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THE BOB DRAKE STORY
DISCLAIMER
The information contained in this web page is provided as a service to the Internet community. I try to provide quality information, but I make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to this web page.
Robert Drake
You can reach me at rdrake@nodaknet.net
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No Property Tax?
The concept of no property tax has been around for along time. When I first heard of the idea of no property tax I thought like most of you reading this now, it will never work. I came up with a number of reasons why it wouldn't work instead of opening up to the idea that it could work
I read some of the literature, took a little time to investigate the idea and found that
not only could no property taxes work we should do it right now!
The first reason we need to get rid of property tax is in America everyone wants to
own there own home, it is the American dream. Well if you think about it, no one
really owns their own home, we merely rent it forever from the county.
Try not paying your property taxes and see how long you own your
American dream home. Not paying property taxes for three years, and your home now
belongs to the county and not only does the county take your home they also take all the equity in your home. What that means is if your home is worth $50.000.00 and you owe $5,000.00 in back taxes you might think that the County would get what's owed to them in back taxes and the owner of the house would get the rest. Not so, that is the way it used to be . Now they get it all.
When did that happen you might be asking yourself? Well it happened when
you where setting on your fat you know what watching the TV instead of paying
attention to what your elected officials were doing.
In North Dakota our elected officials have found over 20 ways to tax us. There are over 20
different revenue streams, property taxes is just one them. I think that North Dakota could come up with a better way of generating revenue than holding a hammer over the heads of homeowners. .
Let's say that North Dakota becomes the first state in America to get rid of
property taxes, what do you think would happen? First you would save
50 million dollars by not having to collect property taxes. You would no longer
have to put up with the the city and county tax departments and their very unfair
and corrupt good old boy system of taxation.
You could also get rid of Economic Development Taxes because Corporations
would be fighting to get into North Dakota. We would see an explosion of economic
activity that would make the oil patch look small in comparison.
The problem is people hate change, people in government hate change even more.
The truth about governments whether they are local governments, county, state or
federal governments, they ALL want power, they all want to be in control of everything. They
want to control every aspect of our daily lives.
As Americans we need to take back our government, we need to get involved,
we need to get others involved as well, property tax is a great place to start. Talk to your
friends about the idea.Get involved and make a difference.
I have mentioned only a few reasons to get rid of property taxes there are many
more I am just now getting up to speed on the idea myself so more info to follow.
Robert Drake
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| The whole truth and nothing but |
| Wednesday, 19 November 2008 |
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Letter from Robert Drake, Valley City
The article in the Times-Record on Nov. 4 concerning the dismissed charges brought against us - Robert and Tammy Drake - needs a little truth injected into it.
First, let’s start with Jon Wagar. Mr. Wagar is right in his statement about Mr. Andersen pursuing what was already on the docket. However, what Mr. Nelson was trying to get across was the fact that because of the previous history of abuse and harassment by the city of Valley City against us - the Drakes, Mr. Andersen should have taken a look at the violation and made his own decision.
What many of you do not know is that days before the trial, I gave Mr. Andersen information about this case that any other person, after hearing that information, would have dropped the case against us.
That information is this: As of Jan. 1, 2009, the International Building Code will revise section 1019.2 that is the section concerning the number of exits that are required in an R3 building, according to the code. My building never had two means of exist, so the city never should have charged us in the first place. But because it was an R3 building, you could argue, as the city did (and lost), that it needed two means of exit from the building; the revised edition of the IBC will change my building from an R3 classification to an R2, which means that only one means of exit is required.
Knowing that, Mr. Andersen should have dropped the charges and saved the taxpayers the cost of a trial unless, like the building inspector before him, he had an ax to grind. Otherwise, why bother? That is what Mr. Nelson was trying to say and rightly so. It is just more of the same from city hall and, unfortunately, our new city administrator, Mr. Cameron, is falling in line, as well. The lack of leadership at city hall still amazes me.
So, let’s move on to Mr. R. Jon Fitzner, our city attorney. In the T-R, Mr. Fitzner said this, and I quote, “The case was dismissed because Drake defied an order of the court.”
I do not believe, Mr. Fitzner, that if someone defies a court order the case against them gets dismissed. If someone defies an order of the court, don’t they usually go to jail? You are a real lawyer, aren’t you?
