Kasim Reed’s Admin. Claims City Council Has "No Say"

According to WAGAReporter Dale Russell: 

"A politically-connected airport vendor scored a major victory Wednesday at Atlanta City Hall. A city councilwoman wanted to cancel his airport contract claiming it created a conflict of interest, but (after hearing from a Reed Administration attorney) the transportation committee said no."

Click here to see story 

Kasim Reed Anti-Choice, Pro-Hypocrisy

Believes government has a role to play in some bedrooms; just not his.

Privacy is an important, essential part of American life.  Many, me included, believe it’s a principal woven into our Constitution.

Apparently when Kasim Reed’s most intimate choices were thrust onto an obscure web page frequented by African-American women, it was time for Reed's legal team to jump into action.  Ironically, their acts brought more, not less, attention to the lasciviousness reported by the women.

According to a story reported later by Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Kasim Reed may be headed to court to defend the privacy of his sexual proclivities.

Reed's legal efforts seem to be focused on claims made about his sexual relations with specific city employees and  certain posts about his preferences for what could be called sexual acts of a non-traditional sort.

Efforts to quiet web discussions seem to have produced unwanted attention and exposed a major political vulnerability of Reed's.  

Reed's legal team does not seem to dispute web posts that had Reed placing former sexual partners on the city payroll.  

Also, Reed does not seem to dispute web posts that reference sexual liaisons with a woman who worked on his campaign staff when he was elected mayor of Atlanta.   Reportedly, the women later left the campaign to hold a senior position with the food service vendor recently awarded one the largest airport concessions contracts in Atlanta's history.

REED'S BIG POLITICAL PROBLEM REVEALED

Reed is a man who professes to be anti-choice (wink-wink, Kasim), but his actions have placed him squarely in a public conundrum.  

As he begins to roll out his reelection efforts, Reed will have to confront the issues of “choice” and “privacy.”

He will have to draw a distinction between his privacy and the privacy of a woman making a decision about her body and personal health. 

Reed will have to explain why his choices should not be subject to public discussion, scrutiny, analysis, and opinion but that a woman’s most intimate health decisions should be  subject to the opinions of any ambitious, enigmatic  politician such as himself.   

Albeit hypocritical, Reed is a man who believes your privacy is negotiable -- but not his.

Kasim Reed In Legal Battle Over Carnal History

According to a story posted on the AJC web site, Kasim Reed may be headed to court to defend the privacy of his sexual proclivities.

According to the AJC:

“…Kasim Reed is battling with a national website whose forum users have offered speculations on his dating life that he says are not true.

Reed hired Randy Evans of the McKenna Long & Aldridge law firm to send a cease-and-desist demand letter dated October 8 to the firm providing web hosting to (the website).

The letter singles out three posts – from January, April and September of this year – that make statements about who Reed, who’s single, might be seeing socially.”

According to Atlanta Daily Report, when opposing counsel, Paul Levy of the Washington, D.C-based Public Citizen Litigation Group, was apprised of Reed’s attorney's statement to the media, Levy replied,  “I don’t respond well to bullying, and neither does (my client); big talk from a little man.”

In the letter authored by Reed's attorney, Reed disputes claims made about his sexual relations with specific city employees and Reed disputes certain posts about his preferences for what could be called sexual acts of a non-traditional sort.

Curiously, however, Reed's attorney did not dispute posts that had Reed placing former sexual partners on the city payroll.  

Also, Reed's attorney did not dispute those posts that reference sexual liaisons with a woman who worked on Reed's campaign staff when he was elected mayor of Atlanta.   The women later left the campaign to hold a senior position with the food service vendor recently awarded one the largest airport concessions contracts in Atlanta's history.

‘Message In A Bottle’ Addressed To Kasim Reed

I’ve received nearly 60 encouraging Facebook and email messages since I posted “It's Gettin' Hot In Herre.” Thank you. 

After reading the messages, I’ve noticed a theme consistently woven into them: 

"Barb Dwyer’s Atlanta" is informative and  (to cite one person's observations) "(Kasim) Reed is a man-child who is super pissed that people close to him are talking...(and Reed’s) trying to quiet down the room.” 

