(Video) Book Launch - "Mapping The Water Crisis" - Dismantling of Black Neighborhoods in Detroit

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Saturday August 20, 2016 · 12:34 PM PDT

2016/08/20 · 12:34

We The People of Detroit Community Research Collective: “Mapping The Water Crisis - The Dismantling of African-American Neighborhoods in Detroit: Volume One” - Book Launch - Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, WSU Law School - August 14, 2016

From: “Mapping The Water Crisis - The Dismantling of African-American Neighborhoods in Detroit - Volume One”:

“… Detroit community activists recognize that the water crisis and the other destabilizing policies mentioned above, driven by corporate and government austerity imperatives, are leading to the erasure of our communities, to a reconfiguring of city land and resources to accommodate corporate objectives. To put it simply, we understand that the forces at work are genocidal; but when we assert that reality, our perceptions are viewed by many as extremist. For that reason, we have sought data with which to measure our perceptions. The mapping of water shutoffs and other hardships leading to residential displacement indicates that the destruction of our historic neighborhoods is not haphazard or arbitrary, but deliberate and intentional. Hence, the significance of the community-led research and findings presented in this publication. We hope the information provided here will inspire all those who believe in social justice, community sustainability and health equity to become involved in the work of devising and demanding creative solutions to the crises we are facing in our city.”

Gloria House, Ph.D.

The Honorable JoAnn Watson

SOURCE: We the People of Detroit Community Research Collective. (2016). “Mapping The Water Crisis - The Dismantling of African-American Neighborhoods in Detroit: Volume One”. Pp.VI. Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., We the People of Detroit Community Research Collective.

=-=-=-=

… Video Clip Snippets … Sunday, August 14, 2016 during the Book Launch

1/10 - (Approx. 1 minute) - Opening Song by The Flowtown Revue Choir

youtu.be/...

2/10 - (Approx. 2 minutes) - The Flowtown Revue Choir, STOP Turning Water Off

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3/10 - (Approx. 2 minutes) - Hon. JoAnn Watson, We The People of Detroit Organizational Overview

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4/10 - (Approx. 6 minutes) - Debra Taylor, The Story of the Community Research Collective (CRC)

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5/10 - (Approx. 7 minutes) - Dr. Andrew Herscher, Map Overview

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6/10 - (Approx. 12 minutes) - Emily Kutil, Charts/Graphic Overview

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7/10 - (Approx. 6 minutes) - Nadia Gaber, Health Impact Study Update

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8/10 - (Approx. 30 minutes) - Dismantling of African-American Neighborhoods in Detroit - Q & A

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9/10 - (Approx. 7 minutes) - William Davis, President, DAREA; and J.T. Campbell, Arizona State Univ.

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10/10 - (Approx. 2 minutes) - Musical Performance by Next Generation Jazz Trio

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The above links to ten video clips (ranging from 1 to 30 minutes in length) were recorded on Sunday, August 14, 2016 during the Book Launch event for We The People of Detroit Community Research Collective: “Mapping The Water Crisis - The Dismantling of African-American Neighborhoods in Detroit: Volume One” at The Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights, Wayne State University Law School, 471 West Palmer Street, Detroit, MI 48202.

=-=-=-=

Detroit talks to U. N. Human Rights experts on Water and Adequate Housing (Six Video Clips)

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday August 30, 2015 · 1:51 PM PDT

2015/08/30 · 13:51

Listed below, please find links to six (6) video clips that were recorded on Saturday, October 18, 2014 during the “DETROIT FACT-FINDING” Meeting segment of the Special Informal Visit to Detroit by U.N. Special Rapporteurs Catarina de Albuquerque (Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation) and Leilani Farha (Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living) of the “United Nations Human Rights / Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights” and held at Michigan AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Council 25, located at 600 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI.

Snippet (1/6) - (Approx 3 minutes)
https://youtu.be/...

Snippet (2/6) - (Approx 7 minutes)
https://youtu.be/...

Snippet (3/6) - (Approx 15 minutes)
https://youtu.be/...

Snippet (4/6) - (Approx 1 minute)
https://youtu.be/...

Snippet (5/6) -(Approx 39 minutes)
https://youtu.be/...

Snippet (6/6) - (Approx 24 minutes)
https://youtu.be/...

(FYI) ... A Joint Press Statement soon followed:

20 October 2014
Upon invitation from civil society organisations, we visited the city of Detroit (Michigan - USA) from 18 to 20 October 2014. The purpose of this informal visit was to learn more about the impact of water disconnections on the living conditions of individuals and households and on their human rights to water, sanitation and housing, and to discuss international standards on human rights.