Isn’t the real truth, Mr. Fitzner, that we were never in any violation of any court order? We appealed the order by the municipal court to the district court and we were well within our legal right to refuse entry to Mr. Andersen, the building inspector, until the district court made a decision on our appeal. Isn’t that the real truth, Mr. Fitzner? Why lie? Are you, perhaps, a little embarrassed because your law firm got its head handed to it in court by a citizen who wasn’t going to be pushed around anymore by a bunch of thugs pretending to be public servants?
The truth, Mr. Fitzner, is this: The city of Valley City presented its case to the court and we - Tammy and Robert Drake - presented our case to the court, and the court agreed with us. Isn’t that the real truth, Mr. Fitzner?
In fact, the court went so far as to say this: “The burden of proof is on the city of Valley City and the court believes that the city of Valley City has failed in their effort to make their case, therefore the case against the defendants is hereby dismissed.”
Isn’t that what really happened, Mr. Fitzner? Isn’t that the real truth?
I think the truth is, Mr. Fitzner, that you lost because your law firm went to court unprepared; you lost, Mr. Fitzner, because the argument your law firm made before the court sucked; your 20-minute rambling interpretation of the International Building Code was a bunch of B.S.; even your own building inspector and presenting attorney had no clue of what they were talking about. And it showed.
You lost, Mr. Fitzner, because you and the city of Valley City were wrong! That, Mr. Fitzner, is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
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Smoke and Mirrors
6-3-08
Just more of the same coming from City Hall these days. You would think we would be used to it by now. I hope you have been following the drama coming from city hall concerning the Initiated Ordinance to abolish the City Administrator position here in Valley City.
Mr. Fitzner professes to have an Attorney General's opinion on whether or not the newly hired City Administrator will be terminated when the YES vote prevails on June 10. The truth is that Mr. Fitzner does not have an Attorney General's opinion pertaining to this situation, and for him to say he does is misleading and unfair to the people who look to him for a truthful explanation of the facts. Mr. Fitzner, and the city commission, have failed in their duty to truthfully inform the voters in Valley City about the ramifications of a Yes or a No vote concerning the initiated ordinance brought forward by the people.
So, I guess it is up to me to tell you what will happen as a result of a Yes vote. When the votes are counted and the initiated ordinance is approved by the voters of Valley City, Mr. Cameron will be terminated, but not without a lot of screaming and teeth-clenching from the City Commission. Mr. Fitzner will quote law from the Home Rule Charter of Valley City, he will quote state law that has no bearing on this case, he will quote constitutional law that also has no bearing on this case. He will state his case, dazzle us with his legal wisdom, but at the end of the day when all is said and done, our city will no longer have a City Administrator.
What Mr. Fitzner, and those on the city commission who feel we can not live without a City Administrator, have failed to take into consideration is one other law. That law is Murphy's law, "what can go wrong WILL go wrong". Let us take a look at what went wrong for the city commission and the city administrator position.
First, the City Commission failed to acknowledge the Times Record poll and the CCI poll. Both polls clearly stated that we do not want a City Administrator. Both polls showed over 70% of the people were against a City Administrator position.
Second, they made the mistake in believing that no one would do anything about them ignoring what the people want.
Third, they hired David B. Johnson, Valley City's first City Administrator, who created the most hateful web site that most of us have ever seen. And, he did that with the full knowledge of our then-mayor Rogers, then-commissioner Mary Lee Nielsen, and commissioners Jon Wagar and Ken Evenson. Mr. Johnson, along with those leaders of our community gave Valley City a black eye and our reputation as a community still has not recovered.
Fourth, Avis Richter and R. Jon Fitzner have been trying, since December 2007, to stall this ordinance from ever getting to the people for their vote. They rejected the ordinance FOUR times (so much for city hall helping promote citizen's rights), and both did whatever they could to stop this initiated ordinance from getting approved. It was not until our Attorney wrote a rather harsh letter to the city that the ordinance did get approved.
Fifth, even after knowing that this initiated ordinance was going to go to the people for their vote, the City Commission still hired a new City Administrator. Ask yourself, why would they do that? In my opinion it is because they could care less what WE want. They want one, and they're going to HAVE one.
Well, this is where Murphy's Law comes into play. No matter what kind of legal maneuvering Mr. Fitzner does concerning this situation, no matter what state or federal laws he quotes, the facts speak for themselves. There is, indeed, an employment contract between the city of Valley City and the new City Administrator, and the contract states on page 2 "Introductory Period". This introductory period in the contract means that the city can fire the City Administrator for any reason, at any time, in that first 6 months, and I believe a YES vote on the initiated ordinance is justification to do just that. Also, the new City Administrator was fully informed by the City Commission that his position was going to be placed on the ballot and that the voters of Valley City would decide whether or not Valley City wants a City Administrator. Why he would accept a contract for this position knowing that a petition to abolish the position had been circulating for nearly 2 months prior to his signing is difficult to understand. Possibly, the City Commission convinced him that the initiated ordinance would not be a problem for him.
