Vilsack to apologize to ousted Agriculture worker

Source: Associated Press (via HuffPo)

WASHINGTON — The White House says Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is reaching out to a black employee to apologize on behalf of the "entire administration" for forcing her ouster because of her remarks on race.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that Vilsack had been unable to reach Shirley Sherrod so far. Sherrod was asked by department officials to resign on Monday after conservative bloggers posted an edited video of her saying she didn't initially give a white farmer as much help as she could have 24 years ago. Sherrod says the video distorted her full speech.

The White House called the Agriculture Department about the case Tuesday night and it was agreed that her ouster should be reviewed based on new evidence. Gibbs says the administration acted without knowing all the facts.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20100721/us-usda-racism-resignation-vilsack/

So she could sue for damages.

That's the kind of behavior I'd expect from a 'bagger, but I think Shirley Sherrod has more integrity in her little finger than any of 'em.


TG, still disgusted

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:thumbsdown:

i know we all have off days, but damn...

So probably not. Thatd come out in court.

You might be exposing yourself.

No. I don't beleive Sherrod, or most people, for that matter, would even think that way.

:wtf:

that's if she want to go back which I don't blame her one bit if she does not.

Federal judges (lifetime appointments) need to have some training in the law and court systems.

and not rehire. I should expect an apology then secondary if you want the job back it's there.

Investigate Faux.

Why should she get a promotion ahead of any other GS employee in her department.

The word 'employee' would have sufficed.

to act without knowing all the facts is the White House... Come on, you guys have got to be better than that!

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(crickets)

to continue being assholes.

We DO, however, expect our people to be better than the assholes and apologize when they've done something wrong/stupid or both.



TG, NTY and still disgusted

Vilsuck won't do shit so I'll believe it when I see it.

The conversation will never happen unless we all take responsibility when we're wrong.

but once the dust settles something else is gonna happen and we'll all be right back here discussing his lack of responsibility.

Sorry, but I work at USDA and in 18 months this guy has not done anything noteworthy that everyone who works there can get behind him on. Now, if he can make the effort to expand diversity training (like police departments are really supposed to do in the face of all the brutality and such), give the minority farmers their due, meaning they've been waiting for many years to be paid and have yet to see a penny from the department; shake up the administrators and their so-called staff (in other words, the higher ups who get paid a shitload of money and do nothing to show for it); streamline various operations in a lot of the agencies that USDA has (mine being one of them) to better protect the food supply and give the employees more opportunities to advance in their careers; and above all, get the food industry to tell their lobbyists to take a hike then maybe, maybe things will improve. Until then, it's gonna be the same old bureaucracy and the red tape will never go away.

Break and run at the mere mention of the enemy being near.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs today offered an apology to Shirley Sherrod on behalf of the Obama administration.

He said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is trying to reach Sherrod as well, to offer his own apology and to "talk about their next steps."

"I think without a doubt Ms. Sherrod is owed an apology. I would do so, certainly, on behalf of this administration," Gibbs said.

"Members of this administration, members of the media, members of different political factions on both sides of this have all made determinations and judgments without a full set of facts," he said.

Sherrod -- who was watching the briefing from a CNN set -- said she accepted the apology.

Full article here: http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/07/gibbs_apologizes_to_sherrod_she_may_get_her_job_ba.php?ref=fpa

:toast:

Let me give this a try. :toast:

Ah, it worked!

It's a fucking insult. It's like a back to the '70s useless position with no power. The friggin' Black farmers are STILL waiting for their money. :banghead:

Her rural/farming background means she is highly qualified to do the position THAT SHE WAS DOING.