Rumor Has It: Federal Judges Believe City of Vancouver Involved In Conspiracy

During the recent Sharma vs City of Vancouver lawsuit, Vancouver City officials repeatedly claimed that the city does not practice in inappropriate actions such as discrimination and retaliation.

Rumor has it ...

Rolando Henandez was a former City of Vancouver employee. He was a victim of a race based harassment where the city did not take his complaint seriously. He filed a lawsuit locally, but the City Attorney's Office made a motion to dismiss, with requests to prevent important statements entered as evidence.

The case was dismissed.

On April 14, 2008, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a local lawsuit. In favor of the victim, Rolando Hernandez. In the 11 pg reversal, it states, "The evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to Hernandez, goes to show that a conspiracy existed between Tanninen and the city to cover up the investigation of race-based hostility." Words from Federal Judges. (Mark Tanninen was Hernandez's supervisor)

This ruling, less than 7 months ago and prior to the Sharma settlement, makes it evident that corruption, like cover ups within the city, are being recognized at the Federal level.

Here is the link to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Website...

Please read this powerful reversal of the Federal Judges and give us your opinion.

Sam Fisher

Rumor Has It: Mayor Does an 'About Face' To ' Save Face'

Last Friday, the City of Vancouver Mayor, Royce Pollard, sent off a certified letter to the Justice Department requesting a federal probe... only to make himself look good.

According to an e-article (Friday October 10, 2008, 5:13 PM) in The Oregonian by Holley Gilbert, the Mayor's letter asked to "review allegations regarding discriminatory actions that were directed at Mr. Sharma due to his ethnicity that allegedly contributed toward his termination," as well as allegations of "transgressions made during the internal investigations and disciplinary process."

Members of the community, the letter said, have charged that city employees engaged in "misconduct during the investigation and termination of Mr. Sharma" and did not tell the truth in pretrial statements.

"This is an issue of significant concern to our community," Mayor Royce E. Pollard said in a certified letter to the department's Seattle office.

"We're not afraid to do this. We don't think we have anything to hide," he said. "If there are legal issues, then it's in the right system."

(Read the complete article....)

Rumor has it ........

According to a BLOG Comment to the above article by RghtThing2Do on 10/11/08 at 12:38AM, the City made an unexpected strategic move by filing with the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the real 'victims' or 'interested parties' could actually file. This move by the City, was done with hopes of getting an unfair advantage, using reverse psychology, attempting to make the City 'look good' in the eyes of DOJ.

According to a Columbian (Saturday, October 11 5:05 a.m) e-article by Erik Robinson,

Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle, even said, “What is unusual is that the city is making this request,” she said. “In the usual course of events, we become aware of alleged civil rights violations from a victim or the victim’s advocates. Quite honestly, the FBI will open a preliminary civil rights violation simply based on news reports.”

(Read more of the Columbian's article.....)

Well, lucky for us all, DOJ planned on starting an investigation prior to the Mayor sending a certified letter on Friday. So the 'wolf in sheep's clothing' trick isn't going to work here.

There needs to be an immediate re-filing, or additional filing, requesting the scope of the investigation to include, but not limited to Conspiracy to Violate Civil Rights and Perjury to include as suspects, Mayor Royce Pollard, City Manager Pat McDonnell, City Attorney Ted Gathe, several other City Attorneys, VPD Asst Chief Mitch Barker, VPD Commander Nannette Kistler, and few other VPD Administrators. These 'city leaders' actions (collectively and individually) and recorded testimonies should be looked at very carefully, and if the DOJ deem that crimes occurred, then they each should be dealt with individually as potential criminals. Relief of Duty, Admin Leave, etc, should be done immediately after a finding of criminal activity, until the investigation is final.

It would be interesting to see how much 'influence' the city will have on this investigation.

I think it is very clear that the Mayor wanted to wash his own hands of any involvement and throw the rest of his posse under the proverbial bus. His letter was an attempt to make himself "look good" and give the appearance that it was his idea or will be done at his request. The Mayor took advantage of the citizens, and took their intelligence for granted, knowing the average citizen had no idea that a Federal probe was inevitable.

The Mayor's letter to DOJ, was a day late, and $1.65 million short.