During the visit, we went to different parts of Detroit and met with people whose water had been shut off and others who are struggling to pay expensive water bills to avoid shut-offs. We listened to stories from single mothers with low income, older persons, people with disabilities and chronic illnesses. We also discussed the situation with Mayor Duggan, City Council, Congressman Conyers, civil society organizations, Detroit water department workers, and with lawyers. ...

... Suggested recommendations:
We suggest that the City of Detroit restore water connections to residents unable to pay and vulnerable groups of people, stop further disconnections of water when residents are unable to pay, and provide them the opportunity to seek assistance that must be made available through social assistance schemes.

We also urge the City of Detroit, the state of Michigan and the national government to adopt a mandatory affordability threshold. In addition to this, specific policies should be adopted to ensure specific support to people who live in poverty.

We suggest that the City of Detroit provide urgent measures, including financial assistance, to ensure access to essential water and sanitation (minimum amount of water necessary for personal and domestic uses, which should be about 100 liters per person per day) and to housing when people are unable, for reasons beyond their control, to cover the costs themselves. In such measures, protection of vulnerable groups of people (those with disabilities, chronic illnesses, with children, etc) must be prioritized.

We recommend that the authorities make an urgent assessment of the public health consequences for the individual, schools and community of the water shut-offs, and take steps to mitigate adverse impacts.

We recommend Governments make every effort to ensure that the most vulnerable, including those who reside in Section.8 housing, are not evicted from or lose their housing as a result of water shut-offs or water bill arrears.

We recommend that the city of Detroit stop converting delinquent water bills to property liens for collection and enforcement through the tax foreclosure process. We further recommend that the Government advertise and make accessible property tax exemption programs for those living in low-income.

In the event that an individual or family is rendered homeless due to water shut-offs, the city of Detroit must have in place emergency services to ensure alternate accommodation with running water is available. Immediate and urgent steps must be taken to find long-term viable housing solutions for these residents.

We recommend that the Federal Government immediately undertake an investigation into the water shut-offs to determine if they are having a disproportionate impact on African Americans and other groups protected against discrimination.

Federal and state agencies with relevant authority should require water and sanitation utilities, as a condition for funding and permits, to collect data and report annually on water shut-offs by age, income level, disability, race, and chronic illness. This information should be made publically available. Any practice that has a discriminatory impact must be addressed and discontinued.

In our view, residents of Detroit should be ensured access to administrative and legal remedies, in particular those who are unable to pay current water bills and/or arrears or who want to challenge the amount of their water bills or the cutting-off of their water supply. These procedures must be made public and accessible, and adequately resourced.

Source: Joint Press Statement by Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living and to right to non-discrimination in this context, and Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation Visit to city of Detroit (United States of America) 18-20 October 2014.

"The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States"

CFCLFM

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Saturday July 04, 2015 · 6:36 PM PDT

2015/07/04 · 18:36

... In case you are interested, here is a different story about the origins of the USA, courtesy of Historian Gerald Horne:

“The successful 1776 revolt against British rule in North America has been hailed almost universally as a great leap forward for humanity. But the Africans then residing in the colonies overwhelmingly sided with London. In this trailblazing book, Gerald Horne shows that the prelude to 1776, the abolition of slavery seemed all but inevitable in London, sparking the colonial revolt.
In the prelude to 1776, more and more Africans were joining the British military, and anti-slavery sentiments were deepening throughout Britain. And in the Caribbean, rebellious Africans were chasing Europeans to the mainland. Unlike their counterparts in London, the European colonists overwhelmingly associated enslaved Africans with subversion and hostility to the status quo. For European colonists, the major threat to security in North America was a foreign invasion combined with an insurrection of the enslaved. And as 1776 approached, London-imposed abolition throughout the colonies was a very real and threatening possibility—a possibility the founding fathers feared could bring the slave rebellions of Jamaica and Antigua to the thirteen colonies. To forestall it, they went to war.

The so-called Revolutionary War, Horne writes, was in large part a counter-revolution, a conservative movement that the founding fathers fought in order to preserve their liberty to enslave others—and which today takes the form of a racialized conservatism and a persistent racism targeting the descendents of the enslaved. The Counter-Revolution of 1776 drives us to a radical new understanding of the traditional, heroic creation myth of the United States.”

Source: Gerald Horne. (2014). ”The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America”. (Front inside cover flap). New York and London: New York University Press.

