The Ethics and Grievance Committee of the Korean War Veterans Association investigated a non-member of the KWVA for "the use of derogatory and slanderous accusations towards KWVA President Louis T. Dechert and KWVA Director Warren H. Wiedhahn earlier this year" [2006]. Nancy Monson, who has served as the KWVA's administrative assistant for many, many years, made public the following e-mail message on Sunday, December 04, 2006:
----- Original Message -----
From: nancy monson
Sent: Thursday, November 30, 2006 5:03 PM
Subject: Fw: Why Nancy Monson Left
Hope this isn't a repeat--but no one seems to have received it.
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 12:44 PM
Subject: Why Nancy Monson Left
Contrary to what you have been advised, I did not resign from working for KWVA because I was "UPSET" over the upcoming move. If you haven't seen it before, you will find my reason in the letter at the end of this e-mail.
The following is excepted from a letter you may have received:
[Excerpt] "Concurrently, with the move of the current KWVA database operations, we are changing our computer system to a fully protected system, with a contract that will not exceed present costs. Actually several changes have been underway since the Knoxville Convention, 2004, when the Executive Council approved data base software improvements. One of the most noticeable changes is that our long-time employee, Nancy Monson, has chosen not to work at the new location. Although the choice was entirely hers, she is obviously upset and far from happy about the inevitable disruption which this causes. At this time Nancy Monson, who was assisting in the move and transition, has resigned effective November 20, 2006. We thank her for her past service to the KWVA and wish her well in her future endeavors."
[Areas highlighted in italic.]
I have known this move was coming for over nine months. I would have had to be upset for quite a spell for this to be the case. It's just plain and simply not true. I don't believe I was even upset by the Ethics and Grievance Committee complaint to and about me. I was MAD. (As a matter of fact, Harley Coon also discussed this move when he was president, so I must have been upset for a long, long time.)
Even though I wanted nothing to do with the move on a personal level, I had at the time said that I would be willing to leave my office and help with the transfer of responsibility. Does that sound like someone "UPSET"? The letter from the E&G Committee certainly changed my mind. (I cite their letter and my response at the tail-end of this e-mail.) I had even advised the administration that I would forward any e-mail regarding address changes, etc., to them. However, I have since reconsidered and have advised the telephone company to disconnect the phone line.
I have been told and have read of people being asked to SPY on other people. I find all of this ridiculous. Are these the same people who may have been in the foxhole next to you and, who, by your actions, you may have saved the life thereof? I've never heard of anyting so divisive and the fact that anyone (or anyones) would go along with such stuff just is unfathomable. The fact that we are fairly certain who relayed the initial e-mail to the powers-that-be and know who relayed it to the E&G leaves one to wonder what can be gained by such: a pat on the head; a "good boy" reward; just the thought you may be doing something honorable; or maybe something bigger? I further ask myself: How do the members tolerate such behavior?
I have been told by several people of the comments being made about me since I answered the E&G complaint and I sincerely hope that you will not believe any of them. It's all too petty to reiterate, so I won't. Some of it is pure crap.
But I didn't want to leave without you and the members of your chapter knowing the real reason. I had thought the answers to the E&G committee would be the end of it, but the more I read and hear, the more I felt you and your chapter deserved an explanation from me.
Following is the letter I received from the E&G Committee and my response.
----- Original Message -----
From: nancy monson
To: Steve Szekely
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 11:49 AM
Subject: A matter of concern
(copies were sent to concerned Executive Council and members.)
I have received a letter (contents follow) from the Ethics and Grievance Committee of KWVA that I would like to share with you. It makes no mention of confidentiality so feel certain this shouldn't be cause for another such letter. I would also like for you to know how I responded to this letter in order that no distortions will be made later.
I should apologize for the length of this missile. However, it is the only way I can say all of the things I have to say. So, if you can, stick with me. I'll appreciate it. It also becomes a little complicated but I will try to "uncomplicate" it by:
I will mail a copy (I have no e-mail address for them).
LETTER: KOREAN WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION
ETHICS AND GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE
1516 Laclede Rd.
South Euclid, Ohio 44121-3012
November 12, 2006
LETTER: Mrs. Nancy Monson
PO Box 101238
Arlington, VA 22210-4238
LETTER: Dear Mrs. Monson
LETTER: The Ethics and Grievance Committee of the KWVA has been directed by President Louis T. Dechert to investigate the use of derogatory and slanderous accusations towards KWVA President Louis T. Dechert and KWVA Director Warren H. Wiedhahn earlier this year.
