A response to Alex Harris [AH] By Terry Bankert[trb]
Flint Ombudsman Brenda Purifoy and the office she oversees is a prime example of the utter waste taking place with our community's tax dollars. [AH]
I am sorry Mr. Harris that you side with those that do not want to hold government accountable.[trb]
With city revenues steadily dwindling, with major cutbacks in services on the horizon and with ever-growing deficits looming, taxpayers can ill afford the extravagence of Purifoy's do-nothing office that costs us $400,000 a year. [AH]
Did you join the Flint Journal Editorial Board and/or the City Adminstration Mr. Harris.[trb]
Brenda Purifoy has done a lot for us in Flint here are just a few examples from her annual report.[trb]
16-May-06 A Flint Police Officer is accused of favoritism, abuse of authority unfair treatment of a citizen because of friendship with the accuser.
30-Mar-07 Citizen confides in Ombudsman of possible drug dealing at corner store. Ombudsman refers same to Special Operations.
26-Sep-06 Complainant received notification from Flint Police Dept to pick up impounded vehicle. Upon checking found vehicle had already been sold.
23-Jun-06 The Office of the Ombudsman assisted complainant with negotiating payment of delinquent tax bill.
08-Jan-07 Allegations of unfairness and lack of courtesy was filed against Flint Police Officers while on duty.
18-May-06 Allegations filed against 911 Operator of negligence for not responding to a call. Ombudsman Office investigated the allegations and lack of response by Operator was sustained
06-Apr-07 Lack of discipline allegations was filed against Interim Chief of the Flint Police Dept. Damage claim form completed was submitted to the City Attorney.
19-May-06 Excessive Force complaint filed against Flint Police Officers
22-Aug-06 It has been determined that an off duty Police Officer violated numerous department rules and regulations regarding a citizens rights, consequently resulting in lawsuit.
25-Sep-06 Anonymous complaint made that certain employees misused Family Leave Act.
11-Sep-06 Allegations of harassment, unfairness and negligence by Building and Safety Inspection division regarding rental home inspection.
26-Sep-06 Allegations made against Flint Police Department of errors, carelessness, mistakes and oversight.
28-Nov-06 Allegation made against a Sergeant of the Flint Police Department alleging favoritism, rudeness, harassment and disrespect, regarding gun charges.
18-Jan-07 Complainant vehicle was towed and placed in the City Vehicle Impound Lot. Upon investigation found complainant had the wrong agency. Referred to Genesee Township Police Department. Flint Police was the assisting agency and not at fault.
23-Jan-07 Due to the negligence of an area hospital and its security a mentally challenged person wondered away. Missing persons complaint was filed with the Flint Police Department. Allegations of lack of response and negligence were filed against the Flint Police Department. Office of Ombudsman made appropriate contacts and assisted in locating the individual.
23-Mar-07 Complainant alleges off duty intoxicated Officers abused their authority by brandishing police badges, being assaultive, belligerent, intimidating and threatening while at complainants business.
15-May-06 Complainant alleges unfairness and inadequate investigation by Flint Police Department in the death of her son.
21-May-06 Complainant alleges he had a complaint against a judge and was as a result mistreated by police.
22-Aug-06 Complainant alleges unfair treatment by City Vehicle Impound Lot employees.
13-Feb-07 Complainant alleges items were withheld in a 1995 murder investigation family just wants closure and the items of their loved one returned. Police Dept accused of being rude and lack of courtesy.
23-Feb-07 Allegations made against Flint Police Department of abuse of authority violation of laws and regulations and injustice for the illegal searching of her home.
17-Jan-07 Allegations made against Treasury Department for violations of laws and regulations regarding property taxes
08-Feb-07 Allegations made against the Flint Police Department regarding the City Impound Lot for injustice and unfairness with towing of their vehicle.
15-Feb-07 Allegations of negligence made against Street Maintenance and Transportation.
23-Mar-07 Allegation of negligence were filed against the Forestry Dept. for not removing a City tree.
29-Mar-07 Office of the Ombudsman assisted mother in locating the whereabouts of her missing son.