For more information, click here to watch a video (approx 80 minutes) of Dr. Gerald Horne discussing his book.

Or, listen to the following Leid Stories 07/03/2015 podcast (approx 55 minutes):
"Whose Independence?: The Fourth of July and What It Really Means".

Happy Fourth of July!

Citizens For Detroit’s Future (CFDF) "Election Reform Project"

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday October 30, 2014 · 8:21 PM PDT

2014/10/30 · 20:21

The Citizens For Detroit's Future (CFDF) is sponsoring the following two initiatives:

1. "An Initiative to Amend the Detroit Charter to Make the Elections Commission independent".

"… To the Detroit City Clerk, We, the undersigned and qualified and registered electors, residents in the city of Detroit, in the County of Wayne and the state of Michigan, respectively petition for amendments to the 2012 Detroit City Charter sections described below. The Purpose of the charter amendments is to create and independent Detroit Election Commission to eliminate conflicts-of-interest and enhance the public trust …"

Please watch CFDF President Tom Barrow explain why the Petitions Seek Independent Elections Commission in Detroit.

2. “An Initiative to Provide for the Immediate Posing of Detroit Election Results” .

“… Brief Statement of the Proposal’s Substance – This non-partisan proposal seeks to create a local Ordinance which would provide for the immediate and conspicuous public posting and display of a duplicate voter tabulator machine tapes at anytime any tabulating machine tape is printed for any reason. The proposal also provides for investigation by the inspector General and for penalties for violation.”

Please watch CFDF President Tom Barrow explain why the Petitions Seek Immediate Elections Result Postings.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: October 27, 2014
Contact: Citizens for Detroit's Future
Telephone: 888-821-9211
ELECTION REFORM - A STEP CLOSER TO REALITY

(Petitions Seek Independent Commission and Immediate Result Postings)

(Please Share and Distribute Widely)

October 27, 2014 - Citizens for Detroit's Future's last Thursday's "Election Reform" meeting was hailed a success as "Project" leaders handed out hundreds of petitions to volunteers. The initiative seeks voter agreement: 1) to create an independent Detroit Election Commission scrapping the current Mayor, City Council President and Clerk model in place since 1868. Called a conflicted system by many, "The old system permits the very people on the ballot to control their own elections." Said CFDF Board Chairman, businessman Tom Barrow. "An Independent Election Commissioners would be elected city-wide by popular vote and would serve for free" he said. The petitions also seek to require immediate 8pm posting (routine in every Michigan city) of election results on the hallway doors of voting precincts and absentee counting boards.

Volunteers are expected to fan out on election day and be at voting precincts seeking signatures from Detroit's registered voters while wearing bright orange shirts. Project organizers called on every citizens to help, stating that volunteers need only get a scant 100 registered voters to sign heir petition on Tuesday's election day where everyone walking by will be a registered Detroit voter. High rise senior citizen apartment dwellers can help by calling the CFDF office at 888.821.9244 and petitions will be delivered to them to easily get their building neighbors to sign.

The organizers also announced that starting Monday, 10/27, the Citizens for Detroit's Future Election Project office will be open everyday from 9am until 1pm to hand out petitions, clip boards and "black" ink pens to volunteers. The office will also be open next Sunday, November 2nd from 11a until 2pm. Each day the group will have free coffee and donuts for visitors, said CFDF Board Chairman, Tom Barrow.

The office is located at 2650 Gratiot Ave on the edge of downtown Detroit across from the Ziedman's Pawn Shop (the east sides seemingly best known landmark).

-- 30 --

The General Election is Tuesday, November 4, 2014. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for all elections.

For more information about Elections in Michigan, please click here.

U.N. Visit to Detroit 18-20 October 2014

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday October 26, 2014 · 11:59 AM PDT

2014/10/26 · 11:59

In case you missed it, here is a link to a video of the "UN Special Rapporteurs' Detroit Water and Housing Press Conference" (entire conference) on 10/20/2014, courtesy of Dr. Jose’ Cuello: UN Special Rapporteurs' Detroit Water and Housing Press Conference.

In addition, here is a link to the "Joint Press Statement by Special Rapporteur on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living and to right to non-discrimination in this context, and Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation Visit to city of Detroit (United States of America) 18-20 October 2014".

Disproportionate effects on vulnerable people and low income African Americans
About 80 percent of the population of Detroit is African American. According to data from 2013, 40.7 percent of Detroit’s population lives below the poverty level, 99 percent of the poor are African American. Twenty percent of the population is living on 800 USD or less per month, while the average monthly water bill is currently 70.67 USD. This is simply unaffordable for thousands of residents, mostly African Americans.

