Christie Vilsack
Ames, Iowa
June 27, 2011
Dear Mrs. Vilsack –
My name is Lesa Donnelly. I am a former USDA employee and Vice-President of the USDA Coalition of Minority Employees (The Coalition), an organization that addresses civil rights issues within USDA. Since 1994, The Coalition has met with USDA officials and Secretaries of Agriculture on a continuing basis to identify workplace problems and discuss solutions. We regularly meet with senators and congressional representatives, and have been to the White House three times. The Coalition has been asking to meet with Secretary Vilsack. There are serious matters of discrimination, harassment, and workplace violence against women and minorities occurring at USDA. Secretary Vilsack will not meet with us. I am writing to you for your assistance in bringing our concerns to the Secretary. I feel I have no choice – people are suffering.
I've been watching with interest your campaign to be the first congresswoman of the 4th District in Iowa. You have a stated interest in the health and well being of women. Though your focus is most likely on the women in Iowa, and rightly so, like many women in congress I am sure you understand that violence and oppression against women in any state has an adverse impact on the lives of women throughout the nation. However, it is important for you to know that there are women and minority employees who work for USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in Ames, Iowa who are being harassed, discriminated against, and bullied. The Coalition has been trying to seek corrective action for those employees - to no avail. How ironic that USDA employees in your own district are being abused and your husband is the one denying our attempts to get it stopped. I believe we can change this with your help.
In April 2011, your husband said that your campaign against Steve King would be a "holy war." I interpreted that to mean you are a woman of passion and commitment who will fight hard to get elected so you can improve the lives of your constituents. We ask that you speak with Secretary Vilsack and relay the concerns in this letter. We would like to see Secretary Vilsack make it a war on employee abuse with the same level of commitment. Please ask your husband to meet with The Coalition to begin a dialogue. Working together we can identify issues and develop solutions to the civil rights abuses that plague USDA. Thank you very much for your time. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please feel free to contact Coalition President Lawrence Lucas at 856-910-2399 or me at 530-365-3456.
Sincerely,
/s/Lesa L. Donnelly
Lesa L. Donnelly
cc: The White House
Bart Kempf, Senate Ag Committee
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Re: VILSACK, CHRISTIE
On Sat, Jul 2, 2011 at 9:52 PM, <LawrLCL@aol.com> wrote:
