OpenCDA

June 17, 2015

More Information – Not Necessarily Answers

Filed under: Probable Cause — Bill @ 4:10 pm

questionsOur post on June 15, 2015, entitled More Questions – Few Black and White Answers raised our own questions about Rachel Dolezal’s strange statements.

Today, the City of Spokane released a document entitled Report of the City of Spokane Whistleblower Committee.  It provides additional information and allegations about Rachel Dolezal’s conduct on the Office of Police Ombudsman Commission.   The Report asserts that the “… investigation substantiated [complainant’s name redacted] claims and revealed additional violations of law and City policies.”  The complaint had been lodged against Commissioners Dolezal, Berkompas, and Dominguez.

We assume more information will be forthcoming.

18 Comments

  1. Well, this story just continues to break. Here is some more interesting local drama.

    Kurt Neumaier, an alternate board member of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations, believes that a lot of people have wanted to simply ignore the questions. He says he brought concerns to the task force board recently, urging them to act in some way on the widespread concerns about the many claims she has made that “don’t pass the smell test.” Dolezal worked as an educator for the Human Rights Education Institute – which is separate from but linked to the task force – and Neumaier said she publically misrepresented her role with the group, among other concerns.

    Task force co-founder Tony Stewart and Christie Wood, current board chairwoman, have said they don’t recall Neumaier doing this. He insists he did, and he provided me with email messages showing that he had also discussed the issue with another board member. Whatever happened at board meetings, Stewart, Wood and everyone with any history or background on Dolezal have been aware of the whispers.

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 17, 2015 @ 6:38 pm

  2. Here is the link … http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2015/jun/17/as-dolezal-played-her-game-many-of-us-played-along/

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 17, 2015 @ 6:39 pm

  3. Stebbijo,

    The lack of news media integrity was demonstrated (yet again) in Vestal’s article. Here’s the paragraph:

    “During the interview, a small handgun sat on the coffee table in Dolezal’s living room. Afterward, Spokesman-Review photographer Colin Mulvany asked her if she would hold the gun for a photograph.

    She suggested getting her other gun.

    Her bigger one.”

    Ethical photojournalists do not stage “news” photographs, and they resist being manipulated by staged photo opportunities.

    And reading the comments associated with Vestal’s “We really wish we had done our job” article, look at this exchange between commenter Brian Breen and The Spokesman-Review’s Addy Hatch who “oversees the news-gathering operations of the city desk, the department responsible for reporting on local and regional news.”:

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    brianrbreen Guest • 13 hours ago

    I’m sure the SR will report on it at some point. 🙂 🙂

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    ddstrong brianrbreen • 13 hours ago

    Yeah, after it has gone national.
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    AddyHatch Staff Member brianrbreen • 12 hours ago

    We have the report, and no, we won’t report on it at this time.

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    brianrbreen AddyHatch • 12 hours ago

    Why? If you are waiting to get copies of the other report that was supposedly “suspended” I might understand…other than that I don’t know why you wouldn’t report it…it is public record.
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    addyh Staff Member brianrbreen • 11 hours ago

    Feel free to request it – it’s available to anyone. We’re trying to focus on the most important aspects of her stories to the Spokane community, as well as cover everything else that’s going on. Allegations of a date rape in San Francisco a decade ago doesn’t seem to be the most important thread to be following right now.
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    brianrbreen addyh • 10 hours ago

    ” We’re trying to focus on the most important aspects of her stories to the Spokane community, as well as cover everything else that’s going on.”

    You can “focus on the most important aspects of her stories to the Spokane community by establishing WHO knew WHAT, WHEN they knew it, WHERE they got it, HOW they knew it, and most importantly of all the WHY…not matter WHO has to take a hit for the WHY.
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    But now look at this extracted from The Spokesman-Review Newsroom Code of Ethics:

    In matters of significant public interest, particularly involving government and other institutions that impact public life, we tell people what we know when we know it, without fear or favor.

    Except when we don’t want to, right Addy? The credibility of Rachel Dolezal’s police complaints, regardless of when and where they were filed, are central to the issue.

    “Skews” paper.

    Comment by Bill — June 17, 2015 @ 7:27 pm

  4. Yes, I believe the skewspapers have orchestrated all of their stories and the timing is included. First they break the Rachel is a liar story, and then they disclose that an investigation on the Police Ombudsman has occurred, resulting in several misconduct and record tampering incidents calling for the resignation of three of the commissioners including Dolezal out of Spokane, WA. But, our papers keeps their focus on bit opinion and apology pieces by their own reporters that keep referring to Dolezal’s own reality show and her credibility.

    I am certain that there is more, too. If they report on it, however, that is another matter, and I bet they do not. They have probably timed the sensationalism of this story to blow over within 2 weeks and watch Selle and Dolan get an Idaho Press Club award next year.

    I am also watching the drama unfold and will also watch how fast it may also disappear off the radar. Probably by the weekend.

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 18, 2015 @ 7:49 am

  5. It seems as though the press chose to ignore the obvious ‘red flags’ regarding Dolezal. A person has to wonder if the press and the human rights commission chose this course of inaction/averted eyes because they did not want to be labeled as ‘racists’. Across the nation because of ‘political correctness’, and particularly in n idaho/spokane because of the stench that the long gone aryan nuts left, most everyone is afraid to say much of anything out of fear of being branded a racist.

    Comment by Tributary — June 18, 2015 @ 8:58 am

  6. Tributary,

    That’s a good observation.