We were deeply disturbed to observe the indignity people have faced and continue to live with in one of the wealthiest countries in the world and in a city that was a symbol of America’s prosperity.

We were also distressed to learn from the low-income African American residents of the impossible choices they are being compelled to make – to either pay their rent or their medical bill, or to pay their water bill.

We were also distressed to learn from the low-income African American residents of the impossible choices they are being compelled to make – to either pay their rent or their medical bill, or to pay their water bill.

It was touching to witness mothers’ courage to strive to keep their children at home, and the support people were providing to each other to live in these unbearable circumstances. And it was heartbreaking to hear of the stigmatization associated with the shut-offs – in particular the public humiliation of having a blue mark imprinted on the sidewalk in front of homes when their water was shut off due to unpaid bills.

In line with the mandates entrusted to us by the Human Rights Council, we would like to underline that the United States is bound by international human rights law and principles, including the right to life as well as the right to non-discrimination with respect to housing, water and sanitation and the highest attainable standard of health. These obligations apply to all levels of Government – federal, state and municipal. Moreover, they also extend to the various functions of State, including the judiciary.

The rights to non-discrimination and equality are core principles of international human rights law. Governments are obliged not only to refrain from discrimination in the design and implementation of laws and policies, but must strive to ensure substantive equality for all. The United States has ratified the United Nations Convention on Elimination of Racial Discrimination which explicitly prohibits and calls for the elimination of racial discrimination in relation to several human rights directly affected by water disconnections, including the right to housing and the right to public health.

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday October 26, 2014 · 11:23 AM PDT

2014/10/26 · 11:23

The Trial begins October 27, 2014 at Berrien County Courthouse, 811 Port St., St. Joseph, MI.

Rev. Edward Pinkney, the community activist from Benton Harbor, has been bound over for trial on false charges. Rev. Pinkney is facing prosecution on five counts of election fraud which are felonies, as well as six misdemeanors. If found guilty he could be sentenced up to twenty-five years in prison. It's Berrien county's 3rd try to imprison the Rev.
There is absolutely no evidence that Pinkney did anything wrong. The petition dates could have been changed by election clerk Carolyn Toliver, Mayor James Hightower (Lowtower), or Berrien county sheriff deputies.

Rev. Pinkney did not change a date.

The fight continues. Rev. Pinkney is just one man, who, like many others, will not fall under pressure; it will only strengthen him.

The battle in Berrien County continues against the corrupt politicians, local government, and Whirlpool Corporation who have staged a complete takeover of Benton Harbor.

The tug of war continues.

Rev. Edward Pinkney
Pinkney to Pinkney show
Every Sunday at 5pm ET
Burn Baby Burn
Burn all NAACP membership cards

Source: BANCO

For more information, please watch here as Rev. Edward Pinkney speaks to activists at the Moratorium NOW! Coalition Meeting (10/20/2014) in Detroit, MI. (Approx. 28 minutes)

Donations for defense urgently needed. To contribute to Rev. Pinkney’s legal defense, please click here or send donations to:
BANCO
1940 Union Street
Benton Harbor, MI 49022

In addition:

The Jury has been selected for Pinkney's trial and it's ALL white
The Berrien County trial beginning this Monday at 8:30am now has a jury and it's all white. Rev. Pinkney is from Benton Harbor, 96% African-American, but the jurors are from the surrounding white towns.

Here are some other glaring irregularities:

--Prosecutor Mike Sepic on 3 or 4 occasions asked the jury pool, "Could you convict someone without evidence?" Right after he asked this question each time he nodded his head - indicating that they should answer in the affirmative.

--Prosecutor Sepic also told the jury pool several times that evidence was not necessary in order to convict someone. Only in Berrien County...

--Judge Schrock did everything he could to help Prosecutor Sepic.

