Apr 6 (5 days ago)
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April 2012
Dear SCLC National Board Members, Chapter Presidents, Members, and
Supporters:
In October 2009, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an
organization founded under the leadership of our beloved brother, the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. found itself in a battle for it’s
very existence when charges of mismanagement and criminality were
brought against the organization’s Chairman Raleigh Trammell and
Treasurer Spiver Gordon. The charges resulted in the organization
being split down the middle and having its internal governance and
procedures examined under a microscope in a courtroom rather than its
members coming together to reason amongst themselves.
As a result of the now proven false allegations, the organization
became embroiled in a legal battle that has essentially destroyed our
organization and tarnished the legacy of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference. Since August 2010 after Atlanta Superior Court
Judge Alford Dempsey ruled to empower the current leadership of SCLC,
those who opposed that decision have remained silent in order that the
organization did not have to undergo any further scrutiny in the media
and the general public. Despite the repeated mischaracterization of
Rev. Raleigh Trammell, Elder Spiver Gordon, and those who chose to
support them, we chose to take the high road and seek resolution in
the appellate courts. In fact, from the beginning this body has
reached out repeatedly to try and bring the sides together and resolve
the issues that have destroyed the credibility of the organization and
quite simply made SCLC a laughing stock. Unlike those persons who
decided that due process was expendable, we remained silent and
maintained that we would rely upon the judicial system to right the
wrong that had been perpetrated.
However, recent reports made to the SCLC Board of Directors at the
annual January Chapter Leadership Meeting in Atlanta, GA were so
misleading and false, that we felt it was time to issue a written
account to attempt to provide a more accurate history of how our
organization ended up in this current position. We will state from the
onset that yes we have filed an appeal with the Georgia Supreme Court
because we disagree with the decision of the lower court. Yet
apparently those who are now in charge of the National SCLC have
decided to place the blame of the apparent impeding shutdown of the
organization on the backs of individuals who have not exercised any
control over the organization since April 2010.
SCLC is the Moral Conscious of the Nation
SCLC was founded by ministers and this should not be taken lightly
for it was the interjection of a faith and religion that transformed
the Civil Rights Movement. If not for SCLC, the concept of nonviolent
direct action may have never come into existence in the United States
of America and if not for nonviolent direct action, we would live in a
very different world today. Yes the courts played an intricate role in
the elimination of legal segregation, but it was the imposition of
faith into the debate that changed our country. The strategies, the
marches, the sit-ins, virtually every aspect of the movement were
grounded in the principles of faith and morality. Somewhere along the
way SCLC lost that focus and grounding and as a result when this
dispute arose we turned to the court for resolution rather than the
very doctrines that we claim guide our everyday lives. SCLC is better
than that and more importantly the world deserves better than that.
In the Book of Matthew 5:24-26 we find the following words: 24 “
leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that
person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.25 When you are on
the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly.
Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand
you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if
that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the
last penny.”
The time has come for SCLC to leave the courtroom of justice and go
before our Father’s throne for mercy, grace, and resolution. The
continued use of the court system to try and resolve our differences
threatens to tarnish SCLC’s legacy forever and it must end now. SCLC
is a Christian based organization, and therefore we have a moral
obligation to live up to and abide by the teachings of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. How can we in good consciousness advocate for non
violent conflict resolution for the world when we cannot resolve our
differences of opinions amongst ourselves? Yet, since the inception of
this travesty of justice, our side has been repeatedly rebuffed when
we attempted to bring the organization together.
What is especially troubling is that this disruption came after the
organization had successfully restored itself from the ashes after a
very public fight in 2004 that crippled an already struggling
organization. Despite that setback, the National Board of Directors
under the leadership of Rev. Raleigh Trammell worked alongside Former
President & CEO Charles Steele to reinvigorate and refocus SCLC to
meet the challenges of the 21st Century. In five years, the
organization was able to build a $3million debt free international
headquarters, increased its membership dramatically, began the
implementation of major programs including conflict resolution
training, and created a sound financial base. The organization was
solvent and on track to once again becoming one of the world’s most
effective and visible civil and human rights organizations. These
achievements came not only as a result of the exemplary leadership of
President Charles Steele and the Board of Directors, but because God
honored the work that we were attempting to do as an organization.
Three years later, God cannot be pleased. SCLC now faces the greatest
crisis it has ever seen and the reality is that the damage is a result
of a strategic plan to take over control of the organization by a
group of individuals that included persons with unbridled egos, no
historical connection to the movement or history of civil rights, and
a thirst to use the organization’s name for personal gain. Persons
who not only decided that its Chairman and Treasurer were guilty of
the allegations without due process, but also determined that twelve
of the thirteen Executive Board Members of the National SCLC as of
October 2009 were also incapable of leading the organization because
they demanded that these persons deserved due process. The same due
process that we as an organization have demanded for countless others
over our 55 year history was not afforded to the very individuals who
helped build and sustain the organization.
Why are we writing this letter now?
First, we must apologize because it should have come much sooner.
There have been numerous times when we struggled with this question,
and decided against the action for fear of the label “sour grapes”
being placed upon us. We are quite aware that there are those amongst
you who will privately and in some cases publicly state that we should
move forward with our lives and drop this entire issue. Indeed, some
of our very own supporters question why we fight so ardently for an
organization that teeters on financial and moral bankruptcy.
While this may sound easy to do, it is virtually impossible if you
take even a minute to talk to a former board member like Dr. Curtis
Harris, a Founder of SCLC who was removed from his position after more
than 50 years of service. The decision to remove him went against the
opposition of our former General Counsel who spoke out during the 2010
Spring Board meeting and questioned how an organization could remove a
Founding Director who was simply living up to his fiduciary
responsibility by advocating for due process. This is the same Dr.
