Friday, September 15, 2023

SECU Elections - Here Come 'De Judge, "Lawyering Up", Part III

  ... 'De Judge!

Well, you heard the saga of the visit which Barbara Perkins and I made over to the North Carolina Retired Governmental Employees Association (NCRGEA) earlier in the week [see 9/14 post]. Ms. Perkins is a member of NCRGEA and a MEMBER NOMINATED CANDIDATE for the SECU Board. You also read the response from NCRGEA, through their legal counsel Mr. Jack Cozort, to the proposal made at that meeting [see 9/15 post]. So let's do Round 3:

Mr. Jack Cozort, Legal Counsel - NCRGEA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Dear Judge Cozort,

Was surprised to hear from you! Must be at least 25 years since we last spoke. Think it was around the time you were considering a run for governor; glad your better judgment prevailed! 

Probably not necessary to thank you for your letter. But, I would like to make a few brief points in response. The letter sent to Mr. O'Connell was on behalf of Ms. Barbara Perkins, the NCRGEA member and SECU candidate.  Just a suggestion - since Ms. Perkins was the focus of the meeting; it might be wise to send her a copy of your letter.  Strong, intelligent women sometimes get offended these days if "overlooked".  Ms. Perkins most certainly falls in that strong, intelligent category - as her candidacy indicates! But, your call.

Despite your remark, there was no request made in the letter for NCRGEA to change its position - none. No one questioned NCRGEA's authority to make endorsements. The request was only to send NCRGEA members information on all 6 SECU candidates - all 6 of whom were certified as qualified board candidates by the SECU Nominating Committee. If NCRGEA does not wish to provide complete candidate information to its members, that is NCRGEA's prerogative, too.  A short "No way, Jose!" note from you would have sufficed.

You did not address the following statement from Mr. O'Connell's letter: 'We understand that the opposition candidates who are running seek to undo much of the progress that has been made, claiming to represent the will of the membership but in fact, they represent only a small faction." Mr. O'Connell freely admitted that he did not know and had never met any of these candidates - Perkins, Clements, Stone . The statement is just not accurate and does not reflect the goals of - Perkins, Clements, Stone. It would be very helpful if NCRGEA would simply admit that statement might suffer from a bit of "irrational exuberance". Not that hard to do.

Now the real touchy part of your letter Judge is that last paragraph about "threatening, intimidating language and bad behavior".  I, of course, can't speak to Mr. O'Connell's sensitivities and sensibilities as an individual - and you of course weren't there. But, hope you will put your Appellate Judge's robes back on for a moment and consider the following: 

  1. The tone and content of the letter sent to Mr. O'Connell did not appear to be intimidating nor threatening, did it? De-escalation was the theme, helpfulness the goal. No demands, no threats. Please go back and read it again. [see 9/14 post]. 
  2. As a judge, I hope you would also take notice that there was an "eye-witness" present at the meeting - Ms. Perkins, your NCRGEA member! If you do send her your letter, it might be an opportune time to ask about whether that "intimidation, threatening, bad behavior" occurred? Hope you're not disappointed in her answer - even if it may come across as a little too "strong and intelligent"!  

Lastly Judge, I listened to one of your interviews online recently, in which you told a great story which summed up the essence of your career: "If Jack Cozort told you that, you can count on it!" Hope no one can argue about that as a guiding principle in life!

So, in reviewing my original letter, your letter and this response,  I hope you will consider the fact that neither Ms. Perkins nor I have survived around Raleigh - like you for over 50 years - without also practicing your "You can count on it!" philosophy. If in doubt, review the evidence.

Same applies to the intentions of the 3 MEMBER NOMINATED CANDIDATES - Perkins, Clements, Stone - in the SECU election. Those three people are loyal, dedicated members of longstanding - not in "opposition", nor opposing progress, nor representative of a "small faction".

Your letter accurate? Don't think so, but you be the judge, Judge. We'll "count on it"!

Hope this response is not too abusive and that all is well with you and yours.