Source: BANCO

To contribute to Rev. Pinkney’s legal defense, please click here or send donations to:
BANCO
1940 Union Street
Benton Harbor, MI 49022

Rev. Pinkney Arrested AGAIN, supporters: Lynn Stewart, Voice Of Detroit, EXPOSED,
What's really happening to the people of Benton Harbor:
The thrust [of the Berrien county courthouse] is to physically remove and destroy families through the use of the criminal justice system. Every person they can put in jail; every person whose voting rights they can revoke with a felony conviction; every person they can cause to lose their job by putting them on probation; every person they can cause to lose the ability to pay for basic necessities through imposing ruinous court costs and probation is all part of the process. In the 1960s, it was called Negro removal. In Bosnia, it was called ethnic cleansing. It could be called genocide, the removal of the minority population for the purpose of redevelopment of the land. That’s what’s happening in Benton Harbor and the foremost leader of the resistance is Rev. Edward Pinkney. --Civil rights attorney, Hugh "Buck" Davis

Source: BANCO

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 21, 2014 · 7:52 PM PDT

2014/10/21 · 19:52

On Sunday, October 19, 2014, there was a "Special Visit to Detroit by the United Nations/ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights" Town Hall Meeting at Wayne County Community College District's downtown campus in Detroit, Michigan (USA).

At the meeting and according to "U.N. officials hear good, bad on Detroit water shutoffs",

Monica Lewis-Patrick, a member of the Detroit People's Water Board, one of the citizen groups that organized the hearing, led a chant with the crowd: "Whose water? Our water. Whose water? Our water."
Members of the group held signs and hung others along the walls: "Water is a Human Right," "Water Justice for All," and "Turn on the Water."

As residents recounted their personal tribulations with the loss of water, they were often supported vocally by the boisterous crowd.

"Today I charge genocide against the president of the United States," Lewis-Patrick said to cheers. "Today I charge genocide against Mayor Mike Duggan." [Emphasis mine]

In case you did not know,

It is sometimes incorrectly thought that genocide means the complete and definitive destruction of a race or people. The Genocide Convention, however, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1948, defines genocide as any killings on the basis of race, or, in its specific words, as “killing members of the group.” Any intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, racial, ethnic or religious group is genocide, according to the Convention. Thus, the Convention states, “causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group,” is genocide as well as “killing members of the group.”
Source: Civil Rights Congress, We Charge Genocide: The Historic Petition to the United Nations for Relief From a Crime of The United States Government Against the Negro People (New York: Civil Rights Congress, 1951), pp xi-xiii, 3-10

For the record, here is Articles 2 and 3 of the U.N. Convention on Genocide:

United Nations Human Rights Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide:
Adopted December 9, 1948
…
Article II
In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

•    Killing members of the group;
•    Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
•    Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
•    Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
•    Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Article III

The following acts shall be punishable:

•    Genocide;
•    Conspiracy to commit genocide;
•    Direct and public incitement to commit genocide;
•    Attempt to commit genocide;
•    Complicity in genocide.
...
Source: United Nations Human Rights Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

(In my humble opinion and based on the testimony I heard at the Town Hall Meeting, it seems the abovementioned genocidal acts relate directly and/or indirectly to the people living in Detroit who are impacted by the Water Shutoffs, Home Foreclosures, and much more)

Moreover, here is a two-minute video clip showing what the U.N. Special Rapporteurs (Catarina de Albuquerque and Leilani Farh) stated on Monday, October 20, 2014 during a press conference: "United Nations experts in Detroit to discuss water shutoffs"

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday November 05, 2013 · 12:42 AM PST

2013/11/05 · 00:42

... According to the Detroit Branch NAACP:

The Detroit Branch NAACP held a press conference on Monday, November 4, 2013 regarding the announcement by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Civil Rights Division that they will be sending monitors to Detroit for the General Election. Rev. Dr. Wendell Anthony made a request to United States Attorney General Eric Holder and the DOJ for Federal Monitors to be sent to Detroit to ensure Detroiters of a safe and protected election.

Here is a segment of the press statement given by Rev. Anthony during the press conference.

The right to vote is among the most sacred rights that citizens of our great nation have acquired. This right is particularly important to African Americans and other minorities who have had a history of hard-fought struggle and human sacrifice in order to secure these rights. The soil of our very nation, from the South to the North, has been intermixed with the blood, sweat, and tears of many who have fought to acquire these rights. In August of this year, the Detroit branch NAACP, filed a request with the Department of Justice asking for federal monitors to come to the city of Detroit to monitor tomorrow’s general election. This was done as a result of the disqualifying by the Wayne County Board of Elections of approximately 20,000 votes during the primary election. At that time, Wayne County officials declined to certify up to 20,000 write-in votes of the primary election. It was also reported of incidents of double counting and ballots not being counted, as well as individuals voting who may not have been eligible to vote. The question of the validity of absentee ballots, and authentic signatures were also questions that seemed not to have substantial answers.