Curtis Harris who was originally selected by the Board of Directors to
chair the committee that would investigate the charges of fiscal
mismanagement but was not afforded the opportunity to conduct the
investigation. This is also the same Dr. Curtis Harris who in the
midst of this battle suffered a delibating stroke and lost his wife of
more than 60 years. It’s strange how members of the current
administration decided Dr. Curtis Harris could not get the job done,
but in his absences the Financial Mismanagement Committee led by
Attorney Randall Gaines never completed the investigation or publicly
presented any findings on the matter.
Contrary to what some may believe, the actions of the past 3 years
have not only destroyed the lives and families Rev. Raleigh Trammell
and Elder Spiver Gordon, but the false accusations have destroyed the
lives and families of people you called your friends who served n the
SCLC Board of Directors and who demanded fairness. This destruction
came as a result of intentional acts of deceit and intimidation
including threats from Art Rocker who set out to destroy Rev. Raleigh
Trammell and shut down every program Rev. Trammell had in Dayton. Thus
therefore despite a finding by Fulton County District Attorney Paul
Howard that no criminal activity in Georgia took place by Rev.
Trammell and Elder Spiver Gordon. Rev. Trammell faces a criminal trial
in May in Dayton, Ohio as a result of claims of mismanagement
admittedly brought by Art Rocker and a former Dayton SCLC employee who
has reportedly settled a sexual harassment lawsuit brought against
Rev. Raleigh Trammell with the organization’s insurance company and
over the objection of Rev. Trammell who asked for his day in court to
defend the charges.
Therefore, we felt it incumbent upon ourselves to finally communicate
directly with you to share our version of the events that have
transpired and allow you to come to your own conclusion about the
matter. Please note that these accounts are not found in the court’s
transcripts because despite the fact the court ruled that Dr. Sylvia
Tucker, Dr. Bernard Lafayette and others should be in control of SCLC,
the court did not make any ruling concerning the allegations brought
against Rev. Raleigh Trammell and Elder Spiver Gordon. The reality of
the court’s ruling is that it pertained to governance and not
conduct. While the current administration was able to show that
procedural guidelines were not followed as it relates to governance,
the lower court NEVER ruled as to whether any funds had been
mismanaged.
The History of the Dispute
In the fall of 2009, then Interim President Byron Clay placed a phone
call to Former SCLC General Counsel Dexter Wimbish informing him that
federal authorities had requested he travel to Atlanta, Georgia to
discuss possible criminal activities by unnamed members of the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The General Counsel inquired
as to whether President Byron Clay needed him to attend the meeting
with him, and the President stated that he was travelling with his
personal attorney and that the General Counsel need not attend the
meeting. The General Counsel then contacted Board Chairman Raleigh
Trammell and informed him of the situation. It was discussed that the
meeting may have resulted from an inquiry by Former SCLC Florida
President Seville Brown who had requested that the Department of
Justice investigate the finances of the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference and the alleged disappearance of more than $1million
dollars. (It was subsequently determined that amount in question was
money raised to construct an international headquarters and that there
was no mismanagement of funds. Every dollar was accounted for and the
building was constructed debt free.)
A determination was made to allow President Byron Clay to report on
the meeting with federal authorities, but when questioned by the
General Counsel, Treasurer, and Chairman he failed to provide an
account of the meeting other than to say federal authorities were
investigating the organization but would not provide any contact
information for those persons who allegedly interviewed him. In the
latter part of September 2009 following a meeting in New Orleans, LA
where the Board of Directors met with potential candidates for the
office of President & CEO, Interim President Byron Clay approached the
General Counsel and Executive Director Ron Woods and raised concerns
about expenditures that were being made which he believed constituted
mismanagement of funds on the grounds the expenditures had not been
properly approved by the National Board of Directors and that they
were crippling the organization’s ability to operate. Interim
President Byron Clay then indicated that the expenditures were the
subject of the investigation opened by federal authorities. However,
at this point, the organization had received no notice of any such
investigation. Interim President Clay then instructed Executive
Director Ron Woods and General Counsel to prepare a report for the
upcoming Board of Directors Meeting that outlined the possible
mismanagement of funds. At that time an employee also filed an oral
complaint of sexual harassment against Board Chairman Raleigh Trammell
and was instructed that pursuant to the personnel handbook, the
complaint had to be made in writing.
A report was prepared that simply outlined the charges and was
presented to Interim President Byron Clay and Vice Chair Sylvia Tucker
who was the Personnel Committee Chair. The report was presented to the
full Board of Directors October 29, 2009. During that meeting the
General Counsel and the Executive Director gave the report but
President Byron Clay who leveled the charges refused to speak to the
Board of Directors stating that federal authorities and his personal
attorney told him not to discuss the matter. A recommendation was made
by the General Counsel to form two committees to investigate the
charges. The General Counsel indicated that he had a conflict of
interest in that he reported directly to Chairman Raleigh Trammell and
therefore he recused himself from leading the investigation. The Board
of Directors appointed Dr. Curtis Harris to lead the investigation of
the mismanagement of funds and Attorney Randal Gaines was appointed to
serve as legal counsel. The Board instructed Dr. Sylvia Tucker as
Personnel Committee Chair to investigate the charges of sexual
harassment and appointed Attorney Katherine Belger as the legal
counsel for the committee.