    Comment by Bill — June 18, 2015 @ 11:50 am

  7. I agree, but on the flip side as Bill said, “As I said in my post, most of the information was known or knowable back then.”, I venture to say that with the alleged hate crimes that were never substantiated, that it may have been by design to keep the money flowing and keeping the Aryan saga alive. We know that Dolezal et. al are all ethically challenged. She obviously does not act alone. Has it ever occurred to anyone, while folks toot their own horns regarding diversity that they may have kept it in the news in order to secure an elite white area and still fight the good fight and get those nice big donations/grants ect? No one knows, because no one is digging for financial records, yet. Seriously, this Aryan stuff is not that unique, but North Idaho and the skewspapers jump at every whim to highlight the issue. I still think this whole ugly mess is about the money and not this big lie of Dolezal posing as a black person. The newspapers made the stench …

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 18, 2015 @ 5:57 pm

  8. Stebbijo,

    I agree with your conclusion that the news (skews) papers contribute to the continuing misperceptions about the area. However, I am more inclined to think that both the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and the Human Rights Education Institute began with benevolent purposes but without any serious reason to continue to be in existence after the Aryan Nations were suppressed. Unfortunately, some of the people on the KCTFHR and HREI became emotionally dependent on public recognition and acclaim, and their egos overtook their good sense. That can happen in good organizations when members begin to wrongly believe they are indispensable to the community. The organizations become a solution in desperate search for a problem.

    Comment by Bill — June 18, 2015 @ 7:11 pm

  9. I read this joke the other day, “I am trans-financial, meaning I am a rich woman in a poor woman’s body. Please send me money so I can fix my financial identity.”

    Rachel Dolezal, is sure fixing hers … trans-racial and all.

    I cannot disagree that the best intentions were and are in mind for many concerning human rights in this area, however, due to extreme naivety, ignorance, or deliberate fraud this area has been further compromised.

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 18, 2015 @ 9:47 pm

  10. Ring, Ring, Ring–we have a winner! Bill’s number 8 hits the old nail squarely on the head!

    Comment by Tributary — June 19, 2015 @ 7:29 am

  11. I agree, Trib .. Bill always hits the nail squarely on the head … now, when do we begin to discuss ignitecda, the name change that is costing us over 54K?

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 19, 2015 @ 9:05 am

  12. I wonder if the City of Spokane might have information regarding the identify of the private investigator and who hired him/her/it?
    As far as ignitecda is concerned, I suppose that the appointment of Mayor Widmyer to LCDC/ignitecda board raises a few questions too. I also would like to learn Rep. Sims’ and Sharon Culbreath’s thoughts on the ‘name’ change. It seems to me that the issue is much more than a ‘name’ change and more in nature of a ‘mission statement’ change.

    Comment by Tributary — June 19, 2015 @ 12:31 pm

  13. I am with you on that Tributary — finding out more about the investigator. Who knows, maybe charges down the road will surface against Dolezal concerning phony harassment/racist threats and we might find out. I would also love to hear Sim’s and Culbreath’s thoughts on this local ignite campaign. I would prefer, extinguish … tho.

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 19, 2015 @ 1:46 pm

  14. *** spelling alert *** – Culbreath is Culbreth.

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 19, 2015 @ 1:48 pm

  15. Maybe “Ignite” is appropriate:

    ig·nite
    iɡˈnīt/
    verb
    catch fire or cause to catch fire.
    “furniture can give off lethal fumes when it ignites”
    synonyms:catch fire, burst into flames, combust; More
    arouse or inflame (an emotion or situation).
    “the words ignited new fury in him”

    synonyms:arouse, kindle, trigger, spark, instigate, excite, provoke, stimulate, animate, stir up, whip up, rally, jump-start, incite, fuel
    “the campaign failed to ignite voter interest”

    O.k., maybe doesn’t describe a quasi-governmental taxing entity whose mission revolves around mitigation of blighted areas, but if nothing else they will take credit for creating a couple of jobs till they change their name to “Implode CDA”

    Comment by Old Dog — June 19, 2015 @ 4:03 pm

  16. Old Dog, I think you are right about the “bait and switch” … and meaning, that with the new name, the LCDC will move our money down to East Sherman … as “ignite” while they continue to develop et.al … then if it all fails, then of course the the Big “H” can “Implode CDA” and start all over again.

    Confuse the public, it works every time.

    Did we not hire some PR person to change the image of the LCDC awhile ago … Yes, I think we did.

    Obviously, that was wasted money.

    Comment by Stebbijo — June 19, 2015 @ 7:35 pm

  17. The recent Inlander article about Dolezal made the interesting statement: “When she worked for the Human Rights Education Institute in Coeur d’Alene in 2010, Dolezal threatened to leave if they didn’t make her executive director. When they didn’t, she quit, accusing the anti-discrimination institute of discrimination. “http://www.inlander.com/spokane/the-real-rachel-dolezal/Content?oid=2488699
    The Inlander claims to carefully fact check its stories. Thus, assuming this is true, perhaps it explains why the HRI has had nothing to say? Also, if true, one has to wonder why wasn’t this newsworthy at the time?

    Comment by Tributary — June 22, 2015 @ 8:52 am

  18. Tributary,

    Hypothetically, assume the Inlander is reporting accurately. If Dolezal accused HREI of arbitrarily discriminating against her based on her race, did HREI discriminate against her because she was white or black?

    Here’s another question: If an applicant is white but self-identifies as black, is there any basis for a complaint of racial discrimination?

    Comment by Bill — June 22, 2015 @ 5:42 pm

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