For more information about the massive fraud and "cover up" in the Detroit Primary Election of August 6, 2013, please see:
Detroit Primary Election Recount Petitioners Vindicated, however, State Attorney General Won't Act

Detroit Primary Election Recount Petitioners Vindicated, however, State Attorney General Won't Act

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday November 04, 2013 · 1:57 AM PST

2013/11/04 · 01:57

... According to Phreddy Wischusen at The Michigan Citizen:

The Detroit primary recount ended on Sept. 26 leaving many questions unanswered and allegations uninvestigated. Dozens of Detroiters, including nine primary candidates, spent weeks attending Wayne County Board of Canvassers meetings, observing the recount process and challenging individual ballots.
In a meeting on Sept. 17, the board determined there was probable cause to believe that nine ballots with the name Micheal Duggan (sic) printed on them could be fraudulent.

[Tom] Barrow and other candidates petitioning for recount – Jean Vortkamp, D. Etta Wilcoxon, Monica Lewis Patrick, Derrick Muhammad, Lucinda Darrah, Francine Adams, Regina, Ross, Danetta Simpson — asked the board to investigate the matter.

Watch the Wayne County Board of Canvassers Meeting on Sept. 17, 2013 regarding the nine ballots here.

On Sept. 19, however, the board forwarded the matter to Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy who forwarded it on to Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette. Schuette’s office did not receive or acknowledge receiving the board’s letter until Oct. 23 — almost a month after the board had already certified the primary election.
An Oct. 24 letter from Richard L. Cunningham, division chief criminal division of the Michigan attorney general’s office addressed to WCBC chair Carol Larkin, declares the board was statutorily obligated to make a full investigation and, even if they lacked the proper resources to do so, MCL implies the board “may call upon” the county sheriff or Michigan state police to assist them. Concluding, Cunningham says he is returning the envelope with the nine ballots — still sealed — to the board for further investigation.

The letter was made public after Tom Barrow obtained it and released it via Facebook.

When asked if the board planned to continue the investigation, pursuant to the AG’s recommendation, Board Chair Carol Larkin replied: “By law, the Board of Canvassers’ right to investigate ends when the recount is certified.”

Her term in office ends Oct. 31. She will be replaced by John Knappman, a lawyer who currently works in management and budget for Wayne County.

With the board and the attorney general’s office stating they don’t have the authority to investigate, the recount petitioners are seeking justice in court.

From my Inbox via Tom Barrow – October 31, 2013 – 7:52 a.m EDT

Dear Friends - - I am often asked by people that if there was election fraud why isn’t it being written about in the newspapers and why do some folks keep saying that I am a sore loser and that there must not have been fraud or else the authorities would look into it. I kept telling folks that it is because it is being covered up by 2 of the 3 members of the Wayne County Canvassers who controlled that Board.
Well, last Friday, the Michigan Attorney General, for the first time ever, revealed that they have never been performing their legal duties. He told them they never investigated the allegations even though they were required to do so and even though they have been being shown clearly fraudulent and criminal acts and evidence. Below is the letter I served on the Canvassers yesterday. My friends, they have themselves been covering up the fraud and in my view are themselves criminals. If you are law abiding, you should be disturbed by this. Please inform your friends as our election system is being hijacked and then covered up!

October 30, 2013

Ms. Carol Larkin, Chairwoman
Wayne County Board of Canvassers
2 Woodward Avenue, Room 502
Detroit, MI 48226
By: Facsimile, E-Mail and U.S. Priority Mail
Dear Chairwoman Larkin:
As you are aware by now, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office’s Criminal Division, in a letter dated October 23, 2013, both informed and admonished your panel for failing to perform its statutory duty to mandating that it perform a full and complete investigation of the allegations of election fraud as set forth in the petitioner’s Petition for Manual Recount.

Moreover, while the letter vindicates our complaints surrounding your stark failures in the conduct of your recount, it also affirms the reasons behind our repeated allegations that both you and Ms. Krista Hartounian obstructed justice and impeded any investigation despite clear and compelling evidence of fraud, election law violations and criminal wrongdoing.

Resultantly, this letter places you and Ms Hartounian on notice that MCL 691.1407 titled “Immunity from tort liability intentional torts” does not provide immunity from acts wherein there has been “gross negligence” on the part of the officials. Accordingly, it is the intention of the petitioners tomorrow to file suit in the Wayne County Circuit Court seeking a “Declaration of Failure” against you and the Board for failing to perform your statutory duty. Thereafter, I shall immediately commence civil action against both you and Krista Hartounian personally wherein I shall seek financial and other damages caused by your gross negligence. The end of your term will provide no protection.