The City of Vancouver Continues to Retaliate Against Officer Sharma in Public Meetings

Council Member Says Sharma Was Not Victim
Monday, October 13 10:45 p.m.
By JEFFREY MIZE COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

A former Vancouver police officer who received a $1.65 million discrimination settlement was not the victim, a member of the Vancouver City Council said Monday.

Councilman Larry Smith said the real victims were 78 people whose reputations were damaged by Navin Sharma’s “false” and “sloppy” drunken-driving reports.

“Sharma actually discriminated against these 78,” Smith said during a discussion of how the city intends to carry out a post-settlement review. “I’m a little concerned that those individuals who got a false report have been victimized.”

Greg Ferguson, a Vancouver attorney who represented Sharma in the federal discrimination lawsuit, did not return messages left on his cell phone Monday.

Smith’s comments came one week after several people, including a retired Vancouver police lieutenant and a former Vancouver assistant city prosecutor, told the city council it was necessary for an agency with subpoena power to conduct a subsequent investigation.

(Read more of this Columbian article....)

Councilman Larry Smith is quick to judge and make public statements. Once again, an elected official points blame towards Officer Navin Sharma with hopes of shifting blame away from themselves. It is clear that Councilman Smith had not previewed the public documents made available to him.

On October 11, 2008 RightThing 2Do Commented a BLOG Post and noted....

"Pollard said it’s important to remember the case started when an officer, referring to Sharma, filed 78 false police reports."

It was very obvious that Mayor Royce Pollard was attempting to publicly convict Officer Sharma of some wrong doing, or at least wanted the public to believe that, to shift blame away from the City Attorney's Office, The City Manager, and VPD Admin Staff.. or was he?

Maybe the Mayor actually believes Sharma was wrongfully terminated and wanted to send a message to look into the VPD Admin and City Attorney's Office and placing blame there.

We CAN NOT forget that these DUI reports were the beginning of the final head-hunt that ended up in Officers Sharma's wrongful termination.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports that were inaccurate, however, through a Washington State Patrol investigation, deemed a "training issue", rather than deceitful acts.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports that a few VPD Admin staff dug up and actually looked for, in hopes of finding ammo against Sharma.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports which had the same simple common errors that other officer's reports had. Those other erroneous "false police reports" which were also "filed", were determined to be "training issues" too, and no other officers were fired.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports that were filed into the courts, with subtle errors, so subtle that no VPD supervisor, City Attorney, defense attorney, or Judge even noticed.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports which 78 supervisors were required to review and approved, a process to catch errors, were never questioned or disciplined. In fact, Sharma's first-line supervisor was never questioned about Sharma's performance or reports during the Internal Affairs investigation.

Let us not forget those DUI Reports, that had simple common Cut N' Paste errors that were so subtle, no one caught them in the report writing, report approval, and court process ... AND errors that were deemed by a WSP investigation as "training issues".

These same reports were dug up from the past at the direction of a VPD Administrator, used to sand bag Sharma towards wrongful termination. Pollard said it’s important to remember the case started when an officer, referring to Sharma, filed 78 false police reports...... reports that VPD Admin, City Attorney's Office, and the City Manager's Office used as 'leverage' to carryout their 'bully tactics' and wrongfully terminate Sharma.

Who were the VPD Administrators and City Attorneys that were pushing to 'use' these DUI reports in hopes of railroading Sharma?

Councilman Smith's public accusation is shocking to me, not shocking that it came from him, but shocking that it appears the city is continuing to harass and retaliate against Officer Sharma.

How can Councilman Larry Smith, an elected official, publicly accuse a citizen of discrimination?

Rumor Has It: The City and The Columbian In Shady Land Deal

The end of 2002, The Columbian signed a deal to purchase six acres south of Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver. This deal gave the newspaper the area to construct it's new building and the gave the city land to build its Hilton hotel-convention center project. The agreement with Christensen Family Properties, with a $5 million price tag on the land.

In early 2002, Vancouver City officials approached Columbian owner, Scott Campbell about buying most of the property south of Esther Short Park, with hopes The Columbian would keep it's business downtown.

The city benefited from the deal in tax credits if development of he land began by the end of 2003. If not, the city would have forfeited a state sales tax credit worth more than $700,000 a year, plus another sales tax credit through Clark County, worth $500,000 a year.