Here's a sample of the messages you've sent:

“Stay strong! Your voice is desperately needed. You obviously have your pulse on the inner-workings of the Administration. I learn a lot by reading your blog.”

Another note reads:

"Freedom of speech still exist-------attempts to cease everyone who talks about him on the web could be exhaustive."

Yesterday the Blog enjoyed its greatest number of first time viewers!  Thank you for reading and passing along the Blog address to your friends.

Again, thank you for the notes and keep the information-flow coming, too!

Kasim Reed: “Bully”

Newt Gingrich:  "Bully"

As posted here yesterday, the highly respected Public Citizen’s Consumer Justice Project reported that Super Lawyer Randy Evans sent a letter on behalf of Mayor Kasim Reed to a data center that hosted a web site that's posted comments Reed doesn't like.  

Reportedly, most of the posts are by African-American women who are expressing their views about public figures, including Kasim Reed.

Following receipt of Mr. Evans' letter, it seems the web site was temporarily taken down.  (Read Mr. Evan’s letter by Clicking Here).

Today it appears the web site is back up and has hired its own Washington, DC-based Super Lawyer, Paul Alan Levy.   

Apparently Mr. Levy sent his own letter to Mr. Evans denouncing a “…woeful ignorance of (established internet) law.” (Read Mr. Levy’s letter by Clicking Here)

Perhaps best known for his work with former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Mr. Evans is an accomplished lawyer.  He currently chairs the Financial Institutions practice at his law firm, powerhouse McKenna Long & Aldrige.

Mr. Levy’s letter continues by informing Mr. Evans that the comments Reed objects to will “…remain on (his client’s web) site in perpetuity.”

Perhaps the “cherry atop” Mr. Levy’s missive was the sentence that ended with “(Levy’s client) does not negotiate with bullies.” Presumably, Mr. Levy was referencing Kasim Reed.

As these legal genii circle each other, one has to wonder whether taxpayers are paying for Kasim Reed’s ego boost à la legal fees generated by Mr. Evans?

"It's Gettin' Hot In Herre"

They’re laughing at me

Are Barb Dwyer’s Days Numbered? 

Just when I thought he was starting to pay attention, Kasim Reed has deployed the national powerhouse law firm McKenna Long & Aldrige to CRUSH one of his critics.

The highly respected Public Citizen’s Consumer Justice Project reports that Super Lawyer Randy Evans sent a letter to the data center that hosts a web site that's posted comments Reed doesn't like.

Read Mr. Evan’s letter by Clicking Here.

According to Public Citizen:

“Reed was unhappy that Lipstick Alley, a gossip site with particular traction among African-American women, carried an exchange of messages about Reed’s alleged relationships with several different women, including some of his cabinet.”

Apparently, all this “Protect Kasim’s Backside” was at taxpayer expense, as Mr. Evans identified himself as a representative of the "Honorable Kasim Reed, Mayor of the City of Atlanta."

After reading Mr. Evans’ letter, however, “honorable” is not the word that immediately comes to mind.

Kasim Reed’s “Drip-Drip-Drip” Problem

Last week I posted about how a former Supervisor at the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management blew-the-whistle on Kasim Reed’s current CFO, J. Anthony “Jim” Beard.

CFO, Duriya Farooqui

In an interview, Reed’s Chief Operating Officer, Duriya Farooqui, acknowledged that Beard abused an employee gift card giveaway program.

To slowdown any “rush to judgment” on Beard’s hording the Bed Bath & Beyond redeemables, Ms. Farooqui also announced a “get-to-the-bottom-of-it” audit.

In my post, I neglected to share additional background on Reed’s Department of Watershed Management and Mr. Beard.

Before we get to Mr. Beard, however, there are a few details about the Department of Watershed Management you’ll need to put aside including the fact that Atlantans now pay the highest water rates in the country AND that thousands of Atlanta rate-payers have defective meters that cause them to pay for more water than they consume (and the city knows about it). 

And, most importantly, you’ll have to act as if you’re not aware that Reed directed that cash pool funds be used from the Department of Watershed Management to give airport bond holders the impression that Hartsfield-Jackson is financially stronger than it really is (more on this sugarplum in the future).

