PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: April 22, 2009
Contact: Attorney Rose Sanders
Class Counsel – Pigford I
Attorney of Record in Pigford II
Email: fayarose@gmail.com
Phone: 334-875-9264
Boyd’s Protest Against USDA and the Obama Administration
is Untimely and Unsupported by Chestnut Law Firm
By Attorney Rose Sanders
SELMA....John Boyd and his National Black Farmers Association have called a protest rally against USDA and the Obama Administration. A memo was circulated to black farmers stating, “as your attorneys in the pending Black Farmers litigation, we support the protest rally” and encouraged the farmers to attend. As a partner with the Chestnut Law Firm of Selma, Alabama and one of the attorneys in the Black Farmers litigation, I need to say that the statement sent to farmers regarding the protest does not include my support nor do I agree with its contents. As class counsel in Pigford I, my firm represented hundreds of late claimants without charge. We, along with the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund, the National Black Farmers Association and other farm groups, also fought for the Pigford II legislation. The National Black Farmers Association is to be commended for that fight, but this planned protest for April 28th is untimely and unwise.
President Obama and the Secretary of Agriculture have been moving expeditiously to address the concerns of Black Farmers. The Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, has publicly committed to address the challenges of Pigford II and the foreclosure problems facing Black Farmers. To protest our first African-American President within four months of his administration, given the economic crisis we face, is untimely and unwise. In addition, this protest falls into the hands of America’s right wing and helps neither the cause of black farmers nor the challenges we face in advancing civil rights changes throughout the USDA. It was just today, in fact, that the Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, announced sweeping policies for corrective actions in civil rights at the USDA and for resolving the Pigford lawsuit.
Contrary to Boyd’s statement in his recent press release reported by the Associated Press, there is no evidence that the Obama Administration has taken the position that the $100,000,000 cap in the Pigford legislation should be split among successful cases. In fact, there have been no “recent” settlement talks on the Pigford lawsuit. Boyd’s assertions are misleading and misleading potential successful farmers to believe that President Obama is proposing that they will only get 2 to 3 thousand dollars is very disturbing. I must question Boyd’s motives.
Less than two years ago, I attended meetings by John Boyd where he and his attorneys were soliciting contracts from hundreds of eligible and ineligible claimants before the Pigford II legislation was passed in Congress. These contracts obligated citizens to pay 1/3 of their recovery to John Boyd’s attorneys plus expenses. Expenses had to be paid even if the claimant was unsuccessful. I objected to these outrageous contracts. Boyd’s claim that his April 28th protest is inspired by his concern for Black Farmers must be questioned.
We urge the thousands of farmers we represent not to attend this rally except to protest the protesters. Give President Obama and his administration an equal opportunity to address the problems of black farmers. Ninety-two days is not enough. I am not opposed to creative protest. In fact, I’ve led and participated in non-violent protests for most of my life. If the President and his Administration do not timely address the systemic discrimination against Black Farmers, past and present, I will be the first in the protest line. But now is not the time.
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