THE COLUMBIAN IN FINANCIAL DILEMMA?....OR IS THAT WHAT THEY WANT US TO BELIEVE?

In June 1999, (before the purchase of the current site) the newspaper purchased the former Jantzen garment factory on Grand Boulevard. It had options to relocate business to this 13 acre site along State Highway 14.

Now that a possible Federal oversight, inquiry, or investigation into the corrupt Vancouver City Government, to include the Mayor's Office, the City Manager, the City Attorney, and a few top brass at the Vancouver Police Department, is The Columbian worried that the scope of the investigation may potentially include real estate deals with the city?


http://www.greatstreets.org/MainStreets/MainStImages/MainVancouverNews/Columbian5.html

Open Letter To The City of Vancouver 10-10-08

I am a citizen of this community and I am very angry at the government of The City of Vancouver; the mayor, city manager, and city attorney. These three guys have lied blatantly to their constituents. Their level of arrogance and dictatorship is beyond belief! Our voices in the City Council Chambers the last few weeks, have not been respected by the majority of the council members. In particular the 10-06-08 City Council Meeting.

As soon as Pat McDonnell expressed his desire to purchase The Columbian building with city's money, his cronies Royce Pollard and Eric Holmes immediately jumped on the bandwagon to cheer up the idea. What does that tell you? Who actually runs the city here?

Based on my experience helping ethnic minority citizens with filing complaints against the Vancouver Police Department within the past years I can tell you that the internal affairs investigation process at the VPD is a joke, a sham and a system of abuse. Most often the complainants were ridiculed and labeled as 'having mental health problems' by the investigating officers. I have been given my own special label, "The-Fucking-Piece-Of-Work," by commander Nannette Kistler of the VPD.

Silent no more, folks! It is time for us to form a picket line in front of the city hall to educate the whole world about the injustice in "America's Vancouver."

On another note, I want to thank a person who has been leaving comments on posts on OregonLive.com and other blogs in regards to the Navin Sharma case, "RghtThing2Do". I want to thank her/him for their eloquent, sincere, and urgent messages to us all about the reasons why we all need to do the right things, especially now.

Quan Tran

Brush Prairie

If you wish to have your open letters or commentary published or become a blogger here at Vancouver Washington Corruption Log please email me: goldiedavich@gmail.com -- Goldie

The Columbian: Give me a break!

These two stories ran today from The Columbian. Will somebody please tell me WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON?*


Vancouver envisions new City Hall
Thursday, October 9 | 2:08 p.m.
By ERIK ROBINSON

The sudden availability of a six-story downtown office building is prompting Vancouver city officials to reconsider a plan to build a new City Hall.

Columbian Publisher Scott Campbell announced Wednesday that the newspaper will move its business and newsroom operations back to its former facility at 701 Eighth Street after just 10 months in the new building.

The newspaper building at 415 W. Sixth St. could be an ideal resolution to the city’s decade-long effort to consolidate city operations under one roof, said Eric Holmes, the city’s economic development director. He said the building is the right size, in the right place and the price is in line with the $35 million to $40 million the city expects to spend redeveloping the Esther Short Building into a new City Hall.

“We’re actually very close to issuing a request for proposals for development teams to look at that site,” Holmes said. “But with this new information about The Columbian building being listed, the responsible thing for us to do would be to look at it.”

The newspaper moved into its $30 million building in January, but a severe downturn in advertising revenue and high building costs are forcing the company to move back to Eighth Street. Read full story...

City may want to buy Columbian building
Thursday, October 9 | 11:39 a.m.
By JEFFREY MIZE

A potential buyer emerged on the same day The Columbian announced plans to vacate its downtown office building.

The city of Vancouver intends to see if the building could fit into its long-range plans to consolidate operations in downtown.

“This is something we’re serious about looking at,” City Manager Pat McDonnell said. “I just don’t know if we can afford it.” Read full story

Related stories:
Columbian Newspaper considering bankruptcy

Columbian plans return to former offices

Columbian newspaper publisher announces plan to build $30M office in Vancouver (from Sept. 15th, 2005)

*please feel free to answer by leaving a comment! (don't forget to subscribe to your comments!)

Vancouver City Council Meeting 10-06-08: CVTV Breakdown

Here is a review the Citizen's Concern portion of the City of Vancouver's Council meeting that was help Monday October 14th, 2008.