LETTER: The Ethics and Grievance Committee is an investigating body, not a disciplinary body, its work are impartial fact-finding of evidence pro or con to the subject at hand. The power to discipline rests solely with the Board of Directors according to the By Laws of the KWVA. We are providing copies of correspondence which has been deemed to contain derogatory and slanderous statements made by you. We would appreciate your answers to the following questions to the best of your knowledge and ability.
LETTER: 1. On October 12, 2006, you received an e-mail from (a friend whose name I will not use) asking you what Charles is talking about that you are gone without any discussion. What is the basis for this e-mail and what does it mean?
FRIEND E-MAILED ME: Nancy, what in the heck is Charles talking about that you are gone without any discussion? I like to know because you and I have been friends a long time.
NANCY: Charles is someone who wrote to my friend telling him that I wanted to retire. At this point, I was slightly irritated because I had been told by others, i.e., "I quit," "I wanted to retire," "I didn't want to work for KWVA anymore," etc. There is no truth in any of this.
I responded to my friend's e-mail as follows: "Well, the Dechert Administration plans to set up an office in Warren Wiedhahn's office. I believe they have also discussed the fact that one of his staff will maintain the membership lists. I was asked if I would help the new person get started and I would because I wouldn''t want the members compromised. However, I would not work anywhere near Warren Wiedhahn--he's too self-centered and self-promoting for me to be involved with him. Also, I think this would give him access to the KWVA membership records and I wouldn't want to be involved with that either.
"I haven't been told what happened at the reunion in San Antonio. I'm sure this is where the matter was brought up. But, like with everything else, I'm the mushroom--and you know how mushrooms exist.
"I'm getting little inklings of things that happened but I know nothing for sure.
"That's what I know so far."
There is nothing derogatory about Mr. Dechert in this nor is there any mention of him personally. The comment about Mr. Wiedhahn may be derogatory but certainly is not slanderous.
LETTER: 2. On October 23, 2006 you sent an e-mail to (my friend again). The subject line of your e-mail states; "Re. KWVA is dead and we need to find options to continue." What proof do you have to support this statement?
NANCY: The "Re" is the subject that was on the e-mail sent to me by my friend. I simply did not remove it. I added the word ''--RESPONSE" to the line as I do on many e-mails so the person will know I'm answering them.
LETTER: 3. In the same e-mail you stated that President Dechert and Director Wiedhahn is (verb should have been are) having you replaced. What proof do you have to support this statement?
NANCY: Please reread the e-mail. It does not say that. It says "The Dechert Administration."
LETTER: 4. In the e-mail you stated that Dechert Administration plans to set up an office in Director Weidhahn's office. Do you have proof of this statement?
NANCY: I don't know what you would like to have in the way of proof, but I will tell you what I do know. I have attended two meetings in Mr. Wiedhahn's suite where this was discussed with various administration members present. The last meeting I attended there, I was asked if I would work there. My response was "No, but I would help with the transfer." I believe my reason for saying no is evident. I also have knowledge that Mr. W. has obtained a post office box, the address of which will appear on the new membership renewal cards.
LETTER: 5. In the same e-mail you stated that one of Director Weidhahn's staff will maintain the membership list. What proof do you have for this statement?
NANCY: Only what I've been told.
LETTER: 6. In this same e-mail, you stated that you would not work for Director Weidhahn because he is too self-centered and self-promoting for you to be involved with. What is the basis for such a slanderous statement?
NANCY: It was a personal comment to a friend and hardly slanderous.
LETTER: 7. In this same e-mail you state that you think Director Weidhahn would have access to KWVA membership records and you would not want to be involved with this. What is the basis for this statement?
NANCY: Shortly after the change of administrations I was asked to send Mr. W. a computer disc of our membership and I replied that the Executive Council had passed a motion that NO ONE was to receive the membership list unless it was approved by the Executive Council. This request was not approved by the EC and I did not provide it. Now, wouldn't you think if he wanted it once that it might be real handy for him to have it at hand?
LETTER: 8. In this same e-mail you state that you haven't been told what happened at the reunion in San Antonio. Also, you are sure this is where the matter came up. What do you mean by that statement?
