Fwd: Lisa Donnelly: Open Letter to Hillary Clinton

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Lisa  Donnelly: Open Letter to Hillary Clinton
From: LawrLCL@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, December 6, 2015, 11:32 AM
To: lawrlcl@aol.com,prayap@aol.com
CC: robert@donnelly-house.net,angusfarms@hotmail.com,featherhvn@yahoo.com

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton
1900 M St., NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036

 

December 4, 2015

 

Dear Secretary Clinton:

 

 In June 2014 and September 2014 I wrote to you on behalf of female employees working in the USDA, Forest Service. I provided multiple examples of egregious civil rights abuses perpetrated against women, to include workplace violence and sexual assault. We did not receive any response from you or your staff. I am writing again, to let you know conditions have not changed and possibly have worsened since my last letter.

 

 I understand that you are busy running for President of the United States. However, your recent statements that sexual assault against women must be taken seriously compelled me to write again to seek your assistance. You are a champion of women's rights. The female firefighters in the Forest Service, particularly in Region 5, California need a champion. We are asking for your support in our quest to change the women's working conditions, promote inclusion, and establish equal opportunities.

 

 Despite letters, hundreds of emails, phone discussions, and personal meetings, the female firefighters can get no response to their pleas to Secretary Vilsack to address the discrimination, sexual harassment, and workplace violence incidents occurring in Region 5. As a last resort, they filed a class action complaint in August 2014. A class action is not the best venue to change the male dominated, anti-female firefighter culture. Historical evidence from the Bernardi v. Madigan and Donnelly v. Glickman class action lawsuits shows that conditions change while there is court oversight and once that stops, the discriminatory practices reoccur in a short period of time. We are looking for lasting change. We have ideas and recommendations. Officials in the USDA and Forest Service have made it very clear that they are not interested in working with us. In fact, in January 2015 a "mediation" was held in San Francisco, California with six of the seven class agents attending. The class agents came with flip charts filled with many pages of issues, anecdotes, discussion points, and collaborative opportunities that they were enthusiastic about sharing. Unfortunately, it was a sham. After the opening remarks, the agency officials refused to talk with us and it quickly ended. There has been no communication since that time. Our only resort has been to retain a publicist and go public. (See Full Measure with Sharyl Atkisson, November 22, 2015 episode "Burned"  http://fullmeasure.news)

 

 Retaliation against female firefighter class agents is ongoing. The agency continues to violate Alicia Dabney's settlement agreement. Jonel Wagoner is belittled and humiliated by her male coworkers and supervisors. Candice Kutrosky has been undermined in the hiring process. Lead Class Agent Darla Bush was trumped up on false charges, removed from her position and demoted. Two class agents left the Forest Service. R5 Regional Forester Randy Moore is a full participant in the reprisal. Chief Tom Tidwell will not intervene. Secretary Vilsack will not intervene. In fact, Secretary Vilsack blocked me from his email access. This is the first time in twenty years I've been denied access to report civil rights abuses.

 

 I've written letters to President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Valerie Jarrett, Secretary Vilsack, and even his wife Christie, seeking assistance – no response. It is my understanding that President Obama and Secretary Vilsack have a relationship that goes beyond work. I recently read that he attends Super Bowl parties at the White House. I've read that you and former President Clinton are also friends of Tom and Christie Vilsack. I hope that these personal relationships with Secretary Vilsack are not the reason we cannot obtain assistance from this Democrat administration. I can't help but wonder, is Secretary Vilsack so protected that he won't be held accountable for allowing discrimination, sexual assault and workplace violence against women to continue in his agency unchecked? I just can't understand why we have been ignored and left to fend for ourselves against a bureaucratic agency that has all the time, money, and resources to deny, delay and dehumanize these women. The Democrats claim to be a party for the people and to promote women's rights. But California Senators Boxer and Feinstein have refused to communicate with us for years. We have had tremendous help from Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley through the years, but not our own senators. That is so disheartening. We are working for change. We need our representatives' assistance at all government levels.

 

 By this letter I ask again, please contact Secretary Vilsack and ask him to meet with us to discuss the issues and develop a plan to work collaboratively on a resolution. Women's safety, women's careers, and women's lives depend upon this. Thank you for your consideration of this request. I can be reached at 530-776-8582 or lesa@snowcrest.net.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Lesa L. Donnelly

 

Attachments: June 10, 2014 letter to Hillary Clinton
  September 9, 2014 letter to Hillary Clinton
  Letters to President Obama dated 1/31/14; 3/31/12; 9/29/11; 5/19/11
  Letters to Secretary Vilsack dated 2/4/11; 7/26/10; 4/27/09
  6/27/11 Letters to Michelle Obama; Valerie Jarrett; Christie Vilsack