Joya De Foor

Pretend like you don’t already know that stuff…

Mr. Beard was not always Reed’s CFO. In fact, as Ms. Farooqui described it, Beard was once the “CFO for the Watershed Management Department” – that’s how he was able to get his sticky fingers in the gift card cookie jar.

Mr. Beard competed against, and lost the CFO position to, Joya De Foor, who was actively recruited by Reed when he was putting together his administration. 

Beard only became the city’s CFO after De Foor was illegally terminated by Reed. 

Why was she terminated? She was terminated because she refused to play ball with Reed 

Yes, now you may begin connecting the dots.

Specifically, Ms. De Foor brought suit against Reed after he wrongfully terminated her for disagreeing with him on how Department of Watershed Management funds could or couldn’t be used.

To avoid providing testimony and subjecting himself to a legal oath to tell the truth, Reed’s attorneys reached an out-of-court settlement with De Foor.

City documents show that Reed’s actions involving the Department of Watershed Management so compromised the city that his attorneys concluded that the city’s “financial exposure far exceeded” the amount De Foor was willing to settle for and go away.

In the end, De Foor avoided a lengthy court battle, took the money, put Reed behind her, and moved on with her life.

So, as controversies and sordid details “drip-drip-drip” out of the department of Watershed Management, we can assume one person keeping a close eye on the Department of Watershed Management is US Attorney Sally Yates.

Kasim Reed's 5K, Up-Hill Run

Wow! “Barb Dwyer’s Atlanta“ launched in earnest in early September and this week we reached 5,000 Unique Visitors. 

Thank you for reading and sharing the Blog and for the many, many email and Facebook messages received. 

A recent email from a Visitor read:

“…everyone is reading it and talking about it...You are covering good material.”

Another Visitor wrote:

"… people (business/civic) are frustrated with (Reed’s) antics and they are happy to see someone …call him out."

Still, another Visitor wrote:

“...I love it. Think you’re awesome!!!!”

Click here to send an email. Please be sure to Friend on Facebook.

(To Reed’s Sock Puppets (see this story) like “MKR Supporter,” “Legacy Keeper,” and the proverbial “Anonymous,” keep your notes coming, too, just not during your work day.

Don’t forget that between 8 and 5 you’re supposed to be working for the citizens of Atlanta not the Reed Re-Election Campaign.)

Swaying Reed by Bartering with Booty, Brother

J. Anthony “Jim” Beard

UPDATE: Atlanta City Council Woman Felicia Moore introduced a bill this afternoon to REPEAL the No-Bid Contract discussed in this post.  Click here to see the story

______________

Earlier this month, a former Supervisor at the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management blew-the-whistle on Kasim Reed’s CFO, J. Anthony “Jim” Beard, for abusing an employee gift card giveaway program.  Responding to the gift card caper, Reed announced a "get-to-the-bottom-of-it" audit.

While Reed spends his time tracking down plastics redeemable at CVS, Walmart, and Bed Bath & Beyond, larger questions loom over Atlanta's city hall.

City vendors, in a classic case of "Pay-to-Play," are providing Reed's political aide's with luxury “loaner" vehicles for their personal use. 

The Atlanta City Council should use this new era of "get-to-the-bottom-of-it" to ramp up its own review of city vendors who are currying favor with key Reed aides. 

His Brother’s Keeper

Earlier this year, local media captured Tracy Reed, the Mayor's wayward brother, on videotape driving a city-owned vehicle without a valid driver’s license and with an outstanding arrest warrant. 

Buried in that otherwise highly publicized controversy was a larger violation.  

At the time Tracy Reed was videotaped, he was employed at the Atlanta airport where his responsibilities included validating who was qualified (and who was unqualified) to bid on airport concessions.

After the initial violation was broadcast, an APD dash-cam videotape of a separate traffic violation surfaced and was broadcast by an Atlanta television station.  

The dash-cam videotape revealed that Tracy Reed was driving a luxury Lexus sedan registered with the State of Georgia.  The owner of the vehicle was none other than the winner of a lucrative "No-Bid" contract at the airport, Darrell Anderson.

Upon learning that the APD dashboard videotape was broadcast, Kasim directed the Atlanta Police Department to investigate "who released the videotape" to the news media instead of first directing his staff to investigate "how a city employee was able to get possession of a city vehicle without a valid drivers license and thereby place the city at financial risk."