Sincerely,

Jim Blaine

September 15, 2023 

As a member have you noticed, nothing is ever easy with SECU anymore?

 

14 comments:

  1. "...opposition candidates who are running seek to undo much of the progress that has been made..."

    Don't politicians say things like that - when they can't tout their own accomplishments?

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    1. Still waiting on a response from the 2023 wanna be Chairman Ms Garland on just what progress they can claim at SECU?

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  2. Progress? What progress? The last two years have been a nightmare for employees and members noticed the negative effects on member service. The man has no idea what actually happened.

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    1. part of the "Inside Crowd" ... they all just slap each others back at the next free meal they get and call it a "board meeting"... meanwhile I'm still on hold for 2 weeks ...

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  3. A former judge out spreading lies and working with a political agenda? Sounds pretty normal is this country….too bad it’s come to our credit union! The more these people pull bill€£*% like this, the easier it is to motivate other memebers. All you have to tell a fellow member who has never voted before to encourage them to vote is that their vote is trying to be suppressed. Fires a person right up! Don’t even have to mention the $6 million dollar man and people who defend elitist, racist practices like risk based lending. Sounds like Ol’ Judge Cozart is willing to risk any reputation he might have to join in with the SECU scoundrels. shame on you, too, judge cozart. Count on that!

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  4. Time to remind people ...

    Inside Job (2010 Full Documentary Movie)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2IaJwkqgPk

    Please enlighten yourself ... it's free ... pop some popcorn and see how the world really works!

    as George Carlin said in his routine -
    "It's A BIG Club & You Ain't In It!"

    ReplyDelete
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    1. 'They don’t want a population of citizens capable of critical thinking. They don’t want well informed, well educated people capable of critical thinking. They’re not interested in that. That doesn’t help them. That's against their interests.'

      'It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.'
      George Carlin

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    2. 'Back in the day' the American education system was one of the best if not the best. Now we have one of the worst. Do you think this is a mistake or by design? I mean we throw more money at the system than at any time before... The powers that be, realized that they were educating "their" enemies (and make no mistake, that is how they view people who can think for themselves). Dissent and we send you a letter by an attorney ... or worse! Fall in line comrade!

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  5. I think what surprises me most is how NC leaders like Cozort would align themselves with the very group who were out to take from the State of North Carolina and our Seniors. These idiots aka This Board had a personal agenda when they hired Jim Hayes in 2021. They were willing to waste 6.5 Million + just to get an outsider. This outsider cared nothing about North Carolina, SECU Members or NC workers, retirees or taxpayers. Not sure what NCRGEA Board of Directors were thinking when they decided to insert their opinions into the upcoming SECU's Board of Directors' Election - but I can assure them NC State Retirees see the damage This Board has caused down at their credit union - we are reminded every month when we open our SECU monthly statement and see interest earned. How dare NCRGEA, Cozort and others in the Raleigh good ole boy/girl network endorse the very candidates who have already cost SECU Members BILLIONS in waste over the past two years. Word of advice - next time do your homework before you stake your life's reputation on something you unfortunately do not understand.

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    Replies
    1. "'They' were willing to waste 6.5 Million ..." and that was $6.5 million that could have been paid in Money Market rates to *Retires* and members alike!!!

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    2. 6.5 million of our members’ dollars bears repeating over and over. We lost BIGLY.

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    3. Exactly Right, but nothing compared with the $4 billion that has left the coffers ....

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  6. Deadline to VOTE absentee ballots *** 18 days SECU Members and Employees do what you have always done best - Spread the Word on the street - Post on Facebook - Secure those votes -
    ***Clements and Perkins and Stone***

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  7. NCRGEA members need to flood their office with email. Send the message to O’Connell & NCRGEA Board and tell them all about their mistake in judgement (yes, him too!!). Get the word out to NCRGEA member/ friends to vote for Perkins, Clements, and Stone. NCRGEA might have it’s own reckoning when this is done!

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