In a last ditch effort to attempt to scare and manipulate the voters of Valley City concerning this initiated ordinance, Mr. Fitzner and the City Commission stepped over the line in the explanation they put on the ballot for this ordinance. When you go to the polls to vote, please look closely at your ballot, take note that the State and County measures, and City Measure #1, are very clear as to what a yes or no vote means. However, the explanation of what a yes vote or no vote means regarding the City Administrator Ordinance is very unclear and confusing, this was no accident it was designed that way.
In closing, I would like to reassure the voters of Valley City that if you vote YES on June 10, Valley City will no longer have a City Administrator. I would like to encourage all of you to vote, and to bring a friend along and make a difference in your community.
IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE.
Robert Drake
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1-12-08
Do you all remember back when our new/now leaving City Administrator David Johnson went to the City Commission with the idea of purchasing a new truck for our city? He told the commission that this truck was what we needed here in Valley City for snow removal . It was the best thing since sliced bread, we would no longer have to worry about broken curbs and damage to our infrastructure that were done by the plows used in the past. In the Times Record, Johnson proudly proclaimed his abilities as an instructor on this new equipment and he would teach other employees how to properly use this marvel of technology.
There seems to be a few problems with the Truck, with the way it was purchased and why it hasn't been used in the last three snow storms
. First let's talk about the way it was purchased. It was bought over the internet, the truck was never checked out by anyone from our city. Johnson merely assumed it was a good truck??? To you and me, I do not think that we would spend $36,000.00 dollars on piece of equipment that we had never looked over, but that is just us. We can not blame this only on Johnson, he did this with the approval of the City Commission.
The cost of the truck was $36,000.00, I felt that was a bit much for a truck that was built in the early 90`s. So I went down to the City Garage and took about 30 pictures of the truck (by the way Johnson called the police on me and had me removed from the place for taking pictures Johnson said I had no business on City property) I could say something about that but I don`t want to get off track.
I took the pictures to the International Dealership and showed the sales manager the pictures and asked him how much he felt the truck was worth retail. He said that he would sell that truck for between $5,000.00 and $7,500.00 . I told him that I felt he was wrong in his evaluation and asked him for an explanation for the value being so low. One reason he said this particular truck is a county or highway truck with the belly plow and wing configuration you have to use this truck at speeds higher than 25 mph in order for it to work properly. Two, the box on the back is a gravity feed box, that means that the box has to up to distribute sand to the road and you cannot use that in town because you will tear down your power lines. It was this person's opinion that this truck was a very poor choice for a small town and when I told him the price of the truck he just about fell over, and said someone got ripped off.
You can see the truck that Johnson bought, it hasn`t moved in months, it is parked just east of the Wagon Wheel Inn at the top of the hill on the south side of Winter Show Drive, as you can see by the pictures, the snow is up onto the wheels and it is basically discarded equipment.But what the heck we got lots of money to throw around, what's $36,000.00 compared to the big picture? Chump Change and guess who`s the Chump???
This story brought to you by Mr. Negative, Robert Drake.
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Special Assessment Committee Story
Bob Drake 10-9-07
I pretty much have given up on the truth being told here in Valley City. I say this because the truth in Valley City depends on who is saying it and not on what is being said.
If the Times Record says that Bob Drake cursed at a commissioner and told another commissioner to shut up, then that must be the truth. After all they are the official Newspaper of Valley City .
Well I am here to tell you the truth, not what some reporter said. This is my story and I am sticking to it. The Times Record has a few things right, my name is Bob Drake and I was indeed at that meeting asking a few questions. All questions where asked and answered with mutual respect until Mike Morrissey on three different occasions laughed at or made under his breath comments to others on the Specials board about questions that where being asked of the board.
I thought how rude of him to do that, so being who I am, I told him that if he (Morrissey) had something to say he should share it with everyone. Well not one to take good advice, Morrissey again laughed at one more of Mr. Nelson’s questions. Again Morrissey was asked by Nelson to share with the audience what was so funny. So Morrissey said that he would indeed share the funny thought that he had with the audience. Mr. Morrissey felt that Mr. Nelson’s and others in the audience were harassing the board members with all these questions.
