I am going to keep this post very simple. That way everyone can understand it.
The city got a letter from a local attorney who is also a resident in Greensboro.
Click on Walt Jones' letter to read it.
Jones letter was addressed to the City Attorney, Linda Miles. However, in the letter Jones requests it be made available to the council. Jones letter was never given to council. One odd thing about this action is it was done at the same time the council was praising Mitch and his staff for keeping them totally informed.
We have now learned that at least one document was withheld from council. Not just any letter. A very interesting letter that had serious allegations being made against Mitch Johnson and Linda Miles was not given to council as requested. Strange.
Even more strange was who wrote the letter. The letter came from a Wray hater. There is no love lost between Wray and Jones. This letter was not from a puppet or a Wrayster. This letter came from a man that has long knives out for Wray.
But, his letter alleged that Linda Miles and Mitch Johnson were not being honest about what was going on. He also reports that Miles wanted to gather dirt on people like Wray's Attorney's as well as Judge Stuart Albright. Miles hates Albright because he took the Project Homestead Investigation out of her hands. According to Jones, Miles did not appear to be concerned with justice. She just wanted to get Wray. It appeared she had a grudge against Wray.
That letter was never given to council. It is was received by Miles days after city staff was praised in the media for keeping the council informed. This was done in May 2006.
What else has been withheld? The Walt Jones letter was an important letter. It was requested to be sent to council. It had nothing good to say about Miles or Johnson. It alleged ethical violations by Miles. It was not sent to council.
It was not sent to council at the same time communication and transparency and full disclosure was a theme of the city. If there ever was a time to carefully forward things to council this was the time.
Carmany's response is she thinks that the letter should have been mailed to her directly. Her position is that Jones was at fault. She has not said that she wished the city attorney and city manager would pass along information when requested.
She feels that if you want to communicate with the council you should mail them directly in all cases. Asking the city attorney to make something available to council is not enough.
However, there was not a return letter to Jones informing him that his letter would not be made available to council. They did not send him a letter telling him how to get in touch with council so he could tell them whatever he wanted. They simply buried it. They offered no help or information to Jones. They buried it and did not report anything to council.
It seems that Jones could have sent the letter to council easily. However, he did send it to Miles and request it be made available to council. Miles failed to do that. She also failed to inform him that his letter would not be sent to council and he would have to do that himself. Sandy thinks this is okay. I feel that if someone wrote a letter on a paper bag in crayon and misspelled every word and took it to the city attorney's office and requested it be made available to council it is the city attorney's job to do it or at least explain how to get it done.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Carmany on the Walt Jones Letter.
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18 comments:
Let me get this straight:
-Mitch Johnson alleges David Wray did not keep him and City Council informed of significant activities in the Hinson investigation. This alleged "failure to inform" forms the basis for the entire RMA investigation and eventually Wray's demise. Yet, Linda Miles keeps a letter of significant political impact regarding allegations of her personal misconduct of from City Council. Is there an investigation being conducted on this situation. Can we expect an encore appearance from the "investigative wizards" - RMA?
city government needs to be ripped out by the roots...lets start with new city council members then work our way down to city staff.
"People don't question lies, they only question lies they don't like".
Ben, a lawyer has a duty to inform his client of all information conveyed to him or her within the scope of their representation.
That Linda Miles would not forward this information to her client- the people of Greensboro through their elected representatives is inexcusable considering the potential liability involved.
Further, the City attorney is supposed to represent the City, not her own interests and if her own interests collide with that of the City, there is a conflict.
It is also inexcusable that Sandy and others on the City Council seemed disinclined to talk to Walt Jones about his version of events. The fact that Miles didn't bring the meeting and Walt Jones' allegations to the attention of the Council until after you published it would raise all kinds of red flags if I were her client, the City.
I would demand to know why Walt Jones accusations weren't reported when the letter was received and I would contact Jones to explain the contents of the letter.
Sandy and apparently the rest of the Council aren't interested. Why?
They really have no idea how serious their response to the Wray affair and things like this letter are in the court of public opinion.
Either they are incompetent or conspirators continuing to engage in a cover up, at least that is how it appears to the public and they have done nothing to dispel that belief. In fact, they continue to make it worse.
I'm willing to eat crow if I'm wrong about all of this, but it doesn't look like any of them are.
CA
Could charges be brought against Linda Miles with the bar? She actually works for the citizens of Greensboro. Why couldn'd a citizen do this intead of our inept council
Ben,
Thanks for re-posting this as I hadn't read it before now. Pretty amazing stuff.
The way I read it, if accurate in its entirity, this document tells us two things:
1 - Linda Miles is guilty of withholding information from the Council while at the same time pursuing a personal grudge against David Wray. and...
2 - Mitch Johnson did the right thing in his handling of David Wray.