Further, for failing to fulfill your legally-mandated duties, on behalf of the petitioners, we demand the return of our $10,400 paid for a recount and Investigation which you did not perform.

Respectfully,
Tom Barrow

(IMHO, God bless Mr. Tom Barrow because he loves justice and he loves the City of Detroit.)

In the meantime, I am reminded of the public comments made by the Beckham School Building Engineer, Mr. Maurice Badgett Sr., at the Wayne County Board of Canvassers Meeting of 09/17/13, and the powerful yet simple question that he asked later...

... Don't you think that We ALL deserve to know what’s in the Clerk's Aug. Boxes before we Go back to the Polls in Nov.?

In case you didn't know, the City of Detroit 2013 General Election happens on Tuesday, November 5th. So far, it looks like we all get a negative answer to Mr. Badgett's question.

BTW, to see a few of the fraudulent write-in ballots from the Detroit Primary Election of August 6, 2013, please click here and scroll down.

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday October 31, 2013 · 3:57 AM PDT

2013/10/31 · 03:57

(FYI) ... In case you are interested, below, please find is a link to the audio files from the City of Detroit's Bankruptcy Eligibility Hearings covering July 24, 2013 thru October 29, 2013 and counting ...

UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MICHIGAN
Hon. Steven Rhodes

The Court finds that it is in the best interest of the public, the parties in interest, the Court, and the Clerk of Court, that some documents and audio files be made available through the Court's web site. Documents in this case that are not made available through this web site are available at the Court for viewing from a public terminal or printed for a fee. Documents and audio files that are not made available through the web site are also available through PACER, a national electronic federal court case database, as well as this Court's Case Management/Electronic Case Filing (CM/ECF) database. Information about PACER and CM/ECF may be obtained from the Court's web site on the main page.

Note: These are PDF files with audio file attachments.

AUDIO FILES: City of Detroit - Case 13-53846 - Bankruptcy Eligibility Hearings

Helpful Tip: An audio file is embedded as an attachment in the PDF document. To listen to the file, click the Attachments tab or the Paper Clip icon. Select the Audio File and click Open.

This digital recording is a copy of a court proceeding and is provided as a convenience to the public. In accordance with 28 U.S.C. Â§ 753 (b) "[n]o transcripts of the proceedings of the court shall be considered as official except those made from the records certified by the reporter or other individual designated to produce the record."

Next court hearing date: Monday, November 4, 2013 at 9:00 a.m.

BTW, just for the record, I tend to agree with Glen Ford, Executive Editor, Black Agenda Radio, when he says that "Detroit Will Be Democracy's Decisive Battle".

Some Shocking Facts about Detroit's "Bankruptcy" - (Republished)

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday October 23, 2013 · 1:55 PM PDT

2013/10/23 · 13:55

... On Saturday October 19, 2013 the Gray Panthers of Metro Detroit held a Meeting at the Royal Oak Community Center in Royal Oak, MI.

The featured speaker was Mr. Edward McNeil, Special Assistant to Michigan AFSCME Council 25 President, and Lead Negotiator for 33 of Detroit's 48 labor unions.

Mr. McNeil delivered a presentation called an “Update on the Financial Crisis in Detroit” and he presented many shocking facts about the City of Detroit’s “Bankruptcy”.

If interested, please click on the following links to video clips:

In Part 1 of 8 video clip, Mr. McNeil speaks about how the City of Detroit is NOT bankrupt at this point, how it is paying over $100 Million in consulting fees and advisory fees, about the plot to bust labor union contracts and to take over Detroit city assets; the creation of a Lighting Authority, Water Authority, and an upcoming Tunnel Authority; about Detroit City Airport, Belle Isle, Michigan Senate Bill 188, and more. http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 2 of 8, Mr. McNeil spoke about a Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Account Executive who sent an email offering the City of Detroit a 10% reduction on administrative fee and a $2 Million bribe for BCBS to be made "the only game in town". Ed McNeil also speaks about two instances where Michigan former State Treasurer Andy Dillon held millions of dollars from Detroit City Council (DCC) until they did exactly what he wanted. In one instance, Dillon wanted DCC to extend contract to Ernst & Young and in the second instance, Dillon wanted DCC to hire Miller & Canfield Law Firm. (These two instances amount to giving "No-Bid Contracts" to Dillon's choice companies.) In addition, Mr. McNeil delivers other facts about the Detroit’s “Bankruptcy”. http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 3 of 8 video clip, Mr. McNeil speaks about the Detroit Emergency Manger, Kevyn D. Orr, and the extravagant invoices and/or bills from Jones Day and paid for with taxpayer money, Consultant Fee schedules, Lack of transparency, Billionaire Mike Ilitch owes taxes to the City of Detroit, Billionaire Dan Gilbert pays no taxes to Detroit, and how news media in Detroit is not reporting this news and much more. http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 4 of 8, Ed McNeil takes questions and comments from the audience. http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 5 of 8, Ed McNeil takes final questions from the audience.
http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 6 of 8, Ed McNeil asks for help in the fight against Detroit's “Bankruptcy” including the "Protect Our Pension Action Day!".
http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 7 of 8, After his presentation, Mr. McNeil enjoys a casual meet & greet with members of Gray Panthers of Metro Detroit and he shares an opinion about Detroit's Deputy Emergency Manager, Gary Brown. http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 8 of 8, Mr. McNeil speaks about the importance of getting factual information, demanding transparency from people, and not depending on news media to deliver the facts. http://www.youtube.com/...