13-Oct-06 Allegations against process server and police officer of taking property from his residence without having proper paperwork.
19-Sep-06 Allegations against police and City Impound Lot of unfairness and improper towing and retaining of his vehicle.
16-Apr-07 Treasurer Department accused of oversight and mistakes in law regarding high water bill.
20-Apr-07 Allegations made against Building and Safety Inspection of being rude and unfair.
01-Sep-06 Allegations of mistakes and administrative errors against Personnel/Risk Management.
21-Sep-06 Allegations made against Emergency 911 of unfairness and negligence in not dispatching police to a call in time.
31-Jul-06 Complainant made allegations against City Attorney Alleging rudeness and unfairness.
26-Jul-06 Allegations against probation officers at 68th District Court alleging abuse of authority, rudeness and unfairness.
--
Over the nearly two years this discredited former police officer has held the ombudsman's job, virtually nothing of value has been derived from her meager efforts. Look no further then her 2006-07 annual report to discover Purifoy's office is an outright sham. [AH]
Yours is just a cheap attack on the office that has held your friend accountable,Mr.Harris.[trb]
During that period, Purifoy and her staff made claim to having handled 1,118 complaints. While that figure sounds impressive enough, a closer review shows no tangible evidence of meaningful results.[AH]
Most cases resolve issues for the citizens involved not political gadflys like Mr. Harris.[trb]
The sad fact is only 34 notations were cited in the section of Purifoy's report titled "The office in action: case studies." Even more astonishing was the childish, diarylike quality of these brief notations that lacked any specificity. The chief highlights of these 34 notations seemed to be: two individuals got referred elsewhere, three complainants were "assisted," one investigation was "undertaken," and the office of ombudsman helped somebody complete a form. Wow, all that in just one year. [AH]
Alex you should do your homework you got it wrong.[trb]
Recently, Purifoy captured some newspaper print in the aftermath of a politically inspired affair she chose to interject herself into.[AH]
Mr. Hariis you have no credibility.[trb]
The so-called invest ligation Purifoy launched was inspired by a frivilous complaint against current Flint City Council President Carolyn Sims and stretched back to the November 2005 election cycle. [AH]
It appears to me she did her job.[trb]
Acting on the groundless claims of a woman who said she was deprived of the right to vote because of somebody associated with Sims, the ombudsman concluded that Sims should be criminally investigated for alleged campaign violations. Additionally, Purifoy demanded Sims be censured by her colleagues. [AH]
It was a tough stand to take, but our Ombudsman stood her ground,[trb]
It should be no surprise these pathetic claims were engineered by a bitter and defeated old rival of Sims, one Benny Spence. Ironically, this startling piece of detective work by Purifoy came long after the county clerk, city clerk and county sheriff all concluded there was no substance to these silly allegations. [AH]
Your saterical juvenile attack on the Ombudsman Mr. Harris is baseless, you should practice civility.[trb]
I believe there is ample proof Purifoy lacks the substance to hold the $70,000-per-year job as Flint's ombudsman. [AH] Non that I see.[trb]
With layoffs in full swing in our city, I can't think of a person more deserving of a pink slip. Besides, it might free her up to finally pay all the delinquent tax bills she owes in our community. [AH]
This is exactly the time we need an Ombudsman ,while resources are being reduced, less people to do more work. We need an Ombusdamn to make sure we are treated fairly.[trb]
Office of the OmbudsmanCity Hall - North Building Rm. 101 120 E. Fifth Street Flint, MI 48502 (810) 766-7335 Fax: (810) 766-7262 ----
[AH] Pink-slip Flint ombusdsman FLINT JOURNAL LETTER TO THE EDITOR FLINT THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITIONTuesday, February 19, 2008 By Alex HarrisJournal Reader http://www.mlive.com/news/flintjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1203432615215630.xml&coll=5#continue
[trb]comments of Terry Bankert http://attorneybankert.com/
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Omubudsman and Mr.Harris
What do Musharraf and Bush have in Common?
