Advisor and President of the Youth Council are members of the Executive committee of the Branch.

No Annual Committee Meeting was held and no names were presented to the Executive Committee to be selected as the Youth Council Advisor as required. President Hamilton is in violation of the Bylaws as stated above.

3. Junior Youth Council

President appointed Cheryl Gardner as a chairperson. This is not a Standing Committee according to the Bylaws for Branches revised February 2009.

Under Article V, p.26 #13, it states: “The Branch Executive Committee shall appoint the Advisor for the Junior Youth Council.” She is an elected Executive Committee member and was also appointed as chair of ACT-SO.

Allegation 9 – President Hamilton continues to run meetings without a Parliamentarian and Sergeant at Arms and does not follow Robert’s Rules of Order and has been allowed to defy the bylaws mentioned in this complaint and others that are defined by the National NAACP.

Allegation 10 – President Hamilton is operating the Branch without a budget for 2009. There has been no budget under the President’s administration adopted by the Executive Committee.

The Finance Committee is a Standing Committee. The Branch has a finance committee that consists of President Hamilton, Treasurer Ceola Mayberry and Assistant Treasurer Margaret Martin. According to the Bylaws, a Finance Committee shall consist of those three and one other. It shall study the financial needs of the Branch and shall be responsible for drafting an adequate annual budget. The Committee should discuss the budget with the Executive Committee. Drafting the annual budget is one of the most important functions of the Finance committee. By not having a budget, it is impossible for the Executive Committee to keep apprised of whether the Branch’s expenditures are as authorized by the Executive Committee. All expenditures now being made are, therefore, unauthorized by the Executive Committee since no budget was approved.

Allegation 11 – Scholarship Funds

President Hamilton is an ex-officio member of this committee and she has not disclosed the procedures used in choosing scholarship recipients for the awards. Favoritism is been shown to family and friends in awarding of the scholarship. The Executive Committee has no input in any of the procedures being used in choosing the recipients or disbursement of monies. The scholarship is a restricted fund and consists of a large sum of money; the President and Ceola Mayberry control this money and committee. There is no check and balance using the process they have established, because the Executive Committee has no knowledge of the criteria being used. Financial report of 09/09/08 shows Edna Frye being paid $1,000 each for two scholarships. EXHIBIT 9

Allegation 12 – President Hamilton failed to discuss the Financial Affairs of the Branch with the Executive Committee to determine whether the Delegates for the National Convention would receive financial assistance

According to the Bylaws the Finance Committee is responsible for making provisions for Delegates to State Conference and National Conventions. President Hamilton is a member of the Finance Committee and works closely with the Treasurer on the financial status of the Branch. The President failed to adhere to this Bylaw.

On May 16, 2009, the Branch’s regular Executive Committee meeting was canceled without notice to the Executive Committee. 1st Vice President Wendall Harris conducted a General Membership meeting to select delegates. This meeting was not advertised to the General Membership. There were no minutes, financial report and agenda prepared for the meeting. The only item discussed was to vote for delegates for the National Convention. Mr. Harris informed the delegates that the President had informed him there would be no money for the delegates to go to the National Convention. The President and Treasurer failed to discuss the financial status of the Branch with the Executive Committee and General Membership. There is no budget approved by the Executive Committee and it is evidence that no money had been budgeted for delegates. President Hamilton told a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that she was getting $3,000 from the Branch to go to the Convention. The Executive Committee has not/did not approved this money for the President. EXHIBIT 10. This action violates the duties of the President, and the President violates her duties as the executive to require the Treasurer with the aid of the Finance Committee to prepare a budget. There is no prior approval by the Executive Committee of any expenditure by the President.

Allegation 13 – President Hamilton Continues to violate Removal Procedures

President Hamilton failed to follow Removal Procedure of non-functioning committees, Officers, Executive Committee Members and Executive Members who do not take the mandatory training.

Article VIII, Section 10 (a)(b)– Removal Procedure

President Hamilton acknowledged in her President’s Report dated February 21, 2008 that during her attendance at the Annual Meeting of the NAACP in New York, February 15-15, 2008, a directive was given to take action on non-functional Executive Committee members in the Branches and proceed to remove them. EXHIBIT 11

At the April 17, 2008, two months later, a General Membership meeting, Felicia Miller-Watson made a motion that the Branch follow the provision in the By-Laws that any Executive Committee member/Officer who was not present for six consecutive meetings be removed. The President said she wanted to review the By-Laws and did not bring the motion to a vote. Instead a motion was made and seconded that the meeting be adjourned and the motion did not pass. EXHIBIT 12. Ms. Miller-Watson was attempting to have the Secretary removed along with others and the President would not entertain the motion. Ms. Miller-Watson attempted to have the Secretary removed in October. Had she been able to remove the Secretary on those occasions, President Hamilton would not have been able to use the Secretary’s illness as a pretext to avoid having a Nominating Committee. The Secretary had been absent well over 50% of elected time served.

The President was given a directive to follow the By-Laws and she did not. That is a direct violation of the By-Laws for the removal of an officer from duty.

Allegation 14 – President Hamilton violated the rights of General Membership when she did not notify them of her change in the Election procedure for 2008 election.

The Executive Committee was not aware that they were being required to resubmit their consent form to run for office until they arrived at the Executive Committee meeting.

Allegation 15 – Electioneering by the President, disregard of the Nominating Committee process and hostile treatment of Executive Committee members who disagree with her has destroyed the right to elect members of our choice.