Although the National SCLC Board of Directors ordered that an
internal investigation take place into both of these matters, those
investigations were never completed nor were there ever any written
findings presented to the full board. A decision was made that Vice
Chairwoman Sylvia Tucker would assume the role of Interim Chair while
the investigations were being conducted and Dr. Bernard Lafayette was
asked to engage in efforts to mediate the dispute having been
determined to be an expert in the field of conflict resolution. In the
midst of the investigations, a controversy also arose about the
election of Dr. Bernice King as the President of the National Southern
Christian Leadership Conference. In addition, following a special call
meeting of the Board of Directors, Dr. Curtis Harris was removed from
his position as chair of the committee to investigate the fiscal
mismanagement and was replaced by Attorney Randal Gaines.
As the investigation continued an agreement was made to keep the
matters internal in order to protect the viability of the
organization. However, in November 2009 then Acting Chairwoman Dr.
Sylvia Tucker and Interim President Byron Clay called the General
Counsel and SCLC Communications Director Renee Robertson and indicated
that Dr. Bernice King had called Dr. Sylvia Tucker and revealed to her
that King’s sources at the Atlanta Journal Constitution intended to
break the story on the investigations and that SCLC should put out a
press release. The General Counsel, Executive Director, and
Communications Director objected to the issuance of a press release
but were given a direct order from Dr. Sylvia Tucker to publish a
press release. Upon the issuance of the press release which
constituted a violation of the agreement to handle the matter
internally, Vice President Dr. Curtis Harris, Compliance Chair Rev.
Wilburt Shanklin, and Finance Committee Member Rev. Randy Johnson were
chosen by the Executive Committee to file suit in Fulton County
Superior Court asking the court to enjoin Interim President Byron
Clay, Acting Chair Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Acting Treasurer Attorney Randal
Gaines, General Counsel Dexter Wimbish, and Executive Director Ron
Woods from taking further actions that impeded the appointed financial
committee from moving forward in the investigation.
When the Court ordered the initial hearing none of the Defendants
appeared except General Counsel Dexter Wimbish and Executive Director
Ron Woods. The parties entered into a consent agreement that would
allow the original officers to retain control of the organization
until the full Board of Directors could address the issue at the
upcoming Spring Board Meeting. The consent agreement represented an
attempt to avoid a continued public fight that would further damage
the organization’s credibility and ability to function.
On January 29, 2010 Former General Counsel Dexter Wimbish and Former
Executive Director Ron Woods were ordered by Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr.
Byron Clay, and Dr. Bernard Lafayette to meet with Fulton County
District Attorney in a meeting arranged by SCLC National Board Member
Art Rocker. A complaint was presented against SCLC National Chairman
Rev. Raleigh Trammel and National Treasurer Elder Spiver Gordon
alleging mismanagement of organizational funds. As a result of that
meeting an investigation was opened by the District Attorney to
determine whether any prosecutable criminal offenses had taken place.
Those Defendants who failed to initially appear then hired Attorney
Charles Mathis to vacate the consent agreement and demand a trial to
determine whether any fiscal mismanagement had taken place and to
determine who was to govern the organization. The Court granted the
request and a request was made for a hearing on the issues. At this
point Dr. Curtis Harris, Rev. Wilburt Shanklin, and Rev. Randy Johnson
dismissed the lawsuit they had filed and reached out to Dr. Sylvia
Tucker, Bernard Lafayette, and others to extend an olive branch and
resolve the issue without further litigation. Dr. Bernard Lafayette,
who at this time was the national spokesperson, responded in the media
“We don’t want an olive branch, we want our money back.” The
following week Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, and others
instructed Attorney Charles Mathis to file a new lawsuit to recover
attorney fees that had been paid to the opposing counsel from SCLC
National funds.
The second lawsuit filed under the direction of Dr. Sylvia Tucker,
Dr. Byron Clay, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, and others sought to establish
which persons were entitled to govern the organization, but it did not
address the alleged financial mismanagement of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference. The court after a month long trial issued an
order in favor of the Plaintiffs and Dr. Sylvia Tucker was named Board
Chairwoman and Rev. Howard Creecy, who was the chair of the transition
committee to seat Dr. Bernice King, was named interim President and
CEO. It should be noted that Rev. Howard Creecy was at one time the
employer of Presiding Judge Alford Dempsey’s daughter and the Fulton
County Chaplain.
Based on the court’s ruling, every member of the original SCLC
Board of Directors from October 29, 2009 who supported and demanded a
thorough internal investigation was subsequently removed from the
Board of Directors by those persons now in charge of the governance of
the organization. In addition, the General Counsel and Executive
Director were threatened with termination and forced removal from the
office when they questioned the operation of the organization
including the administration’s position to provide Art Rocker with
the authority to run much of the day to day operations of the
organization including being ordered to deliver to Mr. Rocker 10 blank
checks with appropriate signatures. The General Counsel and Executive
Director then tendered their resignation. At the time of the
resignation of the Executive Director and General Counsel the
organization was solvent.
The current administration maintains that they intended to install
Dr. Bernice King but she never was installed because a contract could
not be agreed to as the administration sought to make her a
figurehead. Public and private claims by the current SCLC
administration indicate that they were fighting for the installation
of then President Elect Dr. Bernice King, but the reality of the
matter is that certain persons within that administration successfully
sought to overturn her election by the legitimate SCLC Board of
Directors on October 29, 2009. The current administration claims that
our group did not want to seat Rev. Bernice King as President and CEO
but in fact we held several meetings and instructed Attorney Katherine
Belger to negotiate an employment contract with Rev. King but those
actions were halted when the court transferred control to the current
administration. Elder King by her own public admission stated that a
contractual agreement was unable to be reached because the new board
of directors “sought to make her a figurehead.” In February 2011,
Rev. Howard Creecy, who was previously the Chair of Dr. Bernice
King’s transition team, was named President & CEO. He later suffered
an unexpected death and Mr. Isaac Farris was named President & CEO.
