Kucinich Push for Committee Spot Foiled by Race Issues in His Own Office?
Reports of racial tension and personnel management issues within his office may have ended Dennis Kucinich’s run for the top Democratic spot on the powerful House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
According to a story on Politico Monday, 14 Democrats have signed a letter backing Edolphus Towns, the current committee chairman, for the ranking member slot in the 112th Congress when Republicans take control of the House.
As PJM reported, tensions exploded in Kucinich’s office between his staff director Jaron Bourke and 35-year staffer Jean Gosa, who is African-American. According to sources familiar with the situation, when word of the dispute got to Towns he stepped in to attempt to mediate the situation.
PJM has learned that Gosa was placed on administrative leave by Towns in May, pending an independent investigation. Her last full day at work was May 20 of this year. Shortly thereafter, Bourke filed a complaint against Gosa. At that point, sources say, the Office of the House Legislative Counsel was called in and advised Gosa remain on paid leave until the independent investigation was complete. It is now November, and Gosa remains on paid leave per their advice.
PJM attempted to contact the Office of the House Legislative Counsel for comment and was told they could not help us, would not help us, and that there was no press contact within the office. The staffer refused to give this reporter her name. Sources conversant with the case say the Office of the House Legislative Counsel generally errs on the side of employees, and that the goal of both the office and Towns was to resolve the situation as fairly as possible.
According to a September 10 story in the Huffington Post, Gosa had complained repeatedly about the atmosphere within the office — using words like “plantation, slave, and overseer.” Her complaints were backed up by former staffer and current Huffington Post blogger Noura Erakat.
PJM attempted to contact Rep. Kucinich’s office for comment and was first told by Kucinich spokesman Nathan White that he would not comment on the story. This reporter was then left a voicemail stating that “all personnel decisions are ultimately the responsibility of the chairman.”
Whether or not Kucinich was aware of the tensions within his office or not — it seems improbable that he could not be aware of them — it is notable that the troubles were not dealt with in-house and had to be referred to the chairman for final disposition. Indeed, according to the Huffington Post piece, the trouble had been going on for two years:
The tension stretches back at least to March 2008, according to an email reviewed by Huffington Post that was written by then-new staff assistant Charisma Williams. She told the staff director of a separate subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO), that “[t]here seem to be some really shady things going on in here and I’m fearful that if I even casually associate with the wrong person, even for a brief moment of time, that I may be sucked into whatever madness is going on over my head.” (Williams declined to comment.)
Whatever the personnel problems within Kucinich’s office, apparently House Democrats are coming into agreement he is not the man to take on the aggressive presumptive chairman, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA).
According to the Politico, Democrat Reps. Carolyn Maloney (NY), Elijah Cummings and Chris Van Hollen (MD), John Tierney (MA), William Lacy Clay (MO), Jim Cooper (TN), Gerry Connolly (VA), Danny Davis (IL), Henry Cuellar (TX), Chris Murphy (CT), Peter Welch (VT), and Jackie Speier and Judy Chu (CA) all signed the letter, as well as Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of the District of Columbia.
Reps. Stephen Lynch (MA), Mike Quigley (IL), and Marcy Kaptur (OH) chose not to sign the letter. The Congressional Black Caucus has also backed Towns, as has the White house.
PJM had earlier reported that some Democrats were considering whether or not Towns would be up to the challenge of standing up to Issa when Kucinich threw his hat into the ring, attempting to shoulder aside three more senior representatives for the post.
Kucinich has a reputation for outrageous behavior and for alienating members of both parties. In June 2008, Kucinich filed articles of impeachment against then-President George W. Bush. In a 2007 presidential debate on MSNBC, Kucinich said he saw a UFO. He also introduces, almost yearly, a bill to establish a cabinet-level “Department of Peace.”
Whether or not Kucinich knew about the trouble in his office — again, it had been going on for two years so it seems inconceivable he did not know — someone who wishes to have a powerful oversight position should at least be able to handle his own staff before he asks to oversee the United States.
The odds are that the young lady is a hypersensitive black activist who seeks any excuse to employ the race card. This has been my direct experience countless times in my own life. I have also personally paid an awful price for such politically correct idiocy. Dennis Kucinich is probably a genuine victim who did absolutely nothing wrong. He may have even gone to extraordinary lengths to prevent the crisis from developing. The young lady simply could care less. She has the leftwing congressman over the barrel and is taking full advantage of the situation. Please note that she has apparently been suspended with full pay and benefits. When everything is said and done, she will likely come out ahead financially for bringing about these charges. A legal settlement providing her a good size hunk of money is also not out of the question. The Obama administration doesn’t care. It is only spending the money of the taxpayers.
Should we perhaps feel sorry for Dennis Kucinich? Nope, he and his Democratic Party allies inflicted this madness on American society. They have won large numbers of elections by encouraging Afro-American anger towards the “evil” white establishment. They are now getting their just desserts. It will get much worse. Barack Obama’s declining poll numbers will unfortunately be blamed on white racism. Revenge will be exacted on white Democrats for allegedly not doing enough to protect the president. Further demands will be made for job advancements and more political power.