Musharraf and Bush neither will step down!
GOOD MORNING FLINT !
_____________________
Date 2/20/08
By Terry
http://attorneybankert.com/
Posted full article first to Flint Talk THEN summarized, for discussion, at
http://flinttalk.com/viewtopic.php?p=25232#25232
Full article at Google blog Good Morning Flint!
http://goodmorningflint.blogspot.com/ with citations.
_____________________
My daily bloggs , as here, are often just my curiosity peaked by what I see in the news. Here my question is : Why did we support the Pakistani dictator? I look for 4 sources and spend no more than 2 hours. I hope you find it interesting, I learned .[trb]
_____________________
Another one of Presidents Bush allies have bit the dust.[trb]
BUSH DICTATOR IN TROUBLE!
Pakistan has never voted a military ruler out of office. That could changed following Monday's parliamentary elections. Though President Pervez Musharraf was not on the ballot, the election was about his fate.[W]
PEOPLE SPEAK
Why did his people throw him out." (T)hey disapproved of the way Musharraf -- a key Washington ally in the battle against Islamic extremists -- carried out his end of the "war on terror."[W]
The M man was/is a dictator and the most ruthless leader of the most ruthless secret service agency in the region.He is capable of being both our ally and Bin Ladins protector. He was not a man to be trusted by us only used.[trb]
It's an opportunity for the United States to develop policy that deals with Pakistan as a whole, not just with strongman President Pervez Musharraf. [DN]
Now that a new twist.[trb]
SEN JOE BIDEN LEADS THE WAY.
"This is an opportunity to move from a policy that has been focused on a personality to one based on an entire people," said the senator,(Biden) who was in Pakistan as an election observer. [DN]
Biden is on to something. Supporting a democratically elected government will both help counter Islamic extremists and allay fears about U.S. intentions in the region. [DN]
It may take a while for the dictators oppressed subjects to trust the US again. Would you?[trb]
BHUTTO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE.
Slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) won the most seats in the National Assembly in Monday's election, while the allies of Musharraf, a former army chief who seized power in a 1999 coup, suffered big losses.[R]
WHO IS MUSHARRF
Pervez Musharraf (Urdu: Y?ر?و?ي?ز? م?ش?ر?ف?) (IPA: /0'pc?‹?.ve?z mu0'•?Y?‹?.c?f/[1]) (born August 11, 1943) is the current President of Pakistan, and former[2] Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He came to power in 1999 by effecting a military coup d'état and has suspended the constitution of Pakistan twice; since then, he has been actively supported (through military and monetary aid) by western countries including the United States and the United Kingdom. He took power on October 12, 1999, ousting Nawaz Sharif, the elected Prime Minister, dismissed the national and provincial legislative assemblies, assumed the title of Chief Executive and became Pakistan's de facto head of government, thereby becoming the fourth Army chief of Pakistan to have assumed executive control. Later in 2001, Musharraf appointed himself to the office of President of Pakistan.[WO]
As of February 18, 2008, news reports indicate that Musharraf's party, the Pakistan Muslim League - Quaid, and its coalition allies have been badly defeated in Parliamentary elections. The ruling party of Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf admitted defeat in parliamentary elections February 19, 2008, and one senior opposition leader said it was now time for the president to step down.[7]February 20, 2008, one day after his party was trounced in parliamentary elections, Musharraf said he intended to remain in office and work with the new government.[8][WO]
MUSHARRAF WILL NOT DO THE RIGHT THING.
Pakistan - President Pervez Musharraf will not step down as head of state and intends to serve out his five-year-term, his spokesman says, despite a sweeping election victory by his opponents — some of whom want to drive him from power. [AP]
One day after his party was trounced in parliamentary elections, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said he intended to remain in office and work with the new government, despite calls by the victorious opposition to step down.[cnn]
THE PRIME MINISTER WILL RUN THE COUNTRY!