I am glad to see that Morrissey is falling into line, we would not want anyone on that board or any other for that matter who would listen to the public. God forbid, freedom of speech might catch on, politicians might start doing the will of the people rather the will of the special interest groups, democracy would start to rear its ugly head, we cannot have that. We all remember our former Mayor, Mr. SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP. That is what City Hall is really about, Sit Down and Shut Up! It is sad that Morrissey caught on so fast.
Getting back to truth about the meeting. After Morrissey had his 15 minutes of fame embarrassing himself in public, I felt that the reason I go to these Public meetings needed to be clarified. I was setting in the second to the last row in the commission room and if you watch these meetings on the CSI channel as I do, you know that you can not hear the people in the back very good and I wanted Morrissey to clearly understand what I was about to say. So I walked up to the front of the commission room, pointed my finger (pointing finger) at Morresee and said this, "I come to these meetings to get questions answered and to ask questions and for you to say that is harassment is B.S. I then turned to walk away and Morrissey blew up. He acted my like 6 year old when I would turn the cartoons off! No kidding, he started yelling that I have him confused with some one that I can intimidate. He said that twice. What he meant by it only he knows. I then turned back around and told him to shut up, just like I do with my 6 year old. Had Morrissey continued with his temper tantrum, I would have (and do not think I would not have) given him a Time Out! That kind of behavior should not be acceptable from neither a 6 year old nor a member of the Special Assessment Committee, don't you agree??
I should say that my B.S. comment was directed at no one. The word B. S. was my opinion of Morrissey comment that asking questions in a public meeting was harassment, and guess what, it still is B.S.
Three things you need to know about that meeting.
1. I Bob Drake never raised my voice.
2. I Bob Drake never cussed at any commissioner or anyone else.
3. When I heard Mary Lee called in the cops, I told the person that told me "that seemed a bit harsh I didn't think Morresee was that bad, then he said no dummy she called them for you.
So always remember, there are two sides to every story, and there are two faces to Mr. Morrissey. One where he tries to be a leader in our community and another that shows what he really is, a spoiled 6 year old that needs a nap.
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SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
Just a little note to let everyone know that at the trial on May 1, 2007 three Valley City officials lied their butts off while testifying under oath. Our beloved loser David B. Johnson Valley City, City Administrator and state wide embarrassment to all who live in Valley City was in rare form when asked about the two telephone conversations he had with Tammy Drake about two issues that Johnson tried to harass us with.
First, Johnson turned off the power in the middle of winter to one of our rental properties that a couple and their baby were living in. This happened on a Friday with strict orders to public works not to turn power on till Monday without talking to him first. We are on auto pay, so there no way the city was going to lose any money and we did what Johnson requested but Johnson turned the power off anyway. Well Tammy called and wanted to know why, the conversation went south and Tammy called him a descriptive name and hung up on the jerk. The other time was because of some snow in the alley at Budget Burger, Johnson said that we moved the snow and put it on someone else`s property (we didn`t). Johnson wrote us a letter saying that if we did that again he was going to remove the snow using city equipment and then charge us for it. To make a long story short, we found out who moved the snow from the alley told them that they should leave it there for the city to move. Problem solved.
In court Johnson testified that he could tell we did it because of the tracks in the snow! This must be more of his hidden talents (tracking). Anyway when asked about those conversations Johnson said that he never received any calls from Tammy Drake ever. Well we all know that Tammy never lied to the City Commission, Tammy never lied to the people of Valley City Tammy never lied to the City Attorney. But David B. Johnson did and now we can add to the list, lying under oath in a Court of Law. So who do you believe?
The City Commission must be so proud of the continuing example that Mr. David B. Johnson is showing to the rest of us in the community. Lie when ever it suits you, lie to the public, lie to your supervisors. We also found out that Johnson was demoted from his last position before coming hear to Valley City, Johnson calls it down sizing. I call it moving him out slowly so the little punk doesn't`t sue us!!! I wonder if Valley City did a check on Mr. Johnson`s past? Valley City really doesn`t have a very good track record in that area you know! You folks out there reading this must understand that there is only one reason why David B. Johnson is still employed in Valley City and that is because others at City Hall are involved in the web site and they encouraged Johnson in his hateful rampage against the three candidates in the last election.
The other two City Officials that lied under oath are David Ramstad and Gary Retterath. I was very surprised that Retterath lied, he is not as good at it as Johnson and Ramstad but a lie is a lie! If the truth where known (and I know the truth) I would say Retterath was told to lie. More on that later. Now about Ramstad, it would seem that Ramstad is sucking up to the powers that be after blowing the whistle on the whole web site deal. Everyone does know that right? Ramstad told several people that he knew that Johnson started the web site and Mary lee Nielson and Jon Wagar helped with it. If you didn`t know, now you do.