Thank you for your time and consideration.

UPDATE:
Here is link to Facebook photos (by Detroit Communicator) from - Surround the Federal Courthouse -- PROTECT OUR PENSION ACTION DAY! - Wednesday, October 23, 2013 – Detroit Federal Court, 231 West Lafayette Boulevard, in downtown Detroit, MI.

(The court trial begins today, 10/23/13, for the Judge render a City of Detroit “Bankruptcy” eligibility decision).

https://www.facebook.com/...

CFCLFM

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 22, 2013 · 11:31 PM PDT

2013/10/22 · 23:31

... On Saturday October 19, 2013 the Gray Panthers of Metro Detroit held a Meeting at the Royal Oak Community Center in Royal Oak, MI.

The featured speaker was Mr. Edward McNeil, Special Assistant to Michigan AFSCME Council 25 President, and Lead Negotiator for 33 of Detroit's 48 labor unions.

Mr. McNeil delivered a presentation called an “Update on the Financial Crisis in Detroit” and he presented many shocking facts about the City of Detroit’s “Bankruptcy”.

If interested, please click on the following links to video clips:

In Part 1 of 8 video clip, Mr. McNeil speaks about how the City of Detroit is NOT bankrupt at this point, how it is paying over $100 Million in consulting fees, about the plot to bust labor union contracts and to take over Detroit city assets; the creation of a Lighting Authority, Water Authority, and an upcoming Tunnel Authority; about Detroit City Airport, Belle Isle, Michigan Senate Bill 188, and more. http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 2 of 8, Mr. McNeil spoke about a Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) Account Executive who sent an email offering the City of Detroit a 10% reduction on administrative fee and a $2 Million bribe for BCBS to be made "the only game in town". Ed McNeil also speaks about two instances where Michigan former State Treasurer Andy Dillon held millions of dollars from Detroit City Council (DCC) until they did exactly what he wanted. In one instance, Dillon wanted DCC to extend contract to Ernst & Young and in the second instance, Dillon wanted DCC to hire Miller & Canfield Law Firm. (These two instances amount to giving "No-Bid Contracts" to Dillon's choice companies.) In addition, Mr. McNeil delivers other facts about the Detroit’s “Bankruptcy”. http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 4 of 8, Ed McNeil answers questions from the audience.
http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 5 of 8, Ed McNeil takes final questions from the audience.
http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 6 of 8, Ed McNeil asks for help in the fight against Detroit's “Bankruptcy” including the "Protect Our Pension Action Day!". http://www.youtube.com/...

In Part 7 of 8, After his presentation, Mr. McNeil enjoys a casual meet & greet with members of Gray Panthers of Metro Detroit and he shares an opinion about Detroit's Deputy Emergency Manager, Gary Brown. http://www.youtube.com/...

Thank you for your time and consideration.

UPDATE:
Here is link to Facebook photos (by Detroit Communicator) from - Surround the Federal Courthouse -- PROTECT OUR PENSION ACTION DAY! - Wednesday, October 23, 2013 – Detroit Federal Court, 231 West Lafayette Boulevard, in downtown Detroit, MI.

(The court trial begins today, 10/23/13, for the Judge render a City of Detroit “Bankruptcy” eligibility decision).

https://www.facebook.com/...

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Some Shocking Facts about Detroit's "Bankruptcy" - (Republished)

Some Shocking Facts about Detroit's "Bankruptcy"