Kasim first focused on the political fallout of his brother's blunder.  He was primarily concerned with reaction to the broadcasting of an APD dash-cam videotape that showed the Mayor's brother driving a luxury vehicle owned by a city vendor.

Public outcry and media scrutiny about brother Tracy's lack of a valid driver’s license and outstanding arrest warrant soon led to his termination from the city payroll.  The controversy passed and any hope of a investigation died with Tracy's termination.  

Borrowed Booty

This past summer and into the early fall a complex, behind-the-scenes lobbying effort was waged by representatives of the Porsche car company.  

Porsche’s agents were seeking to have an Atlanta street named after the German car company's founder, Ferdinand Porsche.  

Amidst the car company’s efforts, however, “The Booty Bundler,” a/k/a/ Stacii Jae Johnson, Reed’s on-staff Entertainment Director, was arrested while driving a Porsche that was on loan to her. 

'Round midnight on a hot, sticky August evening, APD pinched The Booty Bundler for driving the on loan Porsche after she had been drinking and partying.

Johnson was arrested for DUI, Resisting Arrest, and a variety of other infractions (including flipping her Mayor's Office business card to the arresting APD officer).

Within hours of her arrest, Ms. Johnson was terminated from the city's payroll but no city investigation was initiated.  

The Atlanta City Council should use these two examples as a starting point for an investigation...given Reed is in the mood to "get-to-the-bottom-of-it."  

** Note: City residents were horrified to learn that Reed was giving serious consideration to naming an Atlanta city street after Ferdinand Porsche, a member of the Nazi Party during World War II.  The street naming effort failed.

**Update (October 14, 202)

Kasim Reed has secured enough City Council votes to name an Atlanta city street for Ferdinand Porsche, a member of the Nazi Party during World War II and founder, namesake of the car German company.

The vote is scheduled for Monday, October 15, 2012. 

Horrified citizens were led to believe that the street naming effort had failed but Reed has revived the effort.

Shame on you, Kasim Reed!  Shame on you!

Debate Night Uh-oh

While at Manuel’s last night I learned Kasim Reed is headed back to Meet The Press. 

This morning the media are reporting that Reed will be on the panel with Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell , former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, GOP political consultant Alex Castellanos, and the august Tom Brokaw.

Let’s hope Reed's not asked to comment on the controversy involving Tennessee Rep. Scott DesJarlais.

Kasim Reed’s Bout With Cognitive Dissidence

Half of the room about fell out of their chairs this afternoon when Kasim Reed did a SHOUT OUT to Dr. Renee L. Glover of the Atlanta Housing Authority.

Andrea Boone

Reed and the mayors of Green Bay, Greensboro,  and Charlotte were speaking before a room full of Atlanta business people. Almost braggadocios in his acknowledgement, Reed cited the dramatic impact Glover has had on Atlanta. The room gave Glover a boisterous ovation.

Mitzi Bickers

Glover is wildly popular here, across the nation, and especially with the Obama Administration and both Democratic and Republican members of Congress.

The speechifying hadn’t even finished before Blackberries were buzzing about Reed's apparent turnaround in attitude toward Glover. 

But it was only a month ago when the local media were reporting Reed wanted the fiercely independent Glover replaced with a hack of his choosing (private speculation was either Andrea Boone, commissioner of constituent services for Reed or political consultant Mitzi Bickers).

Kasim Reed and Daniel Halpern (Reed’s Campaign Chairman, Mega-winner of Airport concessions, and FAA-document-falsifier) have been trying for more than a year to stare down Dr. Glover who has been called Atlanta’s “Quiet Heroine.”

Halpern is Reed’s chairman of Atlanta Housing Authority’s board of directors. Last year it was widely reported that Reed sent Halpern to AHA with expressed orders to unseat Glover.

Whatever the explanation for his surprise, Reed left many people shaking their heads.  

Top Ten Signs It’s Time For Kasim Reed To Give Up Hope (Reasons 6-10)

Over the next few weeks, I will offer a running list of my TOP 10 REASONS why Kasim Reed should give up trying to be re-elected. If Reed faces A FORMIDABLE OPPONENT, each of my Top 10 Reasons will be central questions to Reed’s re-election.