I would like to bring up one issue about the trial that pretty much proves that most of our leadership is either blind or corrupt. I lean towards corrupt, but that just me, Mr. Negative.
One of the items that the city was so worried about that they had to take us to Court over was a broken window at Budget Burger.Yes that is right a broken window at Budget Burger! I do not know when it became the city?s concern to make sure all windows in Valley City are not broken, but never the less they are concerned. So being the kind of person I am, I decided to check to see if Budget Burger was the only one in Valley City with a broken window, and guess what, we are not the only one with a broken window! Can you imagine that ????
My son and I took a walk down Main and Central and found that Valley City is rampant with broken windows, the majority of broken windows were found in property owned by the City of Valley City, in two city buildings alone there where 47 broken windows. One broken window at the Best of Times Printing, 2 broken windows at Pizza Corner and 8 broken windows at the Open Door Center. So I thought I should check to see if Valley City is going to waste a bunch of money on taking everyone to Court over a bunch of broken windows. Well it seems they are not going to waste a bunch of money on taking "everyone" to Court over some broken windows, the city is only going to take Budget Burger to Court for their broken window! Funny how that works? That is justice says Nick Simonson. No, Mr. Simonson that is "Valley City Justice"! In the real world that kind of is behavior is called corruption.
Most of the Valley City City Commission believes that David B. Johnson is an O.K. guy when the rest of us know he is a complete idiot and racist who has a hateful streak as well as a huge yellow streak down his back. The belief by the City Commission that Johnson is an O.K. guy is called, political corruption!
I think I need to start a dictionary just for the Valley City City Commission.
Election: a form of voting and determining who will lead the community in which any and all means of corruption and deception can be used against the opposition candidates.
Honesty: the ability to lie to the public and be thought to be telling the truth while at the same time blaming it on someone else.
That is enough for now I will be updating my story soon.
Robert Drake
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THE STORY THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD
BY Bob Drake
Chapter One
I have been trying to avoid telling this story because it goes against everything that I have been taught through out my life, I have always been told that if you have a problem deal with it on your own and solve your own problems.Well most of my friends and family want me to explain to you why I have such an bad attitude when it comes to the City Commission and other City Officials.
My family and friends tell me that if the public only knew about what they (the City) has done to you, they (the public) would not only understand but most would take your side and understand why I have an attitude when it comes to the leadership here in Valley City!
So I am going to try and explain to you folks out there what the city has done . I want to make this clear to you, I will not write anything in this story that is not true. I will not put anything in this story that I can not prove either through other people or recorded conversations with the people who I am writing about. My Attorney says that the Truth is an absolute defense against the possibility of being sued so we will see?
Well having said that, lets get started with this story. It seems to me it all started just before the 2004 election when I ran for city commissioner. This is the first time I can actually prove that people where manipulating the public against me.You all remember Dick Lorenz, he started his campaign only days before the election in 2004 as a write in candidate. I happened to see Dick out and about one day and I asked him how in the world did you get all those posters and yard signs so fast? Usually it takes 45 days and even that would be fast! Dick said, oh those are signs I had printed up a few years ago when I was going to run for city commission and then decided not to run at that time so I just put them away to use at a later date.
I thought that made sense, so I went on my merry way until one day I went into the Sign place next door to what is now called Bridge Town Imprints. I had to pick up some signs for Budget Burger and as I was talking to the owner, I mentioned Dick Lorenz`s yard signs and asked him if he had seen them, because I liked the way they looked. He said yes, he is the one that ordered them for Dick and picked the colors out for the signs.
I asked the price for the signs and the guy said just a minute I have the invoice right here, he flipped through a few papers on his desk and came up with the invoice for those yard signs. I was thinking to myself that is one heck of a filing system. He said the yard signs were not so expensive, but the charge for a rush delivery was really expensive, just about double the cost.
What was the rush I thought, thinking that what was his hurry two years ago. The guy handed me the invoice and the date Lorenz ordered the yard signs was not two years ago, it was two weeks before. Lorenz lied to me about the yard signs. I could not figure out why until about six months later. I was talking to a few guys that I thought it was strange that Dick Lorenz jumped into the election in 2004 as a write in candidate so late in the campaign. Well one of the guys was smiling like he just ate the last cookie in the cookie jar and asked him what was up?