I watched this portion in it's entirety. I wrote down at what time on the CVTV feed citizens spoke. Towards the end when all hell broke loose, including Ms. Harris shutting down Mr. Campbell, Mayor Royce Pollard yelling about KATU camera's being there, City Attorney Ted Gathe reflecting on citizen's "mistaken beliefs".

Click here to watch Citizen Concern or other portions of 10-06-08 City Council meeting

Note:
When watching video that is streamed, like the CVTV coverage of City Council meetings, you can not skip ahead. That is how streaming vidoe from the internet works. You can go skip back to part of the video once it has played. I suggest you let the stream play. Take note of the time. You can go about doing other things, then skip back to the portions you want to watch. YOU CAN however right click on the "citizen's communication" link and "save link as". This will download the .wmv file on to your computer. This means you will be able to watch it on your Window's Media Player. You will then be able to skip forward of back as you like. Please leave a comment if you need help. -- Goldie

Citizen Communications:

00:28-02:27 / Tom Martin speaking of purger and request for
02:29-06:35 / Bill Turlay speaking of water issues
06:45-10:31 / Dan Johnson calling for an independent, 3rd party agency with subpoena and arrest powers to investigate departments
10:31-12:25 / Mayor explains what the council has agreed to do in regards to investigation of departments as a result of the Navin Sharma suit
12:30-16:19 / Goldie Davich asking for independent 3rd party with subpoena/arrest powers not to be selected by City Manager or Attorney's office
16:27-19:57 / Ed Lynch (partner of Vancouver's Downtown Association / contributer to republican campaigns and $1million to SW Washignton Medical Center Foundation) defending the City Manager's reputation
19:57-24:52 / Winnie Clements asking the council to look at the fact that came to light in affidavits that clearly state a culture of retaliation and intimidation in the VPD, Attorney's office and Managers office
27:12-29:30 / Kim Capeloto (President of The Bank of Clark County) defending the City Manager's reputation
25:07-27:07 / Mr. Peabody in regards to sidewalk
29:35-32:44 / Jodi Davich asking for a thorough investigation pointing to institutional racism
32:44-37:47 / Bruce Hall asking for independent 3rd party agency with subpoena/arrest powers organizational review of city departments
41:00-44:40 / comments from council beginning with Ms. Stewart speaking about the objectiveness of the City Manager selecting agency's to to the investigation does not offer "the appropriate level of confidence in the outcome"
44:40-45:54 / Ms Stewart asks Mayor "what is the time table" -- Pat McDonnell response. Ms. Jolatta "has to be paid for and we approve payment"
45:54-47:30 / Ms. Harris speaks about request for qualifications. Pat McDonnell repsonds. Mr. Pat Campbell asks, "Will the department of Justice be on that menu?". Ms. Jeanne Harris cuts him off. There is no answer to Mr. Campbell's question.
47:30-48:55 / Ms. Stewart "with us as a public agency and the Department of Justice as a public agency why would we have to, couldn't we invite them to do it? Why would we have to pay?"
48:55-50:50 / Ms. Stewart, "Would we be looking @ an agency that has subpeona power as part of the criteria that we are looking at?".
50:50-51:50 / Mayor Royce Pollard, "Was someone found guilty in this personnel case that we just went through?" (obviously not a direct answer). Ted Gathe's response to Mayors question, "Not a criminal offense -- apparently there are those in the community that have some, I believe mistaken belief that some how there have been crimes that have been committed in connection with this entire case. Being accused of things that are simply not true. I think it is completely and totally inappropriate. But I urge the council to do a thorough investigation" mentions something about BASELESS ACCUSATIONS
51:50-54:10 / Stewart and Mayor go back and forth. Mayor Royce Pollard, "It started out as an officer who did 78 incomplete false reports, not grammatical errors or spelling, 78 DUI reports that were wrong!"
54:10-54:55 / Mayor Royce Pollard, "Why do we have a TV here tonight?!". Pat Campbell, "because we are a public body"... Mayor to Campbell, "Did you set this up?!"
54:55-56:12 / Mr. Campbell illustrates why an independent investigation was something he wanted and didn't get in a case related to him when he was in law enforcement. "I just don't see what the perceived resistance is -- It's a good thing."
56:12-57:30 / "I DON"T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU" Jeanne Harris to Pat Campbell. Tim Levitt comments "People will be surprised on the outcome"

Talk amongst yourself!