The odds are that the young lady
The odds that “35-year staffer Jean Gosa” is a young lady, even to old farts like us, seem pretty slim.
Personally, other than an urge to pop popcorn, I’ll just note that Robespierre eventually learned that the guillotine could be used by both sides.
Jean Gosa is clearly identified as a black female. We are living in the year 2010—and not 1950. The odds today are that this is simply a matter of somebody employing the race card to make out like a bandit. The system is set up in such a way to enable a black women to especially get away with this nonsense. In our politically correct culture—she is deemed a double victim.
You are assuming facts not in evidence. You may be right; you may be wrong. But you are only guessing. Admit it or cite your evidence, sir.
To David Thomson: I could have written your entry virtually verbatim. Kucinich is about to be hoist on the petard his kind created.
I wish we could go back to the days of “Here is what I’ll (the boss) will do for you. Take a break of one hour, paid. Get some coffee, or a pastry or whatever. Think things through. If you conclude that you are uncomfortable here, clean out your desk and we’ll cut you a close-out check. If you decide to stay, then I do not want to hear one more word about this. Your break time starts… now.”
This would apply to ANYONE from one of the government-stamped protected classes. In short: the boss has a business to run. If there genuinely IS a problem, then solve it. If there isn’t and the squeaky wheel keeps squeaking, change the wheel.
“Here is what I’ll (the boss) will do for you. Take a break of one hour, paid. Get some coffee, or a pastry or whatever. Think things through. If you conclude that you are uncomfortable here, clean out your desk and we’ll cut you a close-out check. If you decide to stay, then I do not want to hear one more word about this. Your break time starts… now.”
I have used this methodology myself in times past, however I’ve never had to use it with an Afro-American employee. I don’t think the average employer has much chance in our courts these days when confronted by a determined “victim”. Employment screenings are routinely challenged these days if you use words of more than two syllables to check things like comprehension, spoken communication skills, and writing ability. And once they have their foot in the door you are toast.
Sad, but true.
Gee, another white racist on the rocks. You hardly ever see that – unless you can rise high enough to see all of America’s cities paralysed by Jim Crow only a half century later. In America’s history, any 50 year period is characterized by immense changes, startling changes. This is not true in the case of black Americans who are still residing in 1954 and still angry. Black America feeds passenger pigeons and dodos with zeal and racists like Jeremiah Wright, Geraldo Riviera, Jim Cone, Eric Holder Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have no problem with finding jobs, money and a voice in America and ferreting out the evils of Hallmark Cards that, when opened, make fun of black Americans by clearly saying “Black Ho” rather than invisible singularities wrapped in a slow glass of event horizons. There should be some equivalent of a Nuremberg Trial for Hallmark. Either that or I should move to Mars in some kind of vehicle that people from the Third World cannot follow.
Again, I will not make the claim that Kucinich is a racist, although at least early in his career, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer he did use racial politics to get ahead. All sides in that seem to agree that he’s not a bigot and that both sides played the race card.
I will say that someone who cannot control his own office probably should not be tasked with oversight of the entire government.
Patrick
I find no evidence indicating that Dennis Kucinich ever employed racial politics to win elections. He was opposing the black radicalism of the era—that contributed greatly to damaging many of America’s cities. Anybody opposing busing policies should be applauded.
Are we truly supposed to be upset if someone is unable to “control his own office”? Kucinich may very well be a victim of circumstances beyond his control similar to someone innocently driving their car while a drunk slams into them.
You haven’t looked very hard then:
http://www.cleveland.com/kucinich/plaindealer/index.ssf?/kucinich/more/104747092810861.html
Again, I don’t say he’s a bigot, but a lousy manager who dumps his problems on someone else to clean up shouldn’t be in a leadership position.
Read for content, these issues have been going on for 2 years. Gosa is a 35 year employee. Her accusations have been backed up.
Sorry, the little Ferengi is not competent to be in that position.
Patrick
I read the Cleveland Plain Dealer article—but I still categorically reject the argument that Dennis Kucinich engaged in per se racial politics! The evidence indicates he was merely a politicians doing his best to oppose black radicalism. There is simply no justification to imply that Kucinich was some sort of race baiter.
There’s few things more pathetic than listening to some delusional person use the term ‘slave’ in the context of not liking their job. Their job might suck beyond belief but they are free to go – emphasis on free.
Only in the government could it take so long to resolve the situation….
Guess what! Tawna’s baaaaaack!
Kuchinich is an authentic liberal – whatever that means – and I don’t think that his “plantation” is haunted by some sinister racist ghosts -
Yet creeps are creeps, white, beige, or black, and because Kuchinich hasn’t got early wind about some personal conflicts within his staff, now he’s drawn in the politic correct grinder -
Heck remember that Mickey Mouse piece piggybacking the “sorcerer’s apprentice” music?
This is the liberals’ situation – they made available to anyone this “discimination” venue – but the wrecking ball always returns -
After this, I’m going to have to re-align my political correctness compass. I know I’m not suppoed to use the forbidden “N-word.” How in the world was a common citizen to know that “slave, overseer, and plantation” were also on the forbidden words list?