Here are listed reasons 6-10.

Reason Number 10: 

Atlanta Public Schools

Reed will try to run from this disaster but any viable candidate will place APS at his feet.

As the largest cheating scandal in American history unfolded, Reed stood with Beverley Hall and IN OPPOSITION TO the board members who were challenging Hall’s policies and strategies.

Reed defended Beverly Hall until the end

Reed publically defended Beverley Hall and POLITICALLY DESTROYED the greenhorn board chairman who single-handedly stood up to Hall.

Watch this speech and know that the “who” being discussed is a direct reference to Kasim Reed. Reed will not be able to run from this. Watch This Video

Reason Number 9: 
Atlanta Workforce Development Agency

Reed was repeatedly funneling campaign supporters and “politically connected” dreck (including relatives of city council members) to AWDA for “no show” jobs.

All Hell broke loose when the professional staff tried to push back on the questionable allocation of federal grant dollars.

In turn, Reed’s chief of staff, Candace Byrd, blew up during a cabinet meeting and publically humiliated the highly regarded executive of AWDA. 

The AWDA executive was ostensibly suspended for granted a routine media interview but it was made clear to everyone in the meeting that if anyone refused to “play ball” they too would suffer retaliation. Watch this video

Reason Number 8: 
“Hell Hath No Fury…”

Ms. Langford

The last three years have introduced Atlanta’s City Hall Observers to Kasim Reed’s relationships with Ms. Langford, Ms. Whittaker, and Ms. Rohadfox. 

For different reasons, each of these associations is volatile and they likely mean sleepless nights for Reed as he worries about what happens when the details (sometimes sordid) are made public.

But Atlantans learned this recently something more precarious about the Bachelor-In-Chief’s peccadillos. The greatest danger to Reed’s reelection may come not from those he has kept close but rather from those he’s “cut off.”

Reed has already seen the short-term impact from one he has, proverbially, kicked to the curb, notably the so-called “The Booty Bundler,” Stacii Jae Johnson.

Ms. Whittaker is third from the right.

While driving a high-priced, white, “loaner” Porsche on the 75/85 Connector in late August, The Booty Bundler was arrested for DUI, resisting arrest, and a variety of other infractions. 

It’s still undisclosed who “loaned” the vehicle or why the vehicle was being loaned to the mayor’s “Entertainment Director.”  

(However, the Porsche company was recently seeking to have an Atlanta street renamed after its founder).

Before last month’s brush with the law, Jae was best known for “bundling” fund-raising checks for politicians and for staring in a “stripper” video; hence the nickname, “The Booty Bundler.”

“The Booty Bundler” -- Stacii Jae Johnson

Now, that would be bad enough under any circumstance. But... 

In DC, Ms. Jae is referred to as “Obama’s Booty Bundler” because she was bundling campaign contributions for Obama’s reelection campaign while working for Reed (see the story here).

“(Kasim Reed) is sleeping with lThese DC headlines certainly contributed to the stiffing (in a manner of speaking) Reed got from the President’s reelection campaign when it barred him from the podium in Charlotte during the Democratic Party’s nominating convention. Reed is the first Atlanta mayor in nearly 40 years not to address the Democratic National Convention.

Oh, but it gets worse for Reed…

Atlanta’s own “TMZ-styled” celebrity gossip web site, Lipstick Alley, reported that The Booty Bundler is gaining revenge on her former boss, presumably because Reed did not protect her from arrest or termination.

Ms. Rohadfox

According to the web site: ike 4 chicks in his cabinet and they all think he is going wife them. Staci Jae was at a party saying she had the Mayor in check and then drove drunk and was forced to resign, His communications director divorced her husband as did Jovita Moore. He has them trained like a ****.”

So while Kasim has to keep an eye on the relationships he maintains, he also has to worry about those he has dispose of.

Reason Number 7: 
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

During the city election that swept Kasim Reed into the mayor’s office with a surging 700 vote margin, many predicted that older brother Tracy Reed‘s sensitive position at the Atlanta Airport (in which he oversaw who was eligible to bid on contracts) would lead to misdeeds and Kasim Reed’s political downfall.