NANCY: It means that I had received NO information from the ADMINISTRATION about anything. I was amazed to find out about two weeks later that dues had been raised to $25.00. Various persons who contacted me told me that the move to Mr. W.'s office and dues increase had been approved at the meeting.
LETTER: We respectfully request answers to the above questions and must inform you of the following:
LETTER: NOTICE: THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (BOARD OF DIRECTORS) ON THE 26TH OF JULY 2005, PASSED RESOLUTIONS REQUIRING ALL MEMBERS TO RESPOND IN GOOD FAITH TO INQUIRIES MADE BY THE E&G COMMITTEE, AND ESTABLISHING A RULE OF PROCEDURE THAT A REFUSAL TO RESPOND IN WRITING SIGNED, WITHIN 15 DAYS, TO A REQUEST MADE BY THE E&G COMMITTEE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT A POTENTIAL CHARGE, SHALL RESULT IN A PRESUMPTION OF VALIDITY IN FAVOR OF THE CHARGE.
NANCY: I am not a member but I will respond and stand by what I wrote. I will send you (Mr. Brown) a signed copy even though you are not listed on the web page as being a member of the E&G Committee. I am addressing this e-mail to Mr. Szekely who is shown as Chairman of the committee and will additionally send him a signed copy.
LETTER: Please send your answer to the address below,
LETTER: Respectfully,
LETTER: /s/ Richard E. Brown, Sr.
Richard E. Brown, Sr. LR36975
2307 Gring Drive
West Lawn, PA 19609-1107
Encls (2)
ALL OF FOLLOWING COMMENTS BY NANCY: As a result of this letter, I request that all KWVA materials be picked up at my house by an official of KWVA on Monday, November 20, 2006, at 10:00 a.m. I will attempt to clean up any outstanding communications over the weekend. This will consist of:
All information on my data base is in the hands of Jim Dopplehammer. Therefore, if you need copies of ledger pages, etc., he can provide them to you. I do not want to hear at some future date that I did not turn over all the materials.
It has been a real pleasure to have worked with and for many of you for these 12+ years. I thank you for the opportunity.
Following is the sequence of events that took place at the KWVA National Convention in San Antonio, Texas during the month of October 2006. This document was submitted by Nick Pappas of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
Monday 10/9/06- Workshops:
Database/Website 1:30-2:30 PM
Bylaws/Standard Procedures Manual 2;45-4:00 PM. Attendance NOT required.
Tuesday 10/10/06: Board Meeting dealing with various Committee Reports and other items ending at 6:00PM.
Wednesday 10/11/06 : 8:00-10:00 AM; Board Meeting discussion of Ethics/Grievance Committee Investigative Report concerning "accusatory" charges of Mail Fraud and Copyright Infringement etc. as directed by President Dechert against 1st VP Dickerson, 2nd VP Pappas, Director Edwards and Member Kronenberger (not present).
10:00AM-2:00 PM- Annual Membership Meeting. 2:00-5:00 PM: Board went into Executive Session to discuss E&G charges against Dickerson, Pappas and Edwards. The 3 DEFENDANTS, although "elected" KWVA Board Members, were "directed" to immediately LEAVE the "secret" Executive Session accompanied by Sgts. of Arms (3hrs). General Membership NOT allowed to attend Executive Session. Why?
3 Defendants were notified that evening the Board would hold an Executive Session at 11:00 PM, then later at 9:30 PM. The 3 Defendants arrived at 9:30 PM prepared for a Hearing, but were "directed" again to leave the Session until "called" in. 3 Defendants recalled to the Meeting about 11:15PM.
Attorney Jim Fairchild read to us 3 Board "approved" options we had: (1) Resign our Office with no ramifications; (2) Remain in Office but will be placed on "probation" for a period of time; (3) Have a Hearing? I
REJECTED all 3 options and left the Meeting. Session concluded about 1:00 AM (3 hours). I was told later by a Board Member they voted to "expel" me. I still do not have a formal/official report or notification and reasons for their actions.
Reasons I "rejected" the 3 options follow:
1. A "secret" lengthy many paged document concerning the subject matter was "passed" out to the Board Members attending the Executive Sessions for their perusal/discussions but NOT to the 3 of us. The same document was "collected" from all of the board members prior to the conclusion of the Sessions. ?