Organizational Damage As A Result of the Takeover
In October 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the lower
court’s decision. A few weeks later Fulton County District Attorney
Paul Howard released a statement indicating there was no evidence that
Rev. Raleigh Trammell and Elder Spiver Gordon mismanaged $569,000 and
that all the expenditures they reviewed were approved by the National
SCLC Board of Directors.
Since the time of the lower court’s ruling, the following have
occurred:
- The organization’s General Counsel and Executive Director have
resigned.
- The Southern Christian Leadership Foundation Executive Director
Bernice Frazier has been banned from the international headquarters
and all ties with the foundation have been severed.
- The Finance Director has been terminated.
- The organization has amassed more than $500,000 in legal fees
incurred specifically to fight for control of the organization.
- The organization is reportedly in default on a $250,000 line of
credit secured against the building and approved by the Board of
Directors in 2009 at a meeting where Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr. Bernard
Lafayette, Attorney Randal Gaines, Board Members Dr. Gertie Lowe, Don
Cash, Bennie Roundtree and others voted to approve the loan.
- A thirty year relationship with the SCLC Magazine has been severely
damaged due to the failure of the national office to forward
advertisement revenue to the magazine division resulting in layoffs
and temporary closure.
- The organization has been reduced to a bare bones staff and yet the
organization has failed to meet payroll in almost two years.
- The organization has struggled to pay basic utilities or maintain
insurance coverage for the van until recently.
- The organization has failed to properly file 990 income taxes and
payroll taxes including being subject to liens.
- The organization has failed to communicate with its chapter
leadership.
- The organization has failed to produce membership cards to
individuals who have paid for memberships.
- The organization has failed to implement any programmatic
activities.
- The organization faces continued turnover on its Board of Directors
including a failed vote to oust Dr. Sylvia Tucker as Chairwoman. She
later declined to seek election as Chair and Dr. Bernard Lafayette has
assumed the position of Chairman,
- The organization has failed to collect revenue from chapter
charters because of its financial insolvency an inability to provide
services.
- The organization failed to seat President-Elect Dr. Bernice King.
- The organization’s latest Executive Director/General Counsel has
recently tendered her resignation.
- The organization has failed to provide any quality conventions,
conferences, or meetings.
- The current President & CEO recently faced the threat of suspension
reportedly based on alcohol use at a board meeting.
- The organization is insolvent with an operating debt of over
$1million.
Those who moved to take over leadership of SCLC because of their
concern over fiscal mismanagement have failed to provide an audited
financial statement in two years nor has the Board of Directors
received regular unaudited financial reports.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We are not writing this letter to create any further dissension
within our organization, but it appears we have no choice when the
current administration can state in a meeting that we are still
members of the Board of Directors pending our appeal when that simply
is a lie. We have been removed from office, our life memberships have
been threatened, and the current administration tells the general body
our organization is failing because we fought to ensure due process
for men and women who have given their lives to SCLC. We just want you
to be made aware of facts that have not been shared with you to allow
you to make your own decision whether or not justice has been meted
out.
While we continue this internal struggle, the organization is unable
to advocate on behalf of others because of the turmoil. The national
office is unable to raise any meaningful amount of money. The
community is energized and activated over the senseless murder of
Trayvon Martin but SCLC remains virtually silent. While other
organizations mobilize thousands, we see only Dr. Bernard Lafayette
and Art Rocker standing before Jacksonville Florida news cameras with
but a few supporters while thousands march and demonstrate in Sanford,
Florida. The recent March from Selma to Montgomery was not organized
by SCLC as it has been done since its inception, but was led by Rev.
Al Sharpton and the National Action Network. There has not been a
magazine published in nearly six months. The website is outdated. The
volunteers are disappearing. The building faces foreclosure. SCLC is
dying!
What Are We Asking For?
As we approach the annual SCLC Spring Board meeting (interestingly
enough the current administration has not announced a date and
location of the meeting as required by the SCLC Bylaws and
Constitution) we simply ask three questions. First, is it fair that
individuals are removed from duly elected positions based on
allegations that have been proven false? Second, should persons be
rewarded for selfish motives that have resulted in the near
destruction of one of the world’s most valued organizations? Third,
is SCLC better or worse off than it was 3 years ago when a faction led
by Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr. Byron Clay, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, and SCLC
newcomer Art Rocker decided they wanted to take control of the
organization even if that required the fabrication of charges and the
destruction of lives?
If you are able to answer no to each of the questions, then you
should ask yourself if those persons who were accused did no wrong,
should they not be made whole and restored to their positions because
it’s simply the Christian thing to do? Thus if you answer yes to
that question, then we simply ask that you demand the current Board of
Directors to place that issue before the body for discussion and
reinstate those persons wrongfully removed.
We are not asking you to follow a court order; we are asking you to
follow God’s law. Matthew 5: 43-44 which states 43 “You have heard
that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I
tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
While we are certainly not your enemy, there are those governing the
organization that have made a decision to characterize us as such.
Even if you view this as truth, we still have an obligation to love
each other.
We know that through Christ all things are possible. It is time for
SCLC to become reunited in order that we can go about restoring the
organization and returning to the fight against injustice rather than
fighting amongst ourselves. It is time for change!
