Ward Churchill Vs University Of Colorado, Going to court Options

[grizz]

From a MySpace bulletin from Cynthia McKinney.

I am enclosing two e-mail messages that I want to pass on. One is a NAACPLDF press release about their brief on behalf of Mumia Abu-Jamal. The other message pertains to Ward Churchill's court case for reinstatement at the University of Colorado. For those of you who are in Colorado and can make it to Ward's hearing, please consider attending. Reading Ward Churchill's book, The COINTELPRO Papers, was a life-changing moment for me. Please support Ward's struggle against injustice.

***

Ward Churchill Trial Update
Ward & I are very appreciative of all of the support we have received over the past several years in our battle with the University of Colorado, and for all of the work that each of you contributes to our collective struggle. We wanted to keep you updated as we prepare to go to trial next week.

As most of you know, Ward Churchill -- an indigenous scholar and activist and tenured professor of Ethnic Studies-- came under attack in January 2005 for an article he wrote on 9/11. A media blitz followed in which Bill O’Reilly and others spearheaded attacks on Ward. Colorado Governor Bill Owens called for the University to fire him immediately but, because that would have been blatantly unconstitutional, CU instead launched an investigation into all of Ward’s writings in an attempt to come up with some pretext to fire him. In July 2007, the University of Colorado fired Ward for “academic misconduct.”

Ward’s case is emblematic of the attempts to silence dissent that we have seen all over this country, not just in our universities, but in our communities as well. Ward is now suing the University. Many indigenous scholars and activists, as well as critical race theorists including Prof. Derrick Bell will be testifying.

Ward is requesting reinstatement so that CU and other universities will be deterred from attempts to silence other critical voices. It is our deepest hope that in standing up to the rightwing forces attempting to silence Ward we will show them that we will not tolerate such repression.

The trial is scheduled for March 9-27 in Denver state court. If you are in the area, your presence would be greatly appreciated:

Denver State Court, Courtroom #6, 1437 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80202

Supporters have organized a kick-off event is Monday, March 9, 2009 from 9:30am-5pm, with refreshments across the street from the courthouse in Civic Center Park. For more info or ride shares, e-mail churchilltrial@gmail.com.

If you would like more information, or can make a donation to the legal fund, please visit the Ward Churchill Solidarity Network website at www. wardchurchill. net.

Finally, please keep us in your thoughts and spread the word!

In struggle and solidarity,

Natsu Saito

http://www.wardchurchill.net/index.html

"Some People Push Back"
On the Justice of Roosting Chickens
By Ward Churchill

Originally published on 9/12/09

http://www.kersplebedeb.com/mystuff/s11/churchill.html


When They Came for Churchill


http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8...+ward+churchill

[grizz]

Former Colorado Governor Caught Lying Under Oath - Churchill Trial Update

March 14, 2009

Churchill v. University of Colorado:
The (Former) Governor
Takes the Stand
by J. Robert Brown

Former Governor Bill Owens was on the stand for a couple of hours. Not long after the 9/11 essay surfaced, the Governor called on CU to fire Churchill.

David Lane’s main point was to show that the Governor, with line item veto authority over the University of Colorado, applied pressure to get the University to fire Ward Churchill.

The jury heard the former president of CU, Betsy Hoffman, describe a conversation with the Governor where she said he told her to fire Ward Churchill “tomorrow,” that his tone was “threatening,” and that if she didn’t he would “unleash his plan.”

Governor Owens did not specifically recall the conversation but doubted that it was not “in that tenor” and that he did not have a “plan.”

Later, when a partial transcript of an interview on the O’Reilly Factor was put up on the screen, Lane pointed to an exchange where Owens denied he had the authority to fire Churchill but then admitted: “I do have some budget authority over the budget.” Owens declined to admit that this was a threat, noting that its a true statement and repeated over and over that he had actually raised the CU budget during his administration.

On recross, Lane asked whether in fact Governor Owens had a “strategy” for CU if Churchill wasn’t fired. He answered in the negative. Lane then pointed to this exchange on the O’Reilly transcript:

* O’REILLY: One more question for you. You have basically a strategy, and I want to get this right. You’re not going to pay him off, so he’s not going to get the big bucks. You’re going to go through the lengthy process to prove that he did something that you can legitimately fire him [for], and then he goes — “See you.”
* OWENS: That’s exactly right. That’s exactly right. That process is starting. I think it will ultimately result in him being fired.

The quick denial followed by the reference in the O’Reilly Factor caused a slight stir in the courtroom. Governor Owens then repeated that he didn’t have a strategy and that he was merely acknowledging that based on the evidence that he knew, there was sufficient basis to fire Churchill.

Governor Owens did acknowledge in his testimony that he was glad the University had not heeded his advice and fired Churchill immediately after the 9/11 essay surface.

http://www.republicoflakotah.com/?p=1359