[ SHOWGSD-L ] Use Your Vote Wisely
- From: "Joan Fox" <campaignersgsd@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 17:59:44 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)
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=0D
Mrs. Joan F. Fox 17500 Haskins Rd. Chagrin Falls, Ohio =
=20
Sept 3, 2009=0D
=0D
Dear GSDCA members:=0D
=0D
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.=0D
=0D
The intent of this letter is explained in the paragraphs below.=0D
=0D
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.=0D
=0D
Use your vote wisely.=0D
=0D
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. =0D
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.=0D
=0D
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=
=2E
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.=0D
=0D
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.=0D
=0D
I am not now, or ever been, disciplined, set down, or sanctioned by=0D
the AKC. The AKC has written that my judging record remains clear.=0D
=0D
In 2006, The GSDC Eastern Tennessee asked me to judge their show=0D
April 29th 2007. I rescinded the assignment when invited to judge=0D
the SE Futurity/Maturity April 22nd, 2007.=0D
=0D
AUGUST 2007:MRS. HELEN FRANKLIN wrote a letter with incorrect=0D
information to the AKC and Nancy Harper. She was not an exhibitor or=0D
attendee at this show. This followed many documented threats to my=0D
daughter and me after the 2006 National. She also sent another even=0D
more libelous and disgusting letter to AKC in June 2009. Nancy=0D
Harper, Futurity Chairperson, did not notify me about Ms. Franklin's=0D
letter.=0D
=0D
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.=0D
Letters were mailed to the winners to revoke the wins.=0D
=0D
October 3rd, 2007 a letter was sent to me from The AKC Field Rep,=0D
Rosalind Krause, stating that the wins from the SE Futurity/Maturity=0D
were taken away from exhibitors who utilized Jeff Pyle as their=0D
handler. The AKC letter stated that I judged The GSDC of Eastern=0D
Tennessee and this assignment caused a handler/judge conflict. Unknown=0D
To me, letters from a Field Rep is not standard AKC protocol; the AKC Jud=
ges
=0D
Department is the authorized entity to handle any complaints and interact
with judges.=0D
=0D
I immediately contacted Evan Ginsburg, AKC Board Trial Member. Mr.=0D
Ginsburg wrote a letter to The AKC; dated October 8th 2007. The=0D
letter states that the AKC's letter was in error. I did not judge=0D
The GSDC of Eastern Tennessee. Mr. Ginsburg further explained the=0D
urgency in the removing these wrongful charges, as our National=0D
Futurity/Maturity Finals was to occur October 17th.=0D
Ms. Krause did not respond to the rebuttal letter. Sadly, Nancy=0D
Harper removed these winners from the catalogue and the owners were not=0D
able to show their dogs at the GSDCA National Futurity/Maturity finals.=0D
=0D
At the time, there was also a controversy about The NW=0D
Futurity/Maturity and the 4-month AKC rule being broken. A handler=0D
exhibited under the judge for whom he showed dogs in the 4 prior=0D
month time frame. This was not mentioned in the AKC letter sent to=0D
me October 3rd. Nancy Harper was fully aware that Jeff Pyle never in=0D
his lifetime exhibited a dog for me prior to my judging the SE=0D
Futurity/Maturity. I did not break The AKC 4-month rule.=0D
=0D
June 2008. The AKC Field Rep wrote a letter to Nancy Harper; not to=0D
me. The AKC letter stated that a conflict of interest occurred, but=0D
no disciplinary action was taken against me still based on the erroneous
letter.=0D
=0D
July 2008. Nancy Harper dictated a letter to the GSDCA corresponding=0D
secretary without Board approval. The letter stated that I violated=0D
Rule #14, the same the 4-month rule the NW Futurity/Maturity judge=0D
broke. On GSDCA letterhead, I was informed that I had been suspended=0D
from judging any GSDCA event for a period 0f 5 years. Note: Rule #14=0D
in the contract states that judges agree to perform a loose lead=0D
temperament test. It was not until the Jan. 2009 Board Meeting that=0D
a motion was passed to implement the new 4-month rule.=0D
=0D
I contacted 2 attorneys, Evan Ginsburg and Ed Farrell. The GSDCA=0D
corresponding secretary was notified that my constitutional rights=0D