Dear SCLC National Board Members, Chapter Presidents, Members, and
Supporters:
In October 2009, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an
organization founded under the leadership of our beloved brother, the
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. found itself in a battle for it’s
very existence when charges of mismanagement and criminality were
brought against the organization’s Chairman Raleigh Trammell and
Treasurer Spiver Gordon. The charges resulted in the organization
being split down the middle and having its internal governance and
procedures examined under a microscope in a courtroom rather than its
members coming together to reason amongst themselves.
As a result of the now proven false allegations, the organization
became embroiled in a legal battle that has essentially destroyed our
organization and tarnished the legacy of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference. Since August 2010 after Atlanta Superior Court
Judge Alford Dempsey ruled to empower the current leadership of SCLC,
those who opposed that decision have remained silent in order that the
organization did not have to undergo any further scrutiny in the media
and the general public. Despite the repeated mischaracterization of
Rev. Raleigh Trammell, Elder Spiver Gordon, and those who chose to
support them, we chose to take the high road and seek resolution in
the appellate courts. In fact, from the beginning this body has
reached out repeatedly to try and bring the sides together and resolve
the issues that have destroyed the credibility of the organization and
quite simply made SCLC a laughing stock. Unlike those persons who
decided that due process was expendable, we remained silent and
maintained that we would rely upon the judicial system to right the
wrong that had been perpetrated.
However, recent reports made to the SCLC Board of Directors at the
annual January Chapter Leadership Meeting in Atlanta, GA were so
misleading and false, that we felt it was time to issue a written
account to attempt to provide a more accurate history of how our
organization ended up in this current position. We will state from the
onset that yes we have filed an appeal with the Georgia Supreme Court
because we disagree with the decision of the lower court. Yet
apparently those who are now in charge of the National SCLC have
decided to place the blame of the apparent impeding shutdown of the
organization on the backs of individuals who have not exercised any
control over the organization since April 2010.
SCLC is the Moral Conscious of the Nation
SCLC was founded by ministers and this should not be taken lightly
for it was the interjection of a faith and religion that transformed
the Civil Rights Movement. If not for SCLC, the concept of nonviolent
direct action may have never come into existence in the United States
of America and if not for nonviolent direct action, we would live in a
very different world today. Yes the courts played an intricate role in
the elimination of legal segregation, but it was the imposition of
faith into the debate that changed our country. The strategies, the
marches, the sit-ins, virtually every aspect of the movement were
grounded in the principles of faith and morality. Somewhere along the
way SCLC lost that focus and grounding and as a result when this
dispute arose we turned to the court for resolution rather than the
very doctrines that we claim guide our everyday lives. SCLC is better
than that and more importantly the world deserves better than that.
In the Book of Matthew 5:24-26 we find the following words: 24 “
leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that
person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.25 When you are on
the way to court with your adversary, settle your differences quickly.
Otherwise, your accuser may hand you over to the judge, who will hand
you over to an officer, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 And if
that happens, you surely won’t be free again until you have paid the
last penny.”
The time has come for SCLC to leave the courtroom of justice and go
before our Father’s throne for mercy, grace, and resolution. The
continued use of the court system to try and resolve our differences
threatens to tarnish SCLC’s legacy forever and it must end now. SCLC
is a Christian based organization, and therefore we have a moral
obligation to live up to and abide by the teachings of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. How can we in good consciousness advocate for non
violent conflict resolution for the world when we cannot resolve our
differences of opinions amongst ourselves? Yet, since the inception of
this travesty of justice, our side has been repeatedly rebuffed when
we attempted to bring the organization together.
What is especially troubling is that this disruption came after the
organization had successfully restored itself from the ashes after a
very public fight in 2004 that crippled an already struggling
organization. Despite that setback, the National Board of Directors
under the leadership of Rev. Raleigh Trammell worked alongside Former
President & CEO Charles Steele to reinvigorate and refocus SCLC to
meet the challenges of the 21st Century. In five years, the
organization was able to build a $3million debt free international
headquarters, increased its membership dramatically, began the
implementation of major programs including conflict resolution
training, and created a sound financial base. The organization was
solvent and on track to once again becoming one of the world’s most
effective and visible civil and human rights organizations. These
achievements came not only as a result of the exemplary leadership of
President Charles Steele and the Board of Directors, but because God
honored the work that we were attempting to do as an organization.
Three years later, God cannot be pleased. SCLC now faces the greatest
crisis it has ever seen and the reality is that the damage is a result
of a strategic plan to take over control of the organization by a
group of individuals that included persons with unbridled egos, no
historical connection to the movement or history of civil rights, and
a thirst to use the organization’s name for personal gain. Persons
who not only decided that its Chairman and Treasurer were guilty of
the allegations without due process, but also determined that twelve
of the thirteen Executive Board Members of the National SCLC as of
October 2009 were also incapable of leading the organization because
they demanded that these persons deserved due process. The same due
process that we as an organization have demanded for countless others
over our 55 year history was not afforded to the very individuals who
helped build and sustain the organization.
Why are we writing this letter now?
First, we must apologize because it should have come much sooner.
There have been numerous times when we struggled with this question,
and decided against the action for fear of the label “sour grapes”
being placed upon us. We are quite aware that there are those amongst
you who will privately and in some cases publicly state that we should
move forward with our lives and drop this entire issue. Indeed, some
of our very own supporters question why we fight so ardently for an
organization that teeters on financial and moral bankruptcy.
While this may sound easy to do, it is virtually impossible if you
take even a minute to talk to a former board member like Dr. Curtis
Harris, a Founder of SCLC who was removed from his position after more
than 50 years of service. The decision to remove him went against the
opposition of our former General Counsel who spoke out during the 2010
Spring Board meeting and questioned how an organization could remove a
Founding Director who was simply living up to his fiduciary
responsibility by advocating for due process. This is the same Dr.