The Columbian in bed with Vancouver Police Officers Guild

Follow this thread if you want to know the answer!

1. From The Columbian:

In Our View: Removing stains
Thursday, September 11 | 12:01 a.m.

Navin K. Sharma was victimized by a vicious, intentional campaign of racial discrimination and workplace abuse that could only be imagined in the Deep South a half-century ago. But to the shame of our community, the taunting, prejudicial retribution and other hideously primitive conduct was heaped upon Sharma by his fellow police officers, supposedly Vancouver’s “finest.”

For that, the Vancouver Police Department has painted itself with stains of bigotry, hatred and cultural ignorance that will be difficult to wipe away. City Manager Pat McDonnell seems prepared to begin the cleansing process. “Obviously, there are going to be a lot of lessons,” McDonnell said on Tuesday after the city agreed to pay Sharma $1.65 million to end a racial discrimination lawsuit. “I think we may need to bring in outside folks to give us different eyes on how we view things.”

Soon, if not immediately, “I think” should evolve to “I know,” and that outside review of the Vancouver Police Department must come from as independent a source as possible.

This review is owed to more than just Sharma, a man of East Indian ethnicity who despite all the discrimination put together a glowing record of service in the department. It’s owed to the many officers of the Vancouver Police Department who do things right, and to the citizens of Vancouver who look to those police officers for protection.

This will take months or longer to unfold. For now, the focus remains on one man whose curiosity about the future is as deep as his disbelief about the past.

Sharma was fired two years ago after making what his attorneys say were inadvertent mistakes in filing reports. And in 1998, his attorneys say, Sharma was labeled a snitch for testifying against two sergeants in an internal affairs investigation. What ensued was a wave of racial taunts, vindictive actions by supervisors, hateful pranks by fellow officers and, in short, the methodical erosion of a fine police officer’s record of service.

What’s worse, the harassment and sheer meanness was continual. Sharma previously settled two out-of-court claims dating back to 2001, one against the city and one against Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency.

This time, Sharma and his attorneys were ready to go to court with the sworn affidavits of 30-plus police officers who would supply damning evidence of the discrimination. Others would testify in support of Sharma’s honor and integrity.

Obviously, that was why the city agreed to pay what Sharma’s legal team called one of the largest single-plaintiff settlements — if not the largest — in state history.

Additionally, the city will correct Sharma’s personnel file to show he retired in good standing, make sure his law enforcement credentials are untarnished, replace any state benefits that were lost and write a letter of gratitude.

That’s a lot of money and a lot of work. Still, those three stains — bigotry, hatred and cultural ignorance — remain. Only with McDonnell’s continued resolve to reform the department, followed by a thorough and independent review, then an arm’s-length list of corrective measures, can the cleansing begin.

Police Chief Cliff Cook, who has been on the job for a year and a half, has his work cut out for him. An embarrassed community will be watching closely, while one fine cop wonders how life in Vancouver, Wash., in the 21st century could have ever become so cruel.

2. I found this in the comment section of oregonlive.com in the article Vancouver urged to investigate police after ex-officer's settlement published Monday September 15, 2008. The commentator is RghtThing2Do:

From VPOG President Kipp:
VPOG response to the Columbian editorial about the Navin Sharma lawsuit settlement:

Understanding that editorials are just opinions, those opinions should be based upon the facts presented. The editorial offered by the Columbian regarding the settlement between Officer Navin Sharma and the City of Vancouver is an offense against line personnel of the Vancouver Police Department for it's slanderous accusations that show total disregard of the facts in this matter. Did the Editor(s) even read their own story or review the comments made by Officer Sharma and his attorneys during his post-settlement press conference? It appears that they did not considering the baseless and insulting attack against the Police Officers, Corporals, Detectives, and Sergeants who have supported Officer Sharma throughout this process.

There has never been a finding that any line personnel of the Vancouver Police Department engaged in an "intentional campaign of racial discrimination and workplace abuse" against Officer Sharma. That statement is outrageous, and the author owes every officer at VPD an apology. The Columbian is blaming the rank and file members of the police Department for acts committed by others. You should make sure to report the facts correctly before heaping such inflammatory rhetoric on a group.