He then told me the story behind the story seems that Dick Lorenz had a little help in deciding to run for city commissioner. Mr. Valley City Bobby Koepplin talked Lorenz into running for city commissioner saying "we can not let Drake get in there" if you run you will split the vote and hopefully keep Drake out !
So Lorenz decided to run in the 2004 city election for city commission with the help of Mr. Manipulation himself, and if you're paying attention at the 2004 candidates forum, Lorenz agreed with everything Jon Wagar or Mary lee Nielson said.
Lorenz never had one idea for his own, not one! Koepplin said of Jon Wagar "we can handle Wagar, Drake is the one to worry about". Well enough for now, more later on how Wagar turned on the people of Valley City even before he was elected!
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The truth does indeed need to be told unfortunately the truth did not come from Mr. Johnson. First Mr. Johnson complains that I am trying to portray the web site as something that it is not.
O. K. lets let the public decide, my opinion of the web site is this, it is hateful, it is hurtful to my family and it has no truth to it, it was intended to slander the three candidates and their families and corrupt the election process here in Valley City. That's my opinion. Mr Johnson says it is a joke or a funny spoof. Well let’s look a little at the web site. This is what Mr. Johnson wrote as a joke "Give city government back to the White People" Mr. Johnson wants to "promote White Christian civilization with it's superior beliefs and values." Johnson goes on to write "These are concepts born out of the genius White man." Pretty funny Mr. Johnson, my sides are hurting from laughter! Johnson continues on to write "Does this mean we are superior because we enjoy the fruits of White Christian concepts of Liberty? Yes I believe that we (white people) are superior". Mr. Johnson that is not funny and it is not a joke, and I think a jury should decide!
Now you mentioned Judge Grosz, you are right I did call him the dumbest S.O.B. on the planet. Up until your last letter Mr. Johnson, Grosz was the clear winner for that honor, now I have to think about it for awhile as you are running a close second! I said what I said to Judge Grosz because I felt he went out of his way to spout off about things he had no knowledge of, for example Grosz NEVER saw the web site!
At the time of his opinion on free speech he did not know Johnson had created the web site (Johnson was at that time still lying to us all about the web site). So I e-mailed Judge Grosz personally man to man, and told him exactly how I felt and my opinion of him! That is the difference between me and you Mr. Johnson, I have the guts to face people who I disagree with, or make me mad. You on the other hand are a cowardly little man who hides behind a web site and takes pot shots at people without giving them a chance to defend themselves. If you did not like the views and issues that the three candidates had in the last election, you could have voiced you opinion and campaigned against us. As a member of our community Mr. Johnson you have the right to vote for and promote and campaign for anyone you like for public office. BUT Mr. Johnson you do not have the right to ruin and pervert our elective way of government, and most of all Mr. Johnson you have no right to hurt my family!
In closing I would like to say this to everyone in Valley City, I ran for city commissioner for three reasons,
1. To give a voice to people who felt that they where overlooked and ignored by the local government.
2. To make those who are not paying their fair share of property taxes, pay their share.
3. To give back to a community that has been very good to myself and my family, (Up until Johnson got here anyway) .
Robert Drake
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______________________
TO: ALL MEDIA
FROM: Russell J. Myhre
CONTACT PERSON
(701) 845-1444
PRESS RELEASE
3-29-07
Robert Drake, a former candidate in 2006 for the city commission in Valley City, North Dakota, and one of the targets of City Administrator David Johnson’ anonymous websites depicting him and other candidates as racists, white supremacists, and slumlords, said that he is glad that Johnson has finally taken responsibility for creating the websites.
Johnson issued a press release, which was published in the Valley City Times-Record today, in which Johnson said he was responsible for the creation of the websites.
"However, Johnson’ admission does not go far enough," said Drake.
"Johnson violated the law. Johnson entirely overlooked the fact that he broke the law with these websites. He made outrageously false statements and misrepresentations about me, Lloyd Nelson, and LeRoy Neubauer, during an election with a political advertisement, which is a clear violation of the North Dakota Corrupt Practices Act. He also tried to hide the fact that he created these websites and did not have the appropriate acknowledgement that he created them, which is another clear violation of the law."
Drake said a city administrator should know enough about the law to realize the websites violated the law. Drake also said the websites were not about freedom of speech, but the willful interference with an election.
"Johnson is trying to say that his websites were about freedom of speech, political parody, and satire," said Drake. "Why then, if this was supposedly so harmless, did he not acknowledge his role in these websites for almost a year?"