Curtis Harris who was originally selected by the Board of Directors to
chair the committee that would investigate the charges of fiscal
mismanagement but was not afforded the opportunity to conduct the
investigation. This is also the same Dr. Curtis Harris who in the
midst of this battle suffered a delibating stroke and lost his wife of
more than 60 years. It’s strange how members of the current
administration decided Dr. Curtis Harris could not get the job done,
but in his absences the Financial Mismanagement Committee led by
Attorney Randall Gaines never completed the investigation or publicly
presented any findings on the matter.
Contrary to what some may believe, the actions of the past 3 years
have not only destroyed the lives and families Rev. Raleigh Trammell
and Elder Spiver Gordon, but the false accusations have destroyed the
lives and families of people you called your friends who served n the
SCLC Board of Directors and who demanded fairness. This destruction
came as a result of intentional acts of deceit and intimidation
including threats from Art Rocker who set out to destroy Rev. Raleigh
Trammell and shut down every program Rev. Trammell had in Dayton. Thus
therefore despite a finding by Fulton County District Attorney Paul
Howard that no criminal activity in Georgia took place by Rev.
Trammell and Elder Spiver Gordon. Rev. Trammell faces a criminal trial
in May in Dayton, Ohio as a result of claims of mismanagement
admittedly brought by Art Rocker and a former Dayton SCLC employee who
has reportedly settled a sexual harassment lawsuit brought against
Rev. Raleigh Trammell with the organization’s insurance company and
over the objection of Rev. Trammell who asked for his day in court to
defend the charges.
Therefore, we felt it incumbent upon ourselves to finally communicate
directly with you to share our version of the events that have
transpired and allow you to come to your own conclusion about the
matter. Please note that these accounts are not found in the court’s
transcripts because despite the fact the court ruled that Dr. Sylvia
Tucker, Dr. Bernard Lafayette and others should be in control of SCLC,
the court did not make any ruling concerning the allegations brought
against Rev. Raleigh Trammell and Elder Spiver Gordon. The reality of
the court’s ruling is that it pertained to governance and not
conduct. While the current administration was able to show that
procedural guidelines were not followed as it relates to governance,
the lower court NEVER ruled as to whether any funds had been
mismanaged.
The History of the Dispute
In the fall of 2009, then Interim President Byron Clay placed a phone
call to Former SCLC General Counsel Dexter Wimbish informing him that
federal authorities had requested he travel to Atlanta, Georgia to
discuss possible criminal activities by unnamed members of the
Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The General Counsel inquired
as to whether President Byron Clay needed him to attend the meeting
with him, and the President stated that he was travelling with his
personal attorney and that the General Counsel need not attend the
meeting. The General Counsel then contacted Board Chairman Raleigh
Trammell and informed him of the situation. It was discussed that the
meeting may have resulted from an inquiry by Former SCLC Florida
President Seville Brown who had requested that the Department of
Justice investigate the finances of the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference and the alleged disappearance of more than $1million
dollars. (It was subsequently determined that amount in question was
money raised to construct an international headquarters and that there
was no mismanagement of funds. Every dollar was accounted for and the
building was constructed debt free.)
A determination was made to allow President Byron Clay to report on
the meeting with federal authorities, but when questioned by the
General Counsel, Treasurer, and Chairman he failed to provide an
account of the meeting other than to say federal authorities were
investigating the organization but would not provide any contact
information for those persons who allegedly interviewed him. In the
latter part of September 2009 following a meeting in New Orleans, LA
where the Board of Directors met with potential candidates for the
office of President & CEO, Interim President Byron Clay approached the
General Counsel and Executive Director Ron Woods and raised concerns
about expenditures that were being made which he believed constituted
mismanagement of funds on the grounds the expenditures had not been
properly approved by the National Board of Directors and that they
were crippling the organization’s ability to operate. Interim
President Byron Clay then indicated that the expenditures were the
subject of the investigation opened by federal authorities. However,
at this point, the organization had received no notice of any such
investigation. Interim President Clay then instructed Executive
Director Ron Woods and General Counsel to prepare a report for the
upcoming Board of Directors Meeting that outlined the possible
mismanagement of funds. At that time an employee also filed an oral
complaint of sexual harassment against Board Chairman Raleigh Trammell
and was instructed that pursuant to the personnel handbook, the
complaint had to be made in writing.
A report was prepared that simply outlined the charges and was
presented to Interim President Byron Clay and Vice Chair Sylvia Tucker
who was the Personnel Committee Chair. The report was presented to the
full Board of Directors October 29, 2009. During that meeting the
General Counsel and the Executive Director gave the report but
President Byron Clay who leveled the charges refused to speak to the
Board of Directors stating that federal authorities and his personal
attorney told him not to discuss the matter. A recommendation was made
by the General Counsel to form two committees to investigate the
charges. The General Counsel indicated that he had a conflict of
interest in that he reported directly to Chairman Raleigh Trammell and
therefore he recused himself from leading the investigation. The Board
of Directors appointed Dr. Curtis Harris to lead the investigation of
the mismanagement of funds and Attorney Randal Gaines was appointed to
serve as legal counsel. The Board instructed Dr. Sylvia Tucker as
Personnel Committee Chair to investigate the charges of sexual
harassment and appointed Attorney Katherine Belger as the legal
counsel for the committee.