The members of the Vancouver Police Officer's Guild who have unanimously stood behind Officer Sharma had nothing to do with his termination or the mistreatment he received which led to the settlement. In fact, our members lack the authority to impose such discipline and we warned department managers that terminating him was not warranted and would be overturned in arbitration. Those responsible include VPD command personnel, personnel in the City Attorney’s Office and ultimately, the City Manager himself. As Pat McDonnell prepares “…to begin the cleansing process” as you state in your editorial, he should start by looking in the mirror.

Officer Sharma himself acknowledged the support he received from his colleagues, and was very clear to identify just who was responsible for this situation. How did the Editor get this so wrong?

Jeff Kipp
President
Vancouver Police Officer’s Guild

3. The Columbian's twist on Jeff Kipp's letter:

In our view: Find the truth
Wednesday, September 17 | 12:01 a.m.

Outside, independent review is vital after Vancover police officer’s lawsuit who could possibly oppose public enlightenment about public officials? The public officials’ union leaders, course.

So we were not surprised when Jeff Kipp, president of the Vancouver Police Officers Guild, sent an e-mail to The Columbian opposing an outside, independent review of a recent personnel case in the department. His stance rebuts a Columbian editorial urging a review of the police department after the city settled a racial discrimination lawsuit, agreeing to pay former police Officer Navin K. Sharma $1.65 million. Kipp insists the fault lies with the city’s top management, not with rank-and-file police officers. Yet, according to a Columbian story last week, affidavits in the Sharma case included many references to improper conduct by officers. Kipp might have overlooked the editorial’s insistence that a thorough review is “owed to the many officers of the Vancouver Police Department who do things right, and to the citizens of Vancouver who look to those police officers for protection.”

That is the first irony here, that the police officers union would oppose the revelation of how well they do their job. One would think the union would welcome any type of scrutiny.

A thorough review means top to bottom, from the police officer on the street to the sergeants, captains and other key decision-makers, to the two other unions embracing employees of the police department, to the city manager, city attorney’s office, city councilors, mayor, indeed anyone even remotely connected this case. To his credit, Kipp seemed to agree with a broader review: “If you want to look at an overall process and have it be a thorough, comprehensive examination, we would welcome it and take a wait-and-see approach … If it is (City Manager Pat McDonnell’s) intent to make things better where we work, we would appreciate that.”

But here is the second irony in this case: McDonnell is catching heat for the recent personnel controversy, yet he is one of the strongest advocates of a thorough and independent review. If McDonnell is as flawed as many of his detractors claim (several residents at Monday’s city council meeting demanded he be fired), why is McDonnell so adamant about outside scrutiny of his work as city manager?

The answer is clear: McDonnell wants the truth, all of it, problems and solutions, plus a course of corrective action.

Just as the police officers union contradicts itself by singing the officers’ praises while opposing a review that would reveal such attributes, McDonnell’s detractors contradict themselves by demanding his firing even before the expository independent review, which they also demand. Well, if McDonnell is inept, why not wait for the supporting evidence?

If McDonnell is proved by an outside review to be at fault in the Sharma case, that might surprise city council members and, quite frankly, us as well. Earlier this year the council conducted a “360-degree evaluation” of McDonnell’s performance, consulting not only city department managers but also community representatives. In a dozen categories, with 5 being the highest rating, McDonnell was scored 4.45 overall, up from 4.22 in 2004. His highest score was in “results orientation.”

For that, the council unanimously approved a 12.3 percent raise for McDonnell, taking his salary to $171,650. In Vancouver’s form of government, the city manager is one of the most powerful and responsible positions. McDonnell, for example, single-handedly hired Police Chief Cliff Cook a year and a half ago.

Vancouver residents, especially taxpayers, deserve the whole truth and total accountability from their police department and from their city government officials. Let the search for that truth begin expeditiously.

4. Now thread back to the comments posted at oregonlive.com by CourtRecords (these blog comments are wonderful!):

Posted by CourtRecords on 09/18/08 at 8:58AM

To my astonishment – honestly, to my shock! staff writer, Jeffrey Mize of the Columbian obediently prints Pollard and McDonnell’s blatant lies in an effort to surreptitiously shift alliances to drive a wedge between the rank & file of the VPOG and the Vancouver citizens, all who CONTINUE to expose the corruption and fight for CHANGE.