Drake also said the website was nothing more than a political dirty trick. He said it is usually those who are on the outside of the political processes who employ political parody and satire, not appointed governmental officials who are trying to influence who will be elected and be that appointed governmental official’ employer.
"Johnson does not seem to realize how inappropriate it was for him to try to influence who his bosses would be after the municipal election in June, 2006," said Drake. "The people who were candidates in that election were all his potential employers, and Johnson decided to take sides. But he didn’ have the courage to do this publicly. He tried to hide behind the anonimity of the internet, and he violated the law in doing so. The websites may have been just ‘ speech’ for David Johnson, but it was illegal political campaigning for the voters of Valley City. It was the wrong thing for an appointed city administrator to do for all the wrong reasons, and the people of Valley City are paying a steep price for the cover-ups, the lies, and the deceptions."
Drake said Johnson’ admission brings into question who really is running the city government in Valley City.
"Johnson just got a slap on the wrist for doing this," said Drake. "If I had not continued to bring this illegal website to the attention of the City Commissioners, nothing would have happened to Johnson. Even after it became common knowledge that Johnson was responsible for this website, Johnson still kept his job. In my opinion, it was a payoff for Johnson to keep his job for doing the dirty work during this last election to sabotage the campaigns of certain candidates. After all, the same people who benefited from Johnson’ illegal website let him keep his job."
Drake also said Johnson may be technically correct when he said the website was not created on city time or using city resources, but city time and city resources were used to disseminate the website. Drake said that Johnson also violated the law when he communicated the information about the website to others to cause them to read the website, and he did this on city time and with city resources.
"We have received very credible reports that Johnson was on the city clock when he disseminated this information to the local media, he used his city email address to inform local media of the website, and he left city hall during business hours to advise others about the website," said Drake. " He even handled city business while he was busy trying to campaign against candidates who might be his future bosses. Johnson was down at KOVC sometimes two or three times a day, during business hours, just to make sure that the public was aware of the website."
Drake said the question to ask now is who on the City Commission knew about this website before the election and why they did not do anything about it.
Drake said Johnson’ public admission today should be enough for the Barnes County State’ Attorney to bring appropriate criminal charges against Johnson.
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My Web Site Investigation
This is what I know about the web site that David B. Johnson Valley City Administrator created and distributed to public before last June’s election . These are the comments and statements that I have been told and the conclusions that I have come to believe to be true.
You will have to decide on your own what you believe and what you do not.
1. The terminology used in the web site told me that someone at city hall was behind the web site.
2. Information confirming that conclusion came from Lance Peterson who told Gene Colville that his sister was involved .
3. Jay Cink made a comment at a local hardware store in front of witnesses that "I told them they were going too far with that" that being the Hitler and KKK references and they being Jon Wagar and others at city hall.
4. Ken Evenson was confronted about the web site by Lloyd Nelson. Nelson said I hope none of you (commissioners or city hall) had anything to do with that web site because if you did there will be serious ramifications. To that Evernson said it really doesn't matter because the web site was started under a false name, so even if you could track it, it could not lead to city hall!
5. David Ramstad told a fellow employee that David B. Johnson started the web site, Mary Lee helped with it and so did Jon Wagar.
6. Ryan Cunningham knew who started the web site from the start but refused to say in court, but he did say he was being given information from city hall.
7. I have yet to hear anything about Commissioner Ondracek being involved in the site or even knowing about it, so I am hoping that there is at least one down there at city hall that is on the level!
8. Former Sheriff Randy McClaflin told me that Chief Dean Ross knew about the web site and its creator well before the election.
9. When news of the pending civil action became public, the city Attorney wanted me to drop two people out of the law suit because "he could guarantee they had nothing to do with the web site." That would leave Mary Lee and Jon Wagar holding the bag. The comment was that Wagar and Nielson had an "arms length involvement" with the web site.
Think for a moment folks Johnson had only been on the job for six months before the election in June . The web site came out the first of May. That gave Johnson only for four months to find out enough information about the three candidates and the battles between them and the city then create a web site, and he did all this right under the nose of every commissioner, the Mayor and every city employee at city hall? Then they say that no city time was used no city equipment was used what did Johnson do, pound out the information on a rock put it in his pocket and take it home???
There is only one reason why Johnson still has his job and that’s because others at city hall as well as elected officials, knew about the web site, helped with the web site and they did it because, it benefited them to do so!
Well folks you know about 50% of what I know . You will have to decide for yourselves what is true and what is not! Check out our new web site www.valleycitycci.com
Robert Drake
Stay tuned......