Asked whether he could work with Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister he overthrew in 1999, Musharraf said: "The government is run by the prime minister. The president has no mandate to share governing power with the prime minister."[R]
National voter turnout for Monday's parliamentary race exceeded expectations with 45.7 percent of 81 million eligible voters casting ballots. The voting was peaceful overall and showed no overt signs of tampering[cnn]
NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE FORMED.
Final results from this week's parliamentary poll were expected Wednesday, but with the count nearly complete, two opposition parties had won enough seats to form a new government, though they will likely fall short of the two-thirds needed to impeach the president.[AP]
Musharraf's spokesman Rashid Qureshi said Tuesday the president intends to work with the new government and will serve out his term, which expires in 2012.[AP]
"The prime minister will run the government, the president of Pakistan thinks he will cooperate and he will function smoothly with whoever forms the government and is prime minister," [cnn]
"The people on Monday didn't vote to elect a new president," he said. "In fact, they participated in the elections to elect the new parliament."[AP]
But the vote was widely seen as repudiation of Musharraf, whose approval ratings have plummeted following his decisions last year to suspend the constitution purge the judiciary and round up political opponents.[AP]
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SUSPEND A CONSTITUTION,IMPRISION OPPONENTS AND KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE!
The result was a posthumous victory for former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. This victory vindicated the sacrifice of every Pakistani who was imprisoned or exiled during eight years of autocratic rule but continued demanding freedom. Bhutto returned to the country seeking its return to democracy, only to be assassinated by terrorists on Dec. 27.[W]
"The clash would be if the prime minister and president would be trying to get rid of each other. [R]
"No, not yet," Musharraf told the Journal. "We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan."[cnn]
OPPOSITION GROUPS NOW FORMING A COALITION
So far, the two main opposition groups have garnered 154 of the 268 contested seats, according to the Election Commission.[AP]
The new government, expected to be installed by mid-March, will determine how to tackle the country's formidable challenges, including rising prices and the threat from Islamic extremism.[AP
He said he had heard that all the parties could work with Musharraf except for the Pakistan Muslim League-N, the party affiliated with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who Musharraf ousted in a bloodless coup in 1999.[cnn]
A CALL FOR MUSHARRAFS RESIGATION,
Sharif's party captured the second highest number of seats in Monday's parliamentary elections. On Tuesday, he reiterated his call for Musharraf's resignation, pointing out that the president had said last year that he would resign if he ever lost the support of the people.[cnn]
WHAT ARE THE LEGAL PROSECUTION POSIBILITIES FOR MUSHARRAF
Pakistan's new leaders must also decide how to deal with Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup and went on to become a key ally in the U.S. war on terror, another unpopular move in the Muslim nation of 160 million.[AP]
Speaking Tuesday in Lahore, Nawaz Sharif, a former prime minister and leader of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-N, recalled statements by Musharraf last year that he would step down if he lost the support of the Pakistani people.[AP]
"He has closed his eyes," Sharif told reporters in Lahore. "He has said before that he would go when the people want him to do so and now the people have given their verdict."[AP]
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal posted Tuesday on the newspaper's Web site, Musharraf confirmed he intends to remain in office and work with the new government.[AP]
MUSHARRAF IS NOW A VOICE OF STABILITY
"We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan," he said.[AP]
Asif Ali Zardari, leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party of assassinated ex-Premier Benazir Bhutto, told reporters Tuesday that he would meet soon with Sharif and other opposition leaders "to form a government of national unity." Zardari also made clear that his coalition would not include politicians who had been allied with Musharraf.[AP]
HE IS PRESIDENT BUSH'S MAN.
Since 9/11, Mr. Musharraf has marketed himself to the West as the man most capable of saving Pakistan from a radical Islamist takeover. But under his rule Pakistan has become more vulnerable to terrorists than before. Mr. Musharraf's government has squandered good will through its arbitrary actions against the political opposition and judiciary. Furthermore, only a small sliver of the country's 160 million people have benefited from the economic achievements of the past eight years[W]
A PURGE WILL SOON HAPPEN.