The evening of September 15, 2008, several members of the Vancouver-Portland community spoke out and in front of the City Council (Mayor [Royce] Pollard, City Manager McDonnell, City Attorney Ted Gathe, and the Council members).

Please view it if you haven’t. It’s short.
It is beyond powerful.

Go to CVTV Vancouver WA website. Direct Link is:
http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp?catID=19&folderID=1945

If you can not access it directly, then go to the main website:
http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp
Go to "Featured Programs" and click on: "Vancouver City Council 9-15-08". Then click on "Citizen Communications" under agenda. Watch the TV!

I would like to bring to your attention and stress the following: Mize, I hope you are reading and listening.
1. Court records show that the culture of discrimination & retaliation exists within McDonnell’s office, the City Attorney’s Office, and amongst the very top echelons of the VPD Command Staff. They are the ones who conspired to fire Officer Sharma. Not the VPOG.

2. Sworn testimony shows that the racial epitaph referencing Officer Sharma as a “Sand *igger” was not made by a member of the VPOG. It was made by a City/County high level executive officer & retired Vancouver Asst. Chief, Marty James.

3. The ethnically derogatory term “Sharmagedon” & related statements of racial animosity were not made by VPOG Officers. It was made by non other than the City Attorney assigned to the Vancouver Police Department, Mr. Terry Weiner. Sworn affidavits & deposition testimony from ex City Attorneys support this.

4. Court records show that the City Manager Mr. McDonnell & VPD’s Chief at the time, Mitch Barker, were named as defendants & not anyone from the VPOG. This is because they were the principle people who conspired along with a few others within the Command Staff and the City Attorney Ted Gathe. Evidence in the court papers now suggests that overwhelmingly.

5. Depositions, testimony and produced documents also show something far more egregious. It shows that Ted Gathe, the Chief City Prosecutor, committed perjury in his video taped deposition as did former Chief Criminal Attorney Josephine Townsend. It appears that these City Lawyers lied in a federal proceeding. That is a felony.

In summary, I call attention to my fellow citizens to look at what has happened across the country when politicians, top City Officials, and the Command & Control of the Police Department runs amuck: People get prosecuted for crimes & people go to jail!

- Detroit Mayor Case: Mr. Kwame Kilpatrick perjured in a federal case involving the unjust firings of two Detroit Police Officers. The Mayor will spend five years in a federal prison for that perjury. (AP Wire March 25, 2008).

- City Prosecutor Mike Nifong: Zealously accused 3 Duke University LaCross players of criminal conduct. He withheld “Exculpatory evidence”. A 30 million dollar law suit followed. Nifong was disbarred. He went bankrupt. (ABC News June 16, 2007; The Smoking Gun archives; AP Wire).

Stand United and firm behind all the great Police Officers of Vancouver, the back bone of our law enforcement.

Expose the corrupt Police Command and the “Nifongs” and the Kilpatrick’s” of Vancouver.

******************
All of this was posted online. If it disappears it's not because i made stuff up!
Read about Navin K. Sharma's lawsuit:

Fired officer settles racial discrimination lawsuit with Vancouver for $1.65 million

City Manager Pat McDonnell Asked to Resign

McDonnell takes heat for settlement

Tuesday, September 16 | 12:04 a.m.
By JEFFREY MIZE COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

The spotlight in the discrimination case involving a former Vancouver police officer shifted to City Manager Pat McDonnell, with a half dozen speakers asking Monday for an independent outside investigation or for McDonnell’s resignation.

Those requests were prompted by last week’s announcement that Vancouver would pay former Officer Navin K. Sharma $1.65 million to end a federal racial discrimination lawsuit.

“I have lost confidence in the city manager,” said Quan Tran, former president of the local American Civil Liberties Union during Monday night’s city council meeting. “I am asking him to step down.”

Tran said he believes “all the mess” was created by McDonnell and City Attorney Ted Gathe’s office.

Following the meeting, an obviously dejected McDonnell said he does not plan to resign. But he conceded the meeting had a “huge” effect on him personally, adding that he had never been publicly asked to resign during his 30 years working in government.

“This is absolutely not what I stand for and who I am,” he said. “But I understand being a city manager, I am ultimately responsible.” Click here to read More...