2. The use of an attorney "paid" by the KWVA to act as a prosecutor?, provide legal guidance/ advice etc. to the Board in the conduct of their business/actions etc. A LUXURY we did "not" have, coupled with NO knowledge of what was discussed, actions taken, etc. in the 6 hours of the "secret" Board Meetings to properly enable the 3 of us to DEFEND ourselves.
3. 14 Members sent over 10,000 election letters to the Membership requesting they support the 2006 Adams Slate. So why were only the 4 Members (3 elected Board Members, 1 Member) investigated by the E&G Committee and charged with Mail Fraud and Copyright Infringement etc. and NOT the other 10 members? Hence, considering the above facts and the 3 of us NOT allowed to attend/vote or defend ourselves at the Executive Sessions, I concluded it was a foregone "prejudicial" matter. The "oddity" is that President Dechert did not "complain" when 31 Members sent out over 16,000 letters to the membership requesting they support him in the 2004 election.
4. Article 11 Section 2B: Termination of Membership reads, " Any member of the KWVA Inc. may be admonished, reprimanded, suspended or expelled or removed from any office of the Association for " Just Cause" after an APPROPRIATE Hearing, by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Directors. Charges shall be investigated by the E&G Committee following the guidelines in the Standard Procedures Manual. Facts shall be referred to the Board of Directors for their discipline decision."
5. Does the above Reunion Calendar, events, time schedules, SECRETIVE Board sessions/actions and 3 approved OPTIONS etc. sound like we would have an APPROPRIATE Hearing as per the Bylaws! Webster defines appropriate; "right for the purpose, suitable, fit, proper." Also, I have yet to see a COPY of the copyright or evidence of the mail fraud we supposedly committed. You be the Judge!
6. Excerpted from a June 20,2006 E&G Committee letter, " Dear Mr. Pappas; The E&G Committee of the KWVA has been DIRECTED by President Lou Dechert to investigate possible Mail Fraud and Copyright Infringement in the campaign literature and mailings during your Candidacy for the Office of President (should be 2nd VP) of the KWVA. THREE separate written complaints were received from members regarding unwanted and objectionable literature received by them."
All of the aforementioned RUCKUS created because of 3 UNKNOWN members complaints about the 2006 election letters received? Something is "rotten" in Denmark!
Nick Pappas LM6509 Distribution unlimited.
PS As General MacArthur quoted, " I shall return".
Three More Members Charged/Investigated - 2007
Yet another member of the Korean War Veterans Association is on the chopping block. Actually, it better be a big chopping block because more than just one member is up on charges now. Life member Sam Naomi of Iowa, who has spent countless hours and years building KWVA chapters around the United States, Charles Smith of Texas, who has assisted many veterans in their efforts to get VA benefits, and member Bob Fuoco have each received a letter from the KWVA's "Ethics and Grievance Committee" saying he has been brought up on charges that will result in his removal from the KWVA if confirmed. All three members are strong opponents of Lou Dechert, so the chances of Naomi, Smith, and Fuoco remaining members of the KWVA without forking over thousands of dollars to attorneys to represent them individually are slim to none. Charles told the KWE that he has complied with Dechert's requirement to respond to the notification within 15 days. "I have not begun to fight," Charlie told me. Naturally! Charles has been fighting for veterans' rights for years, and he definitely knows how to stand his ground against bullies. Neither Bob Fuoco nor Sam Naomi plan to complacently let the executive council of the national KWVA take their right of membership away either. All have been invited to share information with KWE readers about the steps they are already taking and will be taking to stop Dechert and his flunkies from attempting to destroy their individual reputations and trying to pull their membership in the KWVA. As their efforts progress, KWE readers can learn about them on the KWVA News page of the KWE.
Dechert does not tolerate opposition to his rule. Everyone who receives such a letter is ultimately found guilty in one form or another of nebulous crimes against the organization. Once found guilty, they are usually removed from the KWVA "for just cause." A couple of members were placed on "probation" and subsequently have been watched like a hawk every day. Their e-mails, correspondence, and comments are under constant review by Dechert and his flunkies for possible probation violations which would then result in their sure removal from the membership roster.
Ostensibly the E&G committee was created to show the members of the KWVA how fair-minded the organization's leaders are when it comes to member grievances. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that the E&G Committee is made up primarily of henchmen appointed by Lou Dechert to get rid of members who oppose him. The powers that be might bluster and try to tell KWVA members and potential members something different, but that is exactly what's coming down with this infamous committee.