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Cruff is covering up for City Hall
3-4-07
A letter to the Editor May 25, 2006 written By David Johnson, Valley City Administrator, was a bunch half half truths and out right lies . Johnson said that I (Robert Drake) wanted to lay off four police officers and other public works employees.
Those attending the meeting where I was supposed to have said these things where Mary Lee Nielson, Chief of Police Dean Ross, David Johnson as well as ten other people.
I filed a complaint against David Johnson with the Barnes County States Attorney Brad Cruff . Brad Cruff investigated the compliant and determined that there was no crime committed by Johnson because he had talked to the witnesses that were there and because of their statements he would not proceed with the complaint. That sounds like Cruff did his job and I am as Jon Wagar says Sour Grapes.
Well here is the real truth. In my complaint against Johnson there were 10 (ten) people on the witness list . Cruff talked to one of them and he also talked Mary lee Nielson. Cruff never talked any of the other nine people on the list that I submitted to him. He also did not talk to the alleged criminal David Johnson .
So this kind of investigation tells me that Cruff doesn't want to find out the truth. Cruff is covering up for City Hall and the fact that he took an oath to become States Attorney seems to mean nothing to him. It is all about who you are in this community, justice is arbitrary. Cruff can give it or take it away or do nothing!!
Mr. Cruff is doing the same thing with the investigation into the web site started by David Johnson and others at city hall. There is more to this story but for now this is all am going to say except thank God for tape recorders.
Robert Drake
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New Developments
3-17-07
Well it seems that there are new developments concerning our City Administrator David B. Johnson!
As you have already read in the Times Record and the Fargo Forum, and heard on T.V. Ryan Cunnigham has come forth with evidence that Johnson did use Valley City time and equipment to promote and develop the hateful web site about CCI and the three candidates in the last city election.
The reason for not firing Johnson in the first place was because, the internal investigation done by Nick Simonson,
showed that Johnson did not use Valley City time or equipment to promote or develop the web site! Well now we know the truth about that, so what will the City Commission do now????
I would like to know if they fire Johnson, is he going to turn on them and tell the truth about what went on with this web site, who, what, when, and how?
And if the City Commission doesn't fire Johnson, I think the public is going to scream foul and throw the whole works out.
So who is in the best position to come out ahead in this mess?
Is it the three candidates? The City Commission? or David Johnson? Think about it for a minute? I think David Johnson has the most to gain!!!
Let me explain, it is very plain to see that David Johnson did not do this web site by himself! He was only in town for four months. He could not have gathered that much information about the three candidates and CCI by himself, so I have to assume that others at City Hall knew about the web site, helped with the web site and did nothing to stop the web site because it benefited them .
So now Johnson has to make a decision, should he fall on the sword for the City Commission and stick to his story that he was the only one who did the web site? Or is the truth, that he was helped by several commissioners as well as Dave Ramstad and Mayor Riley Rogers?
Will Johnson be facing criminal charges on several fronts? He has lied to the Valley City City Attorney, he has lied to the Barnes County States Attorney as well as The Bureau of Criminal Investigation of the State of North Dakota and last but not lest, he has lied to us who live in Valley City!! We do not like that and we expect law enforcement to do their job.
So now Johnson has made his life in Valley City difficult. He could face charges of election fraud, defamation
, slander and lying to police officers and making false statements to the States Attorney in a criminal investigation.
You can only cover so much up, even in Valley City, so if you were Johnson what would you do? Fall on the sword or tell the truth? Will Johnson tell the truth about who helped him with the web site? Will the Mayor and City Hall be involved? What happens then? Well let’s look at the benefits of telling truth for Johnson.
1. The criminal charges could probably go away because Johnson can claim that he was told to do the slanderous phony CCI web site.
2 The Slander and defamation suit that will be filed against Johnson maybe could go away, because again he was told to do and say those things.
3. I think Johnson could bring a civil action against the City of Valley City. Could it be the leadership of our community told Johnson to do these things? Johnson could then claim that his reputation, his career and his future have been damaged and the only thing Johnson is guilty of is trying to do his job!! If I was Johnson's Attorney [and he does have one, his name is Mr. Ham from Fargo] I would be telling Johnson to tell the truth. It is the only way out of this! Everyone knows the first one to tell the truth has the most credibility. So who would you believe ?
I believe Johnson and other people at City Hall, both elected and employees, helped with the web site. Johnson could portray himself as just the fall guy.
Robert Drake
More to come....
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