[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: Use Your Vote Wisely
- From: Stormy Hope <Stormy435@xxxxxxx>
- To: campaignersgsd@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 15:18:25 -0700
On Sep 3, 2009, at 2:59 PM, Joan Fox wrote:
Because it drives me crazy to try to read this stuff, I cleaned it
up. I drive myself crazy when I send it this way. Do with the post
what you will
Stormy
Mrs. Joan F. Fox 17500 Haskins Rd. Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Sept 3, 2009
Dear GSDCA members:
Allow me to address the future of The GSDCA, your important vote in this
election, and my personal experience with individuals who have served
our
club. I have deep respect for many of my fellow board members who have
worked beside me during the past 6 years and am saddened to see that
some
others are also not running for re-election.
The intent of this letter is explained in the paragraphs below.
Nancy Harper and Carmen Battaglia are running for the board. They have
be
en
dishonest, have lied to the board, did so with intent and caused the
boar
d
to vote with false information. This is what can cause the club
liabilit
y,
and we need to stop it with our votes.
Use your vote wisely.
Based upon all of the information that my attorneys and I have been able
to
compile, it appears as though Mr. Battaglia used Rosalind Kraus (a
former
Field Rep for the AKC) to fabricate letters to the GSDCA Board stating
th
at
I had violated a judging rule.
Further, letters were sent to some of the winners of the 2007 SE
Maturity/Futurity competition revoking their wins at that show which I
judged. The American Kennel Club is not able to confirm that the
letters
sent to these unfortunate owners of the revocation of their dogs' wins
we
re
issued by any department of the American Kennel Club. Both the AKC
President, Dennis Sprung and its' chief legal counsel, Margaret
Poindexte
r,
have confirmed in writing that the contents of the judges files are
confidential and no one but the Judges Operations Department personnel
ha
ve
access to those files.
Mr. Battaglia's conduct is not only an egregious abuse of his position
as
a
Director of the GSDCA, but also as a Director of the American Kennel
Club
Mr. Battaglia's willingness to flaunt the law and his ethical and
fiducia
ry
obligations to these two entities in order to exercise a personal
grievan
ce
against me simply because he thinks he can get away with doing so speaks
volumes for why he is neither competent nor trustworthy to remain as a
Director of either the GSDCA or the AKC.
Most of you are aware that I have been fighting a political and personal
battle for 2 1/2 years. Nancy Harper worked side by side with Mr.
Battag
lia
and is far from innocent in her role. Below are the events, which led
to
the statement above.
I am not now, or ever been, disciplined, set down, or sanctioned by
the AKC. The AKC has written that my judging record remains clear.
In 2006, The GSDC Eastern Tennessee asked me to judge their show
April 29th 2007. I rescinded the assignment when invited to judge
the SE Futurity/Maturity April 22nd, 2007.
AUGUST 2007:MRS. HELEN FRANKLIN wrote a letter with incorrect
information to the AKC and Nancy Harper. She was not an exhibitor or
attendee at this show. This followed many documented threats to my
daughter and me after the 2006 National. She also sent another even
more libelous and disgusting letter to AKC in June 2009. Nancy
Harper, Futurity Chairperson, did not notify me about Ms. Franklin's
letter.
Nancy Harper supplied the AKC Field Rep. the names of the winners of the
SE
Fut/Mat, handled by Jeff Pyle as the AKC did not have the information on
a
special GSDCA event.
Letters were mailed to the winners to revoke the wins.
October 3rd, 2007 a letter was sent to me from The AKC Field Rep,
Rosalind Krause, stating that the wins from the SE Futurity/Maturity
were taken away from exhibitors who utilized Jeff Pyle as their
handler. The AKC letter stated that I judged The GSDC of Eastern
Tennessee and this assignment caused a handler/judge conflict. Unknown
To me, letters from a Field Rep is not standard AKC protocol; the AKC
Jud
ges
Department is the authorized entity to handle any complaints and
interact
with judges.
I immediately contacted Evan Ginsburg, AKC Board Trial Member. Mr.
Ginsburg wrote a letter to The AKC; dated October 8th 2007. The
letter states that the AKC's letter was in error. I did not judge
The GSDC of Eastern Tennessee. Mr. Ginsburg further explained the
urgency in the removing these wrongful charges, as our National
Futurity/Maturity Finals was to occur October 17th.
Ms. Krause did not respond to the rebuttal letter. Sadly, Nancy
Harper removed these winners from the catalogue and the owners were not
able to show their dogs at the GSDCA National Futurity/Maturity finals.
At the time, there was also a controversy about The NW
Futurity/Maturity and the 4-month AKC rule being broken. A handler
exhibited under the judge for whom he showed dogs in the 4 prior
month time frame. This was not mentioned in the AKC letter sent to
me October 3rd. Nancy Harper was fully aware that Jeff Pyle never in
his lifetime exhibited a dog for me prior to my judging the SE
Futurity/Maturity. I did not break The AKC 4-month rule.