In the KWVA, Dechert rules supreme. Those who do not acquiesce to his way of doing things are easy targets for Dechert's E&G goons, particularly if their opposition to the Lou Dechert administration is as vocal as has been that of Sam, Charlie, Bob, and others. I personally think that every chopped member of the KWVA is an insult to the memory of anyone who fought, served, and/or died in Korea. I also think that any organization that allows this type of flagrant witch-hunting is very (very) sick, indeed.
Every time yet another member's head rolls off the Dechert chopping block, my blood boils. I think of the 33,640+ American men and women who died in Korea for the sake of freedom, and cannot help but wonder what they would think of Dechert's strong-arm tactics if their lives had not been snuffed out while fighting the concept of dictatorship. I hope the legislators who are being asked to support a government-issued charter for the Korean War Veterans Association understand that this sort of behavior from the national leaders of a veterans service organization is way out of line and a total insult to Korean War veterans everywhere--both the living and the dead. - Editorial by Lynnita Brown
Fuoco's "Just Cause" Letter
The current administration (Lou Dechert Administration) is purging the Korean War Veterans Association of those who vocally disagree with Dechert. Persons under investigation by the Dechert-appointed "Ethics and Grievance Committee" generally receive letters such as the following prior to being officially ousted from the KWVA. Fuoco's letter was reprinted with his permission.
"KOREAN WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION, INC.
ETHICS AND GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE
1516 Laclede Rd.
South Euclid, Ohio 44121-3012
May 26, 2007
Mr. Robert A Fuoco RO18047
3217 Parma Lane
Plano, TX 75093-8436
Dear Mr. Fuoco,
This letter is being sent to inform you that a complaint has been filed against you for Just Cause.
The Ethics and Grievance Committee has been asked to conduct an investigation by the Judge Advocate, Leo Agnew. Our investigation has been completed and has been forwarded to the Judge Advocate, Leo Agnew.
If he feels that further action is warranted, he may forward the matter to President Louis T. Dechert for review by the Board of Directors.
This letter and any attachments are for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited.
I remain, yours for a continued future for the KWVA.
Respectfully,
Stephen Szekely
Chairman
E&G Committee
Cc: President Dechert, JA; E&G Committee
On April 25, 2001, a Yahoo Group entitled “KWVA-Ad-Hoc” came into existence. At the time, the president of the Korean War Veterans Association was Harley Coon, and many members felt that his administration was damaging the reputation and resources of the KWVA. A Korean War veteran in New York by the name of Don Finch created the KWVA-Ad-Hoc Yahoo Group, “to assist to right the ‘wrongs’ that were introduced into the organization by the Coon administration.” When Coon’s administration was finally brought down, Finch revised the description of his Yahoo Group to state, “It will continue to be a common meeting place where concerned members can share their concerns and ideas…. Postings reflect the opinions of the individual writers. They are presented as is and are not checked for veracity. Being of a thought-provoking nature, they should be used to stimulate discussions among the members as outlined above in the Description.” The KWVA-Ad-Hoc is not public. Only persons who ask to subscribe can be members of the group, and they become members only at the discretion of moderator Don Finch. Like television, if a subscriber doesn’t like what he or she reads, that subscriber can simply unsubscribe. Subscribers also have the option to “share their concerns and ideas” through rebuttal.
One of those “thought-provoking” messages that the Yahoo Group invites its members to share is now being used as the “evidence” to remove Lynnita Brown of the Korean War Educator and KWVAFirstAmendment.Org, long-time associate member of the KWVA, as a member of the Korean War Veterans Association. The message in question was submitted to KWVA-Ad-Hoc (that “common meeting place where concerned members can share their concerns and ideas”) on August 27, 2007. In it, Lynnita discussed the removal of legitimately elected KWVA executive council candidates and the replacing of those winning candidates with losing candidates. She addressed the fears of many KWVA members about the transfer of KWVA assets to a like organization. She also touched on conflict of interest, unethical conduct, the ridicule and abuse of members, throwing elections, and the breaking of civil laws that she believes is occurring within the KWVA board of directors. She made her personal opinion of the Dechert Administration known on a private message board because she was invited to voice her opinion, as were hundreds of other KWVA-Ad-Hoc subscribers.
