Fwd: lesa donnelly letter to valerie jarret, 27 june 2011

The White House

Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC   20500

June 27, 2011

Dear Ms. Jarrett:

For several months the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees (The Coalition) has been providing you copies of letters and emails that provide evidence of the pervasive and endemic civil rights violations against women and minorities at the USDA. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has been non-responsive to our requests to meet with him to discuss and resolve these issues. As of this date, we have not received any communication from you. This letter is to request your involvement.

On May 19, 2011, I sent a letter to President Obama advising of civil rights abuses (including workplace violence and sexual assault) against women and minorities, and requested that he ask Secretary Vilsack to meet with The Coalition. You received a copy of this letter, as did Associate Director for the Office of Public Engagement Michael Blake and Chief of Staff Michael Strautmanis. I do not know if The White House spoke with Secretary Vilsack, but no one in USDA has contacted The Coalition to discuss a meeting with the Secretary or any other matter we brought to the attention of The White House.

However, Mr. Blake emailed me on May 25, 2011, advising that Assistant Secretary Joe Leonard was gathering information, would respond to the White House and they would determine the next steps. It has been over one month and there has been no communication. I believe Dr. Leonard had enough information for the White House on May 19, 2011. The claim that USDA needed to obtain more information was a delay tactic.

First of all, Dr. Leonard has the Jackson Lewis Assessment, a comprehensive civil rights report that cost the taxpayer in excess of eight million dollars. Secondly, Dr. Leonard has been gathering information in Region 5 of the Forest Service for quite some time and little-to-no action has been taken to address the egregious civil rights abuses. Dr. Leonard sent an investigator to take a sworn affidavit from me in December 2010. He sent investigators again in January 2011. R5 Regional Forester Randy Moore held compliance reviews during that time. In April/May Dr. Leonard sent a USDA investigation team. In June he sent a USDA compliance review team. Many of the women have now provided USDA officials the same information about the harassment, discrimination and reprisal four times in the past 6 months. Seven of these women filed a complaint against Secretary Vilsack, Assistant Secretary Leonard, and Assistant Secretary Pearlie Reed because these officials have full knowledge of the abuses and refuse to take corrective action.  These women are still in hostile environments, being retaliated against, fear for their safety, and are losing job opportunities. After years in the EEO process they still cannot get mediation or resolution of their complaints. Women and minorities are still being physically, emotionally, and financially harmed. I’ve seen these stall tactics before – spending months to allegedly gather information to avoid taking action.

A second concern is that the focus on women in Region 5, California (albeit at my request) may undermine The Coalition’s message that civil rights abuses are occurring throughout USDA and also against people of color, disabilities, and sexual orientations. Civil rights abuses are happening in other USDA agencies and mission areas, such as the monkey doll award given to an African American veterinarian in APHIS, and the NIFA women who received death threats. The Shirley Sherrod debacle is another example. The Coalition has often said that Region 5 is a microcosm of what is happening throughout USDA. We believe that once the problems are resolved it could be a model for the rest of USDA. The Coalition has tried very hard to be a part of that change, but Secretary Vilsack and Assistant Secretary Leonard have rebuffed our every effort.

Ms. Jarrett, I recently discovered that you are Chair of the White House Council on Women and Girls. I must say I was puzzled when I found that out. Your website quotes President Obama as stating that the purpose of the White House Council on Women and Girls is to insure that Federal agencies take into account the needs of women, including federally employed women, via policies, programs and legislation. I would expect the Council Chair to be more attentive to civil rights abuses against women in Federal agencies. Now that I know you are Chair, my expectations have risen. Attached is the letter I sent to Kathleen Merrigan, USDA Deputy Secretary and Council Designee. I have asked her to speak with co-council designees Lynn Rosenthal, White House advisor on violence against women; and Jocelyn Samuels, DOJ Senior Counselor to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, and respond to The Coalition. I hope you will participate in that discussion.

President Obama stated that when women are discriminated against it impacts the lives of not only individuals, but families, communities, and the world. I’m sure he believes that holds true for people of color, disabilities, and sexual orientations. Well, these are the folks who are not fairing well in the USDA. Clearly, President Obama understands there is little degree of separation between this and how our communities and country are fairing. Thus, the USDA civil rights violations are a matter of national importance. I hope that you also see it that way. Please feel free to contact Lawrence Lucas at 856-910-2399 or myself at 530-776-8582.

Sincerely,

/s/Lesa L. Donnelly

Lesa L. Donnelly

cc: Bart Kempf, Senate Ag Committee; Senator Charles Grassley