June 2008. The AKC Field Rep wrote a letter to Nancy Harper; not to
me. The AKC letter stated that a conflict of interest occurred, but
no disciplinary action was taken against me still based on the erroneous
letter.
July 2008. Nancy Harper dictated a letter to the GSDCA corresponding
secretary without Board approval. The letter stated that I violated
Rule #14, the same the 4-month rule the NW Futurity/Maturity judge
broke. On GSDCA letterhead, I was informed that I had been suspended
from judging any GSDCA event for a period 0f 5 years. Note: Rule #14
in the contract states that judges agree to perform a loose lead
temperament test. It was not until the Jan. 2009 Board Meeting that
a motion was passed to implement the new 4-month rule.
I contacted 2 attorneys, Evan Ginsburg and Ed Farrell. The GSDCA
corresponding secretary was notified that my constitutional rights
had been violated. The GSDCA Policy and Procedures had not been
followed. A three-person committee had not been convened, as
explicitly required. Both attorneys pointed out that no charges with
fees had been filed against me with the GSDCA as required by the By-
Laws.
January 2009. My attorneys could not attend the GSDCA Board meeting
held in Las Vegas. A meeting was conducted to discuss the 5-year
suspension given to me. MR. CARMEN BATTAGLIA waved around pages
before and during the Board meeting that he claimed were letters
against me from my file at AKC. Names of a Board member's daughter,
as well as Mrs. Franklin, were used as writers and MR. BATTAGLIA told
the Board I had other letters in my file. MRS. HARPER concurred.
I read the letters from my attorneys and explained the errors. I
finally gave up trying to reason, as it was chaotic with people
yelling at me. Board members voted after stating they were not sure
what was going on. I was told to get information from AKC and get
back to the Board.
MRS. HARPER stated that I should have taken the 2 years probation
offered me. This probation was never offered me.
I wrote the head of the Judges Dept. at AKC three times for letters
in my file. Mr. Peter Gaeta told me there were no letters in my
file.
I then hired Attorney, Lisa Summers. Ms Summers wrote a letter to the
Board and pointed out the violations of the By-Laws and P&P, the
errors in the original charges and asked for withdrawal of the
imposed penalty.
We received no answer or even an explanation as to what the Board
required. Ms. Summers again wrote the Board with even more strongly
wording that the Board redresses its position.
At the July meeting, MR. CARMEN BATTAGLIA pushed through a motion
that I withdraw my lawsuit against the GSDCA. That would be difficult
as there is no lawsuit. Again, I graciously gave the Board a 30-day
extension to reply.
August 2009. My attorney, Lisa Summers, wrote a letter to Mrs.
Margaret Poindexter, General Counsel for AKC. She requested answers
to many questions and among them, asked how did MR. BATTAGLIA acquire
letters he waived at the board meeting found in my judge's file?
Mrs. Poindexter and my attorney are still in communication. Mrs.
Poindexter did confirm that the files of the Judging Operations are
confidential and are maintained electronically. No one other than
Judging Operations staff has access to said files.
In closing:
As a board member in early 2007, I vehemently opposed allowing Mr.
Andrew Hunte to become a member of The GSDCA. Mr. Hunte may have
been Mr. Battaglia's friend and employer; but I felt strongly about
Mr. Hunte's lack of integrity by running a business through puppy
mill operations. When Mr. Hunte's membership was denied; I was told
I would be in jeopardy.
Mr. Battaglia was further angered when I strongly questioned the
forgery he put on GSDCA letterhead recommending him as The GSDCA
Delegate and signing the then President Lew Bunch's signature on the
bottom, with an incorrect spelling of Mr. Bunch's first name.
Would I change my vote in light of all this? NO!
There is NO lawsuit filed by me against the GSDCA or any of the Board
members. I am still seeking answers and am hoping this can be
resolved without any further damage being done to the club.
It is regrettable that this letter needs to have been written. I am
especially concerned for thoseexhibitors irreparably harmed. I am
trying
to
right this for you as well as myself.
I have always kept these words in my heart and mind:
Never be afraid to speak the words in your heart.
Never worry about what others think of these words.
Never cower in condemnation
No one is superior to you: no one has the right to change your beliefs.
Stand tall against those that criticize out of ignorance or personal
bias
Your truth is your reality.
Believe in yourself.
Joan F. Fox
Anyone wishing clarification may contact my Attorney: Ms. Lisa
Summers, 9
010
Tyler Blvd.,
#21 A, Mentor, Ohio 44060. I may be reached at 440-759-4119 or
440-543-91
65
and will be
happy to try and answer your questions.
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