As a result of stating her personal opinion, Lynnita’s head will soon go on the KWVA chopping block. That block is already bloody from the severed heads of other KWVA members who have been expelled from the organization under Dechert’s rule. There is also a line of other soon-to-be-slashed-from-the-rolls KWVA members standing in front of Lynnita. She now waits behind them for her turn at the Dechert Administration chopping block. Interestingly, ALL persons who have been or are being removed from the Korean War Veterans Association under the current administration are members who have voiced opposition to Dechert. They do not agree with how he runs the organization, and they do not agree with his tactics of silencing those members who disagree with him.
There are several steps in the removal of a member or an associate member from the KWVA. Ultimately, however, there is one final step that few members (including Lynnita) can overcome. The infamous KWVA “just cause” letters point out that during the final, pre-removal hearing, persons brought up on “just cause” charges may be represented in the hearing by their own personal attorney. With the average cost of retaining a defense attorney at a realistic minimum of $5,000 (and the expenses don’t end there), the KWVA members being threatened with expulsion for “just cause” don’t have a prayer of a chance to beat the odds. Furthermore, the majority of those who have voted or will soon vote to oust KWVA members for "just cause” during the Dechert regime are Dechert’s enablers.
When Lynnita is removed from the KWVA, it will be the third time she has been removed as an associate member of that organization. The first two times she was expelled by Harley Coon and his minions, with the assistance of Coon’s hand-picked judge advocate, who likened Coon to Abraham Lincoln in times of war and gave him the green light for Lynnita’s “emergency” removal as an associate member of the KWVA. This time Lynnita is being threatened with expulsion under the Lou Dechert Administration with the assistance of Dechert’s hand-picked judge advocate. Each threat of removal has been based on Lynnita’s tendency to call a spade a spade. Notice the similarities between administrations?
What is there to do about this injustice? Well, poor people can’t hire attorneys, so Lynnita’s removal as a member of the KWVA is already a done deal, even though her trial is a number of weeks away. Certainly the lesson to be learned here is that the KWVA-Ad-Hoc Group is not “a common meeting place for concerned members” after all—unless, of course, the messages posted on it positively reflect one’s support for the policies and procedures of the Louis Dechert Administration.
Lynnita is very philosophical about her pending removal from the KWVA. If anything, through her many years of association with Korean War veterans, Lynnita has learned that freedom most definitely is not free. Thousands of Korean War veterans sacrificed their lives for the right of life and liberty and the right to speak one’s mind without recrimination. Isn’t it ironic that the national leaders of the Korean War Veterans Association—the organization that purportedly represents all that is good and brave and right about Korean War veterans and their war, use the KWVA’s energies and resources to grab hold of the very freedom that those who sacrificed in Korea gave to us—only to choke it to death “for just cause.”
The list of charges against Lynnita was written by Leo Agnew and mailed inside an envelope with the return address, "Korean War Veterans Association, Judge Advocate Leo Agnew, 84 Prescott Street, Clinton, MA 01510-2609." Agnew is the KWVA's Dechert-appointed judge advocate. That envelope was then placed inside another envelope and forwarded on to Lynnita's home in Illinois by certified mail from "Headquarters, Korean War Veterans Association, 163 Deerbrook Trail, Pineville, LA 71360." 163 Deerbrook Trail houses Louis Dechert's office.
Dechert's administration created a new policy regarding responses to formal charges against members. "The Board of Directors shall strictly adhere to the rule, established previously by the Board, that a refusal by an individual to respond, within 15 days, to a written request by the E. & G. Committee for information pertaining to an alleged charge, shall result in a presumption of validity in favor of the charge." In Dechert's administration, members brought up on charges are guilty until proven innocent. Most members receiving "just cause" letters are on low or fixed incomes and cannot hire attorneys to prove their innocence. Dechert's administration, on the other hand, has over a half million dollars in KWVA funds at its disposal with which to prosecute members if necessary.
In accordance with this "you-are-guilty-if-you-do not-respond" policy, Lynnita answered Agnew's three-page charge with a three-page response letter, sent to Agnew by certified mail with return receipt on September 12, 2007. When Lynnita's "fair" trial is over, she will post the entire contents of her response letter on this page of KWVAFirstAmendment.Org.