Although the National SCLC Board of Directors ordered that an
internal investigation take place into both of these matters, those
investigations were never completed nor were there ever any written
findings presented to the full board. A decision was made that Vice
Chairwoman Sylvia Tucker would assume the role of Interim Chair while
the investigations were being conducted and Dr. Bernard Lafayette was
asked to engage in efforts to mediate the dispute having been
determined to be an expert in the field of conflict resolution. In the
midst of the investigations, a controversy also arose about the
election of Dr. Bernice King as the President of the National Southern
Christian Leadership Conference. In addition, following a special call
meeting of the Board of Directors, Dr. Curtis Harris was removed from
his position as chair of the committee to investigate the fiscal
mismanagement and was replaced by Attorney Randal Gaines.
As the investigation continued an agreement was made to keep the
matters internal in order to protect the viability of the
organization. However, in November 2009 then Acting Chairwoman Dr.
Sylvia Tucker and Interim President Byron Clay called the General
Counsel and SCLC Communications Director Renee Robertson and indicated
that Dr. Bernice King had called Dr. Sylvia Tucker and revealed to her
that King’s sources at the Atlanta Journal Constitution intended to
break the story on the investigations and that SCLC should put out a
press release. The General Counsel, Executive Director, and
Communications Director objected to the issuance of a press release
but were given a direct order from Dr. Sylvia Tucker to publish a
press release. Upon the issuance of the press release which
constituted a violation of the agreement to handle the matter
internally, Vice President Dr. Curtis Harris, Compliance Chair Rev.
Wilburt Shanklin, and Finance Committee Member Rev. Randy Johnson were
chosen by the Executive Committee to file suit in Fulton County
Superior Court asking the court to enjoin Interim President Byron
Clay, Acting Chair Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Acting Treasurer Attorney Randal
Gaines, General Counsel Dexter Wimbish, and Executive Director Ron
Woods from taking further actions that impeded the appointed financial
committee from moving forward in the investigation.
When the Court ordered the initial hearing none of the Defendants
appeared except General Counsel Dexter Wimbish and Executive Director
Ron Woods. The parties entered into a consent agreement that would
allow the original officers to retain control of the organization
until the full Board of Directors could address the issue at the
upcoming Spring Board Meeting. The consent agreement represented an
attempt to avoid a continued public fight that would further damage
the organization’s credibility and ability to function.
On January 29, 2010 Former General Counsel Dexter Wimbish and Former
Executive Director Ron Woods were ordered by Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr.
Byron Clay, and Dr. Bernard Lafayette to meet with Fulton County
District Attorney in a meeting arranged by SCLC National Board Member
Art Rocker. A complaint was presented against SCLC National Chairman
Rev. Raleigh Trammel and National Treasurer Elder Spiver Gordon
alleging mismanagement of organizational funds. As a result of that
meeting an investigation was opened by the District Attorney to
determine whether any prosecutable criminal offenses had taken place.
Those Defendants who failed to initially appear then hired Attorney
Charles Mathis to vacate the consent agreement and demand a trial to
determine whether any fiscal mismanagement had taken place and to
determine who was to govern the organization. The Court granted the
request and a request was made for a hearing on the issues. At this
point Dr. Curtis Harris, Rev. Wilburt Shanklin, and Rev. Randy Johnson
dismissed the lawsuit they had filed and reached out to Dr. Sylvia
Tucker, Bernard Lafayette, and others to extend an olive branch and
resolve the issue without further litigation. Dr. Bernard Lafayette,
who at this time was the national spokesperson, responded in the media
“We don’t want an olive branch, we want our money back.” The
following week Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, and others
instructed Attorney Charles Mathis to file a new lawsuit to recover
attorney fees that had been paid to the opposing counsel from SCLC
National funds.
The second lawsuit filed under the direction of Dr. Sylvia Tucker,
Dr. Byron Clay, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, and others sought to establish
which persons were entitled to govern the organization, but it did not
address the alleged financial mismanagement of the Southern Christian
Leadership Conference. The court after a month long trial issued an
order in favor of the Plaintiffs and Dr. Sylvia Tucker was named Board
Chairwoman and Rev. Howard Creecy, who was the chair of the transition
committee to seat Dr. Bernice King, was named interim President and
CEO. It should be noted that Rev. Howard Creecy was at one time the
employer of Presiding Judge Alford Dempsey’s daughter and the Fulton
County Chaplain.
Based on the court’s ruling, every member of the original SCLC
Board of Directors from October 29, 2009 who supported and demanded a
thorough internal investigation was subsequently removed from the
Board of Directors by those persons now in charge of the governance of
the organization. In addition, the General Counsel and Executive
Director were threatened with termination and forced removal from the
office when they questioned the operation of the organization
including the administration’s position to provide Art Rocker with
the authority to run much of the day to day operations of the
organization including being ordered to deliver to Mr. Rocker 10 blank
checks with appropriate signatures. The General Counsel and Executive
Director then tendered their resignation. At the time of the
resignation of the Executive Director and General Counsel the
organization was solvent.
The current administration maintains that they intended to install
Dr. Bernice King but she never was installed because a contract could
not be agreed to as the administration sought to make her a
figurehead. Public and private claims by the current SCLC
administration indicate that they were fighting for the installation
of then President Elect Dr. Bernice King, but the reality of the
matter is that certain persons within that administration successfully
sought to overturn her election by the legitimate SCLC Board of
Directors on October 29, 2009. The current administration claims that
our group did not want to seat Rev. Bernice King as President and CEO
but in fact we held several meetings and instructed Attorney Katherine
Belger to negotiate an employment contract with Rev. King but those
actions were halted when the court transferred control to the current
administration. Elder King by her own public admission stated that a
contractual agreement was unable to be reached because the new board
of directors “sought to make her a figurehead.” In February 2011,
Rev. Howard Creecy, who was previously the Chair of Dr. Bernice
King’s transition team, was named President & CEO. He later suffered
an unexpected death and Mr. Isaac Farris was named President & CEO.