"We will seek support from democratic forces to form the government, but we are not interested in any of those people who are part and parcel of the previous government," said Zardari, though he carefully avoided an unequivocal statement about whether Musharraf should remain in power.[AP]
A spokesman for Sharif's party said Wednesday that it would support Zardari to form a "stable government," but it would not seek positions in the Cabinet.[AP]
BRING BACK THE JUDGES, THEN WATCH WHAT HAPPENS TO MUSHARRAF
"We only want them (Bhutto's party) to reinstate judges and roll back constitutional changes made by Musharraf," said the spokesman, Sadiq ul-Farooq. That demand could leave Sharif at odds with the PPP, which has said the decision should be left to Parliament [AP].
KERRY CHIMES IN.
Sen. John Kerry, who met Tuesday with Musharraf along with other U.S. lawmakers, said Musharraf has expressed his willingness to work with the new government.[AP]
BIDEN COUNTERS
On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, recommended tripling American aid to Pakistan to support the moderate majority that voted, in effect, to end military rule. [DN]
BUSHIES JUST DO NOT GET IT.
Some members of the Bush administration have repeatedly described Mr. Musharraf as an indispensable ally in the war against terrorism. Economic and military assistance from the U.S. and other Western countries has been crucial for Mr. Musharraf's political survival thus far, and has probably contributed to his arrogance.[W]
JUST ASK THE MAN ON THE STREET.
But the former general is so unpopular among the Pakistani public that opposition parties are likely to find little reason to work with him — particularly since he no longer controls the powerful army.[AP]
At best, Musharraf faces the prospect of remaining in power with sharply diminished powers even if the opposition fails to impeach him.[AP]
White House press secretary Dana Perino, traveling with President Bush in Africa, said it is too soon to tell if the election had weakened Musharraf's power.[AP] DO YA THINK.[TRB]
"I think what President Musharraf has shown is an ability to provide for the country a chance to be confident in their government," she said. [AP] JUST WHAT ARE THESE PEOPLE ON.[TRB]
WE ARE NOW FOR THE PEOPLE.
Sen. Joseph Biden, a Democrat who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and observed the election, said the results meant the United States could shift its Pakistan policy
from one based on Musharraf to "one based on an entire people." [AP]
Pakistani analysts said the results pointed to broad support for centrist, democratic parties at the expense of patronage politicians and Islamist movements. [AP]
Musharraf's popularity plummeted in this nation of 164 million for other reasons as well: Pakistanis tired of the shortage of essential food items, power cuts, and skyrocketing inflation.[cnn]
The pro-Taliban Jamiat-e-Ulema party has won only three seats in the national parliament. A coalition of Islamist parties was also poised to lose control of the regional administration in the North West Frontier Province, which it won in the 2002 elections.[AP]
MILITARY BACKING OFF
Pakistan's powerful army, now under the command of Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani, is beginning to distance itself from politics. The army's refusal to side with Mr. Musharraf's political allies sealed their fate. Now, the army must help put Pakistan back on the constitutional path by undoing the arbitrary constitutional amendments decreed by Mr. Musharraf as army chief a few days before he relinquished his command.[cnn]
"Musharraf doesn't understand this decision," Sharif told reporters Tuesday. "He has closed his eyes. He has said before that he would go when the people want him to do so and now the people have given their verdict."[cnn]
HERES A NEW THOUGHT
Dealing with a government supported by the people can only help the United States achieve its diplomatic and anti-terror goals in the region. [DN]
By Terry Bankert http://attorneybankert.com/
—where did this stuff come from---
___
[AP]
Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080220/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_election;_ylt=AnsoZxNnfGUmScIKEcomQ0Ws0NUE
[cnn]
CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/20/pakistan/
[W]
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120347037589978727.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
[TNT]
The New Tribune
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nationworld/story/288025.html
[DN]
The Detroit New.com
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080220/OPINION01/802200322/1008
[R]
Reuters-Africa
http://africa.reuters.com/world/news/usnL20475866.html
[B]
Bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aq.WmQYKQ4fE&refer=asia
[trb]
Comments of Terry Bankert
http://attorneybankert.com/
[wo]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pervez_Musharraf
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