Hoggard
Ben, do you understand what in your posting would have convinced Hoggard to arrive at his #2 conclusion? I have read and reread what you posted and I cannot see anything in it that showed/proved "Mitch Johnson did the right thing in his handling of David Wray"? Maybe Hoggard will clarify this for me. Thanks.
Betty Almond
Betty, I have spent two years trying to understand and excuse David Hoggard as just being naive because I once thought I saw a kernel of sincerity in him. I have since sadly had to admit that the man is simply intellectually challenged. Others have been telling me he is nothing but an opportunist and not to be taken seriously. Well, whether stupid or scheming he has marginalized himself by joining forces with the low life in our city government. Brenda Bowers
Betty,
Page 2, paragraphs 4 and 5.
Hoggard - the stupid, scheming opportunist
To clarify.
What I am referring to is in the actual Jones letter, not in Ben's post.
I always helps to read the supporting documents.
The intellectually challenged David Hoggard
Sandy know a lot of stuff about Wray. A lot of bad stuff. If you knew what she knew, you would say Wray is a rasict and got everything he deserved. If you knew what Sandy knew, you would trust Mitch Johnson because he would never tell a story. And Sandy only smirked once, and that was after reading the Rhino. She knew what she read was wrong but she had to bite her tongue. She couldn't say what she knew just yet. She was gonna tell us about Wray after the SBI investigation was over but now she's gonna wait until after the upcoming elections. Sandy dont like being called a liar but she just cant say anything to defend herself quite yet. She will tell us what she knows soon, though. So yall give Sandy a break now cause she knows a lot of stuff and when we know what she knows, it will be worth the wait.
She will have plenty of time to talk after the election is over. She will be able to talk after she cleans out her desk for her replacement to take over.Then she will have time to think about what she should have said.She has made a big mistake siding with the shitty manager on everything he does.It makes her look like she is not doing her job. What a shame for her.
You will find the Jones letter here: http://thetroublemaker.blogspot.com/2007_09_01archive.html
Sorry David, Still stupid (but I am not yet committed to the charge of "scheming opportunist" since you are still firmly on the losing side, and like the others grabbing a straws). Jones' assertions that documents proving David Wray changed internal documents is all we have here, not the actual documents. On the other hand if the city had them as Jones says then surely they were made available to the SBI and David Wray would have been charged. He wasn't. And they would have been within the two year statue of limitations so there could have been charges made by the SBI. Also since the City Council has voted to let the puiblic see all pertinent data I would think proof of Wrays forging documents would be a vitally important piece of proof to offer the public. They haven't shown us any such documentation. BB
Miles violated her legal duty to the Chief by not recusing herself from representing him as she is required under the City Charter Section 4.21 and under the NC Bar Ethic Rule 1.7.
She never once believed she was conducting an investigation to defend her client, the Chief of Police. She and Johnson are dishonest and should be removed.
Brenda, David is not stupid, scheming, intellectually challenged or an opportunist. He's a cool guy. He and Ben don't always see eye to eye on everything (news flash: Hogg's not alone there) but don't let Ben's serial blogdrama "Hogg Wash" fool you. Those two are not enemies. Far from it.
Have you ever seen a puppy that showed its affection by jumping on you and biting you? With a big, happy grin on its face the whole time? Like, "Dude, isn't this fun?" And you're thinking, "Not really. It kind of hurts." But the puppy's all into it and totally happy and jumping around and still biting you, so even though it's frustrating you a lot and you're thinking, "Man, this is one crazy-a puppy," you can't really stay mad at it forever? Yeah, it's just like that.
Donnell,
Excellent analogy.
But I want to be the puppy...
A big lick and a nip to Ben.
David Hoggard - the sick puppy
Donnelle, If you knew me, or had read my comments on others sites, or my own blog you would never think me capable of being influenced by any one. My disagreements with Joe and Sam, two men whom I greatly admire for their clear, unbiased and intelligent posts, is evidence of this. I offen agree with Ben Holder because Ben offers proof with his opinions. David on the other hand goes off on these wild tangents where he claims seeing proof to add veracity to his beliefs that baffle the mind. He also waffles back and forth often contradicting a previous statement ala John Kerry. I have long noted this tendency in him and called him naive, but now I have come to believe the evidence is overwhelming that more than naivete is involved. And no, I do not consider him a "cool guy" either.
As for Ben and David being friends I see this as no barrier to their disagreements no matter how abasive they are towards each other. Brenda Bowers
Margaret Banks says she will look into the letter at John Robinson's blog:
Margaret Banks said:
Tony Wilkins - the one person in Greensboro who can't get enough of my work!
Today I'm working on the story about the petition at Coliseum Cafe. The rest of the week, I'll be working on profiles of all the candidates whose races have primaries. Those stories are running Thursday (District 1), Friday (District 3), Saturday (District 5) and Sunday (at-large).
I'll take a look at the letter next week. If I do much more this week, you'll find me disoriented and confused, walking the streets with my friends the space aliens.
Posted on September 25, 2007 2:29 PM
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