Ironically, it was Tracy’s drive to his airport job that would draw attention to Kasim Reed’s otherwise behind-the-scenes older brother.

While driving a car owned by controversial city vendor Darrell Anderson, Tracy Reed was pulled over for an ordinary speeding violation but he was found to be driving without a valid driver’s license and to be a verifiable fugitive with an outstanding arrest warrant.

Darrell Anderson

Like any other citizen, Tracy promptly flipped the police officer his city business card and an APD major appeared on the scene within moments. Despite an active arrest warrant and the speeding violation, Tracy was released and no speeding ticket was issued.

When presented with these facts by a local media outlet, Kasim Reed directed the Atlanta Police Department to investigate how the reporter acquired the dashboard video. 

At the same time, another city employee faced retaliation from Reed’s senior staff for cooperating with yet another media investigation into Tracy Reed’s improper use of city credit cards.

(b/t/w, senior Reed officials seem to have a proclivity for driving cars loaned to them by people who are doing business with the city – see Reason Number 8: ”Hell Hath No Fury…” above where I write how the so-called Booty Bundler was driving a Porsche on loan to her as the car company was seeking to have an Atlanta street renamed after its founder).

As the airport concession protests and court cases twist through the processes, Tracy’s role at the airport is coming to light. The older brother’s fingerprints are on too much and there is too much time before the reelection to keep it all under wraps.

Kasim, I’d think long and hard whether revelations about Tracy’s activities are in your best interest. 

Reason Number 6: 

“Centers of Nope”

Atlanta city hall is plagued with a flailing vision, reckless personal behavior, and egregious management decisions. We’ll share one contemptible example.

(b/t/w it would be garish to share the details of chief-of-staff Candace Byrd’s tête-à-tête with a member of the traveling security detail during the recent China visit -- *wink, wink* -- so we’ll let it go for now).

Candace Byrd

One gaping hole in Reed’s reelection prospects is found in his so-called signature policy: “Centers For Hope.”

The poorly conceptualized, operationalized, and managed program, it turns out, has resulted in a city that is more dangerous for working-class and low-income children than any time in the last 25 years.

Whether you examine the multiple occasions: 

• Atlanta Rec Center has lost Southside children
• How Atlanta’s Southside neighborhoods have become too dangerous for children to walk to and from school, or
• How Reed has downplayed a child molestation case at one of its Southside city-run pools

the pattern is well-defined.

Reed will argue that a city as large and diverse as Atlanta, cannot assure taxpayers that the children will be safe. He certainly will make some variation of that argument during his reelection campaign.

Yvonne Yancey

What Reed cannot defend, however, is how he and his hirelings have managed these tragedies.

There is no denying that if any of the incidents had occurred anywhere but the Southside then Reed’s reaction would have been much different. 

Instead, Reed and his staff assume that working-class people are ill-informed or uninterested and therefore are not entitled to answers. 

Reed and his people did their best to sweep these problems under the rug.

In one case, for example, Reed’s hand-picked aide, Yvonne Yancey, protected a political ally who is said to have impeded a child molestation probe. 

For nearly a year after a four-year-old was abused at a Southside city pool, Atlanta taxpayers paid a politically connected ally of Reed’s more than $80,000 for a “no show” job at the Atlanta Recreation Department.

It was only when the offending employee sought a high-profile political position in New Orleans that Reed’s Dirty Little Secret came to light.

When a New Orleans newspaper reporter called the city of Atlanta and was told by an Atlanta city spokeswoman  that “(the employee) is no longer with the city” the story didn't add up for the reporter because the employee had listed the city of Atlanta as her employer on job applications and the employee had continued to receive a full-time salary for eleven months after the offense.

George Dusenbury

Yancey was forced to step in to “correct” the record with the reporter. In fact, Yancey went as far as to write “glowing recommendation” for Reed’s political ally. The letter of Recommendation was on City of Atlanta letterhead was later used in pursuit of the position in New Orleans.

Months after the fact and after Reed lost control of crisis, the commissioner of the city parks department George Dusenbury was scapegoated and suspended without pay for “failure to timely report allegations of sexual abuse.”

It’s said that “the fish rots from the head down.” What’s clear is if you live on the Southside then you’re at the bottom and it’s all rotten.