had been violated. The GSDCA Policy and Procedures had not been=0D
followed. A three-person committee had not been convened, as=0D
explicitly required. Both attorneys pointed out that no charges with=0D
fees had been filed against me with the GSDCA as required by the By-=0D
Laws.=0D
=0D
January 2009. My attorneys could not attend the GSDCA Board meeting=0D
held in Las Vegas. A meeting was conducted to discuss the 5-year=0D
suspension given to me. MR. CARMEN BATTAGLIA waved around pages=0D
before and during the Board meeting that he claimed were letters=0D
against me from my file at AKC. Names of a Board member's daughter,=0D
as well as Mrs. Franklin, were used as writers and MR. BATTAGLIA told=0D
the Board I had other letters in my file. MRS. HARPER concurred.=0D
I read the letters from my attorneys and explained the errors. I=0D
finally gave up trying to reason, as it was chaotic with people=0D
yelling at me. Board members voted after stating they were not sure=0D
what was going on. I was told to get information from AKC and get=0D
back to the Board.=0D
=0D
MRS. HARPER stated that I should have taken the 2 years probation=0D
offered me. This probation was never offered me.=0D
=0D
I wrote the head of the Judges Dept. at AKC three times for letters=0D
in my file. Mr. Peter Gaeta told me there were no letters in my=0D
file.=0D
=0D
I then hired Attorney, Lisa Summers. Ms Summers wrote a letter to the=0D
Board and pointed out the violations of the By-Laws and P&P, the=0D
errors in the original charges and asked for withdrawal of the=0D
imposed penalty.=0D
We received no answer or even an explanation as to what the Board=0D
required. Ms. Summers again wrote the Board with even more strongly=0D
wording that the Board redresses its position.=0D
=0D
At the July meeting, MR. CARMEN BATTAGLIA pushed through a motion=0D
that I withdraw my lawsuit against the GSDCA. That would be difficult=0D
as there is no lawsuit. Again, I graciously gave the Board a 30-day=0D
extension to reply.=0D
August 2009. My attorney, Lisa Summers, wrote a letter to Mrs.=0D
Margaret Poindexter, General Counsel for AKC. She requested answers=0D
to many questions and among them, asked how did MR. BATTAGLIA acquire=0D
letters he waived at the board meeting found in my judge's file?=0D
Mrs. Poindexter and my attorney are still in communication. Mrs.=0D
Poindexter did confirm that the files of the Judging Operations are=0D
confidential and are maintained electronically. No one other than=0D
Judging Operations staff has access to said files.=0D
=0D
In closing:=0D
As a board member in early 2007, I vehemently opposed allowing Mr.=0D
Andrew Hunte to become a member of The GSDCA. Mr. Hunte may have=0D
been Mr. Battaglia's friend and employer; but I felt strongly about=0D
Mr. Hunte's lack of integrity by running a business through puppy=0D
mill operations. When Mr. Hunte's membership was denied; I was told=0D
I would be in jeopardy.=0D
=0D
Mr. Battaglia was further angered when I strongly questioned the=0D
forgery he put on GSDCA letterhead recommending him as The GSDCA=0D
Delegate and signing the then President Lew Bunch's signature on the=0D
bottom, with an incorrect spelling of Mr. Bunch's first name.=0D
=0D
Would I change my vote in light of all this? NO!=0D
=0D
There is NO lawsuit filed by me against the GSDCA or any of the Board=0D
members. I am still seeking answers and am hoping this can be=0D
resolved without any further damage being done to the club.=0D
=0D
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.=0D
=0D
I have always kept these words in my heart and mind:=0D
Never be afraid to speak the words in your heart.=0D
Never worry about what others think of these words.=0D
Never cower in condemnation=0D
No one is superior to you: no one has the right to change your beliefs.=0D
Stand tall against those that criticize out of ignorance or personal bias=
=2E=0D
Your truth is your reality.=0D
Believe in yourself.=0D
=0D
Joan F. Fox=0D
=0D
Anyone wishing clarification may contact my Attorney: Ms. Lisa Summers, 9=
010
Tyler Blvd.,=0D
#21 A, Mentor, Ohio 44060. I may be reached at 440-759-4119 or 440-543-91=
65
and will be=0D
happy to try and answer your questions.=0D
=0D
=20
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