THE AUDACITY OF HOPE - January 5, 2008

Senator Barack Obama delivered the keynote address at the 2004 National Democratic Convention. I watched and enjoyed his keynote speech for John Kerry’s failed bid for the presidency. The speech titled “The Audacity of Hope” was electrifying and gave Americans especially black Americans a glimmer of hope. That hope included the possibility that Obama a black man might one day become the President of the United States of America.

On January 5, 2008, at 2:40am I wrote a blog entry for Dr. Boyce Watkins' site yourblackworld.com.  I wrote the blog after Senator Obama did what many African-Americans believed was impossible. Obama won the Iowa Democratic Caucuses.  The titled of the blog was “The Audacity of Hope.”

                                                          THE AUDACITY OF HOPE

”On Thursday night I visited my oldest daughter. She gave me the political junkie permission to turn the television to a cable news channel. As I read the words on the television screen "Obama wins the Iowa Democratic Caucus" I blinked my eyes. The scene changed to a political analyst. As one of the MSNBC analysts spoke the words "Obama has won the Iowa Democratic Caucus" I screamed and jumped up and down.

I could not believe my eyes or ears. Until that very moment I was one of those undecided Black voters. I did not like our chances for victory with Hillary or Senator Obama. I wanted a Democrat, any Democrat, in the White House in 2009. As a matter of fact I was “hoping” that Al Gore would enter the race in order for the Democrats to win back the White House.

Although I watched more than my share of democratic debates in 2007, I did not dare to hope that Senator Obama could win the Iowa Democratic Caucuses. I could not wrap my mind around the fact that he could win in Iowa a state with a ninety-five percentage white population.

A few weeks earlier, I watched Oprah on the campaign trail with Obama in Iowa, South Carolina, and New Hampshire. The enthusiasm of the large overwhelmingly white audience in Iowa was refreshing. Watching those two great Americans being judged for the content of their character and not the color of their skin gave me my first glimmer of "hope." Seeing Obama and Oprah with our people in South Carolina gave me even more "hope."

Obama’s victory speech on Thursday night was presidential. It was without a doubt one of the best political speeches of my generation. As a fifty-three year old black woman I hope that this man Obama time has come, that his time is now! Today I have the audacity to hope, pray, and believe that Senator Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States of America.”

Vera Richardson
Author of Screwed by Former Governor and Attorney General Eliot Spitzer

March 10, 2008 - Governor Eliot Spitzer is a Fraud and He Should Resign

I was lying in bed today watching CNN when the news anchor announced the breaking news that Governor Eliot Spitzer was accused of being involved in a prostitution ring. Spitzer's involvement in the ring was caught on a federal wiretap as part of an investigation opened in recent months, according to The Associated Press.

I am so full and thankful that Governor Spitzer true character has been exposed. I know that I will finally receive justice in my case. Spitzer victimized me in his role of Attorney General of New York State. Governor Spitzer was the New York State Attorney General (he was elected in November 1998) when a member of his staff Mike Russo, Assistant New York State Attorney General, willfully and knowingly filed seven perjured declarations and affirmations in the United States District Court of Western New York.


The declarations were filed to prevent a jury from ruling that the Defendants violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended. I believe that by filing the perjured declarations New York State Attorney General’s Office also victimized me. Once again I encountered racism, this time in the judicial system.

Mike Russo filed the perjured declarations in support of the Defendant’s motion for summary judgment and in opposition to my motion for summary judgment. G. Goncalves, Diversity Management, Mike Russo, Superintendent A. Andrews, Sergeant William Reed, James Berbary, Deputy Superintendent of Administration, Mary Beth Lindsay, Senior Personnel Clerk and Lee Gould, Director of Personnel New York State Department of Corrections all signed sworn perjured declarations.

In my Book titled “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined” I discussed some of the evidence including direct evidence and legal argument that I presented to the United States District Court Western District of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. The evidence proved that seven of the declarations, filed by the New York State Attorney General’s office were false.

On May 28, 2005, an Erie County, New York Assistant District Attorney reviewed my documentation of multiple perjury allegations against New York Attorney General's Office and various New York employees.

I was told by the Erie County District Attorney’s office that the statute of limitations on perjury is 5 years. The declarations were submitted in September and November 2000. The perjured depositions were recorded on October 98 (1) June 8, 2000.

After his reviewed he referred me to the United States Justice Department. I contacted the United States Justice Department and at their telephone request e-mailed extensive documentation on May 29, 30, and 31, 2005.

In July 2005 Jane Wolfe and Allison Gioia both United States Justice Department attorneys, reviewed my perjury allegations and direct evidence supporting the allegations. The United States Justice Department informed me that they were referring my case to the FBI for an investigation. I telephoned the FBI and was told that they could not confirm or deny the fact that my allegations were being investigated because of confidentiality rules.

Vera Richardson

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND PRES OBAMA MUST HOLD CUOMO ACCOUNTABLE

The Supreme Court in Albermale identified two distinct congressional purposes of Title VII. One of those purposes was “to make persons whole for injustices suffered on account of unlawful employment discrimination.” Albermale Paper Co. v Moody, 422 U.S. 418 (1975). In 2001 the United States Supreme Court refused to review my appeal. President Obama today is May 23, 2010, and I am still waiting for someone to make me whole.

Under Eliot Spitzer’s leadership as NYS Attorney General my employment discrimination case 97-cv-818(E) against New York State Department of Correctional Service and New York State Department of Civil Service was dismissed despite the fact that Mike Russo, Asst. NYS Attorney General filed perjured declarations in federal court.


In my opinion Andrew Cuomo New York State’s former Attorney General is also guilty of fostering the acceptance of employment discrimination. My opinion is based on the fact that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires that an employee investigate complaints allegation violation of the Act and that corrective action is taken to end the violation. I have made Cuomo, NYS former Governor Paterson, and Attorney General Eric Holder aware of Russo’s abuse of power and possible violation of my equal protection and due process right no one has taken any action to investigate my factual claims. In 2005 the two Department of Justice attorneys agreed that the declarations contained perjured statements and referred the case to the FBI. None of the people who committed perjury (Mike Russo, NYS Assistant Attorney General, Lee Gould, Director of Personnel for NYSDOCS, A. Andrews, former Superintendent of Albion CF, Sergeant William Reed, and James Berbary, Deputy Superintendent of Administration) were ever charged.

As the head of the Democratic Party President Obama needs to inform Governo Andrew Cuomo that the filing of perjury declarations in an employment discrimination case is not acceptable behavior.

Preview my book Screwed by Former Governor and Attorney General Eliot Spitzer

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