Organizational Damage As A Result of the Takeover
In October 2011, the Georgia Court of Appeals upheld the lower
court’s decision. A few weeks later Fulton County District Attorney
Paul Howard released a statement indicating there was no evidence that
Rev. Raleigh Trammell and Elder Spiver Gordon mismanaged $569,000 and
that all the expenditures they reviewed were approved by the National
SCLC Board of Directors.
Since the time of the lower court’s ruling, the following have
occurred:
- The organization’s General Counsel and Executive Director have
resigned.
- The Southern Christian Leadership Foundation Executive Director
Bernice Frazier has been banned from the international headquarters
and all ties with the foundation have been severed.
- The Finance Director has been terminated.
- The organization has amassed more than $500,000 in legal fees
incurred specifically to fight for control of the organization.
- The organization is reportedly in default on a $250,000 line of
credit secured against the building and approved by the Board of
Directors in 2009 at a meeting where Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr. Bernard
Lafayette, Attorney Randal Gaines, Board Members Dr. Gertie Lowe, Don
Cash, Bennie Roundtree and others voted to approve the loan.
- A thirty year relationship with the SCLC Magazine has been severely
damaged due to the failure of the national office to forward
advertisement revenue to the magazine division resulting in layoffs
and temporary closure.
- The organization has been reduced to a bare bones staff and yet the
organization has failed to meet payroll in almost two years.
- The organization has struggled to pay basic utilities or maintain
insurance coverage for the van until recently.
- The organization has failed to properly file 990 income taxes and
payroll taxes including being subject to liens.
- The organization has failed to communicate with its chapter
leadership.
- The organization has failed to produce membership cards to
individuals who have paid for memberships.
- The organization has failed to implement any programmatic
activities.
- The organization faces continued turnover on its Board of Directors
including a failed vote to oust Dr. Sylvia Tucker as Chairwoman. She
later declined to seek election as Chair and Dr. Bernard Lafayette has
assumed the position of Chairman,
- The organization has failed to collect revenue from chapter
charters because of its financial insolvency an inability to provide
services.
- The organization failed to seat President-Elect Dr. Bernice King.
- The organization’s latest Executive Director/General Counsel has
recently tendered her resignation.
- The organization has failed to provide any quality conventions,
conferences, or meetings.
- The current President & CEO recently faced the threat of suspension
reportedly based on alcohol use at a board meeting.
- The organization is insolvent with an operating debt of over
$1million.
Those who moved to take over leadership of SCLC because of their
concern over fiscal mismanagement have failed to provide an audited
financial statement in two years nor has the Board of Directors
received regular unaudited financial reports.
Where Do We Go From Here?
We are not writing this letter to create any further dissension
within our organization, but it appears we have no choice when the
current administration can state in a meeting that we are still
members of the Board of Directors pending our appeal when that simply
is a lie. We have been removed from office, our life memberships have
been threatened, and the current administration tells the general body
our organization is failing because we fought to ensure due process
for men and women who have given their lives to SCLC. We just want you
to be made aware of facts that have not been shared with you to allow
you to make your own decision whether or not justice has been meted
out.
While we continue this internal struggle, the organization is unable
to advocate on behalf of others because of the turmoil. The national
office is unable to raise any meaningful amount of money. The
community is energized and activated over the senseless murder of
Trayvon Martin but SCLC remains virtually silent. While other
organizations mobilize thousands, we see only Dr. Bernard Lafayette
and Art Rocker standing before Jacksonville Florida news cameras with
but a few supporters while thousands march and demonstrate in Sanford,
Florida. The recent March from Selma to Montgomery was not organized
by SCLC as it has been done since its inception, but was led by Rev.
Al Sharpton and the National Action Network. There has not been a
magazine published in nearly six months. The website is outdated. The
volunteers are disappearing. The building faces foreclosure. SCLC is
dying!
What Are We Asking For?
As we approach the annual SCLC Spring Board meeting (interestingly
enough the current administration has not announced a date and
location of the meeting as required by the SCLC Bylaws and
Constitution) we simply ask three questions. First, is it fair that
individuals are removed from duly elected positions based on
allegations that have been proven false? Second, should persons be
rewarded for selfish motives that have resulted in the near
destruction of one of the world’s most valued organizations? Third,
is SCLC better or worse off than it was 3 years ago when a faction led
by Dr. Sylvia Tucker, Dr. Byron Clay, Dr. Bernard Lafayette, and SCLC
newcomer Art Rocker decided they wanted to take control of the
organization even if that required the fabrication of charges and the
destruction of lives?
If you are able to answer no to each of the questions, then you
should ask yourself if those persons who were accused did no wrong,
should they not be made whole and restored to their positions because
it’s simply the Christian thing to do? Thus if you answer yes to
that question, then we simply ask that you demand the current Board of
Directors to place that issue before the body for discussion and
reinstate those persons wrongfully removed.
We are not asking you to follow a court order; we are asking you to
follow God’s law. Matthew 5: 43-44 which states 43 “You have heard
that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. 44 But I
tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
While we are certainly not your enemy, there are those governing the
organization that have made a decision to characterize us as such.
Even if you view this as truth, we still have an obligation to love
each other.
We know that through Christ all things are possible. It is time for
SCLC to become reunited in order that we can go about restoring the
organization and returning to the fight against injustice rather than
fighting amongst ourselves. It is time for change!