Kuchinich is either a nutbar or just plain stupid.
I listened to his explanation of a UFO in the debate…It was the late 70′s…it was black, triangular, sharp pointy lines…there were three of them in a V- formation….looked like no other aircraft he ever saw….Military denied anything was in the area (somewhere in the california desert?)
Black, angular, california, military denial, 70′s? Hello?.
Sounds like a textboof sighting of early Stealth Fighters to me, nothing mysterious there at all.
A normal person, even one justly alarmed by what they saw in the 70′s, would have put two and two together by now.
“I saw them back when they were still secret, scared the crap out of me!”
But not him, apparently.
He either:
A Truly hasnt got a clue, or
B Knows his constutuancy is full of nutbars, and the UFO story gives him street cred.
Either way, him getting tangled up with a racial mess in his office makes perfect sense.
The guy is a complete P.O.S, never expect anything BUT chaos from his office.
As a native clevelander – who lived in the city while this idiot was hailed on the national scene as the youngest ever to hold mayorial office – and then proceeded to rule like a TEENAGER – I can’t resist enjoying this sideshow circus.
I escaped my home city for the AZ sun ten years ago. That said, I have never ceased to marvel at how Dennis the Menace has managed to stay relevant all these years. His district is one of the few that has retained a fifty-ish Lords of Flatbush ethnic tint – with many Polish and Slavonian’s still hanging on. These constituents have long since forgiven Dennis his many shortcommings as mayor and appreciate that he still actually does live in the house he was born in – in their neighborhood.
While I detest his political views, I can never the less still tip my hat to his authentic devotion to the the Pat Monyihan wing of social dems. As such, it doesn’t suprise me that Kucinich refused to be intimidated by what appears to be a routine power punch by the racialists in the Black Caucus.
Was the staffer subjected to prejudice? Anything is possible I guess, but having a few born again KKK in that west side cleveland congressional office is a bit of a leap given the congressmans Bona Fides.
He was however a disciple of the late Charlie Vanik NOT Louis Stokes – godfather to the black caucus in cleveland politics. And to Kucinich’s credit – he was the only ohio congressman of note who ever did take King Lou on – FOR ANYTHING. So again, having intimate knowlege (even if dated) it comes as no big shocker.
In any event, as a conservative I am happy to see a clown like Townes get his ‘promotion’ in keeping with the Dems devotion to uppwardly mobile failure.
I’ve no doubt Isa will handle anyone the Dems throw at him – but watching a more worthy puncher like Dennis would have been much better CSpan viewing.
I have to disagree with the writer’s assertion that a filthy anti-Semite like Dennis The Menace has anything to do with the tradition of either Pat Moynihan or Charles Vanick.
Both of those were perhaps the last friends of the Jewish People in the coalition os scum, slime, filth, vermin and manure that is the Democ-rat Party.
Dennis The Menace is an Arab loving dirtbag like Mary Rose Oakar before him!
I love to see the dems destroy each other with the same tools they have used on us. . . . .I hope by 2012 the dimocrat party has been pretty well flushed into the sewer of history. . . . although there may be a few “klingons” that need to be scraped away. . .
Can anyone please supply a non-racial answer to a few simple observtions.
I live in the Washington DC area. I continually deal with Government
offices. The pattern of all such transactions is a follows.
Call on Wednesday..Black Female voice on answering machine asks
you to leave a message. Less than 10% of the time will Black Female
Government employee ever answer her phone on the first try. Never
happens
Call again and again on Thursday morning to get an answer. Phone call will be returned at precisely 3:15PM. This is when Black Female Government employee returns to office on way out the door after spending
day “in a meeting”..(ie down the hall gossiping or shopping on an extended 3 hour lunch)
Black Female Government employee will invariably know nothing about your question and will refer you to Black Female Government employee #2
who will invariably not answer her phone. Begin step 1 above again
Friday. All Government employees have the option to work longer workdays
in order to get Fridays off. Longer work days are suppose to be 10 hours
they are more like the one described above.. return phone calls at 3:15 while on the way out of the building.
Monday Try again to reach Black Female government employee #2. Who will
refer you to Black Female goverment employee #3 and on to #4 and #5 none
of which knows their job or can give slightest bit of advice. Many have
been working in these offices for decades
Tuesday..call directly to the Head Administrators office. Pray, pray
that you get a white voice on the other end of line. The white person
will know their job, will know everyone elses job, and they will intuit what your problem is and give you 5 ways to solve it. They will also be working at 7PM..invariably picking up the work load for Black Female employees #1,#2,#3, #4, #5 etc. BTW all of these Black Government workers will have walls full of “Performance Awards” “Recognition Awards” etc. They will also be making $85,000 a year
These are real world observations that I just cant get to conform to the
requirements of Political Correctness. Is there a non racial way to
make sense of these phenomena?
Regarding the picture at the beginning of the article … since when has the historic ‘Victory’ sign become the ‘peace’ sign? I think the Peace sign is that chicken track symbol. [emphasis on CHICKEN !!!!]