Because of the pattern and practice of the President of thwarting the Nominating Committee process since she had been in office, we feel compelled to address this issue in an effort that this activity will not occur again; we want to protect our voting rights in the local Branch elections. We believe the set of circumstances display manipulation of the outcome by the President and unfairly deny us our right to select those we wish to lead us on the Executive Committee.

In December 2008, President Hamilton listed the names of the elected Executive Committee members who ran on her so-called slate and were assigned chairmanship of more than one standing committee. Executive Committee members who were not named on the President’s slate were not given a chairmanship position for a Standing Committee, while those on her slate are holding two and more positions. EXHIBIT 13

The Executive Committee members’ democratic participation has been thwarted by the President’s retaliatory behavior. She continues to create dissension among the Executive Committee members and creates a hostile environment for many who vote or voice their opinions in opposition of her viewpoints. Most Executive Members and members have been forced to resign or just quit and stop attending meetings due to being isolated, ignored, ostracized and retaliated against for speaking out in opposition to the President’s viewpoint or asking questions relating to the Branch finances. This tactic has been used by the President to stop members from asking questions and attending future meetings.

The new Executive Committee members were not interviewed before they were elected or selected to be an Officer or Executive Committee member. Membership was not verified. It is believed that none of the newly elected members had attended a NAACP meeting within the last two years and did not know the operational procedures of the Branch or election procedures, but were nominated to supervise the Election Supervisory committee.

The election procedures were seriously flawed and violated. We would suggest to you that the President behaved in a clandestine manner during this process.

The repeated behavior of the President to thwart the Nominating Committee is extremely unfair. In September 2008 the Nominating Committee attempted to do their job and was prevented by the behavior of the President. EXHIBIT 14

The evidence is being provided that will show that their efforts were thwarted. The President refused to provide a current list of members, despite repeated requests made by candidates who wished to contact members of the Branch to seek support in the upcoming election. Evidence will show deliberate actions taken to prevent the only duly nominated candidate for Treasurer, who had consented properly and timely, from being listed as a candidate. EXHIBIT 15

In conclusion:

General Membership and many former and current Executive Committee members are not willing to sit back and watch the Milwaukee Branch become a monopoly for the Hamilton’s. Many of the undersigned have been supporters of President Hamilton but are no longer willing to stand by and watch the erosion of the Branch’s finances, the dictatorship management style, and family members, friends and others being paid for serving in a volunteer position.

There is no transparency of the fiscal operation of the Branch affairs. The President has not executed a plan of action for the Branch to overcome her destabilizing the efforts to keep the Branch’s integrity. The Branch does not embrace its core principles and projects. The Branch has become the Hamilton Family Industry of donations, funding, sources and selective activities at their discretion. The President’s continued practice to go around and outside the Executive Committee by filling committee and officers’ seat assignments improperly and without the Executive Committee approval makes the Executive Committee non-functional. Some members are deciding that the Milwaukee Branch is irrelevant. An editorial writer of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote an article about the Milwaukee Branch exposing many of these allegations. EXHIBIT 16

We will no longer be abused, intimidated and insulted by the National Office personnel staff for opposing the President’s opinions or viewpoints. Membership and Executive Committee members will not be intimidated by being told repeatedly how the National office will get rid of you for speaking out against wrong doing. Members will no longer accept being intimidated and referred to as hamhocks, chief chitterlings, and pork chops when you oppose the President, as Dr. Reide stated during the May 2, 2009 meeting. He should no longer be able to tell any President to throw people out who scrutinize financial reports and recommend that the financial reports be taken up and these are people who just like to throw mud and distract because that’s their only business.

We will no longer be ridiculed by the President on the radio arrogantly stating to the listening audience as she read an article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the three people who sent a letter to National ought to know they need to file an Article X and that they should have come to her because she probably would have sign it, just to get it on the way. She also states “I think everyone who questions the way I run the organization is disgruntled. You are either with me or not.” See Exhibit 2.

It is being reported that President Hamilton has publicly stated that she was told by National to ignore the e-mails and complaints because they will not do anything to her. That could explain why Rev. Ford gave the chair of the Communications, Publicity and Press a directive at the May 2, 2009 meeting to issue a news release exonerating the President of the e-mail messages that were sent out to a large quantity of people.

It is being reported that the President and others are publicly stating that National will not do anything to her and they love her because she brings in the money. The National Office is implementing a job for the President in the Region that involves securing money for the National Office.

President Hamilton reported at the December 2008 meeting in her President’s report that the Treasurer was not seeking re-election and that National made the following statement, “ It has been stated by our National Office that she has been one of the most productive finance persons we have had.” Not following the Bylaws as the Treasurer should not be rewarded. That is why an audit by an independent source is required and is being requested in this complaint.

We the undersigned are requesting under Article X, p. 78 (4) that President and CEO Jealous exercise his authority to suspend President Jerry Ann Hamilton due to the danger of irreparable harm to the Milwaukee Branch NAACP pending a full investigation.

We the undersigned hereby request a full hearing. We hereby request that effective immediately that President Hamilton cease from handling all monies of the Branch and that all monies to be spent must follow the Bylaws set forth in Article VII, p. 36 (4).

We urge you, Benjamin Todd Jealous, as President and CEO to exercise your authority to order President Hamilton to be suspended pending a full hearing. We also are requesting an independent audit from an outside source.

We the undersigned hereby request to be effective immediately that a Compensation/Reimbursement Subcommittee be appointed to the Milwaukee Branch to review and approve all reimbursements for the expenses incurred on behalf of the Association by the President, members of the Executive Committee, family members, close relatives, as National has established as a standard of operation.

We the undersigned hereby request to suspend the use of the President’s credit card that the Branch is paying. These expenses are not disclosed and have no prior approval by the Executive Committee.

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