[SCCC] ARRL Ethics and Elections Committee Actions Relevant to Proposed Bylaw 46 Changes

[Jim Neiger]

Fellow Contestors  I received the following e-mail this evening, and 
didn't know whether to laugh, or to cry.  What a sorry state of affairs 
our ARRL has become.  I don't know MS. McIntyre K6WX, or Mr. Ryan K0RM 
or Mr. Luetzelschwab K9LA, but obviously they're operating in a medium 
other than reality.  I will not try and understand their agenda, other 
than what's apparently a concerted effort to remove our friend Dick 
Norton N6AA from the ARRL Board of Directors.  (Of course, we all know 
what a bully N6AA can be.  Kicking sand in our eyes. Making us cry.  
Beating our butts in the CQ WW DX Contests year after year)

I'm obviously slightly biased as Dick has been a best friend since our 
first meeting in September 1972.  Hmmm, that's coming up on 52 years.  I 
would guess I know Dick Norton pretty well, and having observed his 
comportment first-hand, at both work and radio over many years, I guess 
Dick would be the least likely of my friends to intentionally make Ms. 
McIntyre K6WX cry.
73,
Jim N6TJ
ARRL Life Member
Founder, NCCC
Founder, SCCC

-------- Forwarded Message --------
Subject: 	Fw: ARRL Ethics and Elections Committee Actions Relevant to 
Proposed Bylaw 46 Changes
Date: 	Sat, 13 Jan 2024 03:06:41 +0000 (UTC)
From: 	
To: 	



The following is approved for public release -

Dear ARRL Member,

It is with a sense of profound disappointment that I find it necessary 
to share some of the background and details of recent action of the 
ARRL's Ethics and Elections Committee, and its apparent use in a scheme 
to attempt to deprive ARRL members of their ability to choose their 
representative on the ARRL Board with proposed changes to Bylaw 46.

When I received the following unfounded claim made by ARRL Pacific 
Division Director McIntyre and learned that E&E Committee members even 
considered acting on it, I was so stunned and outraged that I was at a 
loss of how to respond.

Interestingly enough, during the period before my response was 
submitted, information came that revealed that the other two members of 
the Elections and Ethics Committee, Directors Ryan and Luetzelschwab, 
had already accepted the scurrilous claims as being fact and were 
broadcasting defamatory statements to League members.

The following language has been used by the members of the E&E Committee 
in communication with membership:

Rocky Mountain Division Director Ryan, K0RM: “In today’s political 
climate, it has become 'OK' to ‘lower oneself’ to include name-calling, 
personal attacks that question an individual’s competence, heritage, 
and/or motives; and to generally have emotional distrust or contempt for 
an individual with whom you disagree.  It is my intention to ensure such 
behavior is not present in the ARRL Board room—because our members 
deserve representatives that always act in a manner that is consistent 
with the highest business and ethical standards as would any 
corporation—non-profit or otherwise.  I’m perfectly OK with dissent; I’m 
not so fond of disrespect.  I have been in the minority on votes in the 
ARRL board room.  It goes with the territory.  What is not proper is to 
act like a spoiled four-year old who didn’t get his way.”

Central Division Director Luetzelschwab, K9LA: [W]hen a Board member 
calls someone on the HQ staff a derogatory name, when a Board member 
verbally threatens another Board member, when a Board member advances on 
another Board member in a physical manner," etc. [T]hat's what this is 
about.”

Both Directors Ryan and Luetzelschwab have been requested to provide 
specifics of their charges made to the League membership, and neither 
has done so. The bizarre and unique comment from Director Luetzelschwab 
about "advances on another Board member in a physical manner" should 
leave no doubt about his source.

Regarding Proposed Changes to Bylaw 46 -

The real reasons behind the proposed changes appears to be that  some 
Board members and management want to hide bad decisions 
and the resulting impacts from the membership, and that they want more 
excuses to remove a Director from office..

For example, Mr. Minster has expressed that League financial 
information, especially that which he may find embarrassing, can be 
self-declared as being "confidential," and that Directors who discuss it 
with their constituencies should be removed from the Board.

Mr. Minster's supporters on the Board are attempting to grant Minster 
the ability to do just that, in spite of Connecticut law not permitting it.

The Ethics and Elections Committee plays an outsized role in such 
activities. Does the League benefit from efforts like this, obviously 
aimed at Director elimination? After reading this, do you think the 
procedures followed in this example reach reasonable quasi-judicial 
standards? Is this what you want more of from your Board? If the 
proposed changes to Bylaw 46 are passed, this is what your Board will be 
up to.

This single example, among many, of abuse of the League's E&E Committee 
system by three politically connected actors should by itself give 
reason not to encourage and validate ARRL Board secrecy.

I believe the ARRL members are the owners of the ARRL. I believe they 
are entitled to knowledge of how their assets are managed, and how their 
representatives vote.

There is no dispute about not releasing lobbying or litigation 
strategies. Almost all disagreements about disclosure to members involve 
what is being done with their money or how Directors voted on issues 
before them..

There is essentially nothing I do or have done as a League Director that 
should be kept from the membership.

I encourage any and all members who agree with me to express their 
opinions to all the League Directors and Officers.

I strongly oppose Board secrecy and the ARRL Motion to change Bylaw 46.

73,

Dick Norton, N6AA

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Re: E&E Complaint - 11/18/2023 conversation with Ms. McIntyre

Mr. Ryan,

The accusations made by K6WX in your communication with me that follows 
are outrageously false.

I have had interactions with thousands of Radio Amateurs over the years. 
No one involved in Amateur Radio, or any other endeavor, has ever 
reported even a single case where I have physically threatened anyone.

Do you really suggest that an octogenarian, with a heart operation 
scheduled in little over a week, would risk his life by physically 
threatening someone 20-30 years younger, who clearly outweighed him?

(Bad news for some - The operation was a success.)

Additionally, at the end of the meeting, I was experiencing a bad 
episode of arrhythmia and was extremely weak. I had difficulty standing 
up. I couldn't go to dinner with any group or individual. While exiting 
the ARRL building, I even  had to stop and rest before going out the 
front door. When I checked into the hotel, I needed to have the desk 
clerk bring my luggage in as I was too weak. The clerk would likely be 
able to verify this if needed.

,,, and then, there is the outrageous claim about  "being advanced on," 
and being threatened physically!

The conversation with K6WX was held in the large meeting room where the 
A&F meeting had just concluded. There were people in the other half of 
the room. There were people in the hall outside and people in the 
offices across the hall. How many of them reported hearing a cry for help?

I also find it extremely hard to believe I threatened something 
"embarrassing." It's not in my M.O.  However, Director McIntyre should 
feel embarrassed about the way the original “investigation” has been 
handled..

K6WX was Ethics and Elections Committee chair and handled an oral 
complaint against me (with no written record of its nature) by David 
Minster, who claimed I "leaked" a component of the League money he had 
spent on an irresponsible attempt to remove a sitting Director. K6WX 
admitted in writing to being "biased" in Mr. Minster's favor, but 
continued to direct the "investigation." K6WX went on an overseas trip 
to PJ4G with Minster, returned with a "verdict" essentially favorable to 
Minster, and kept it a secret from me as well as the Board.

Both the Minster and McIntyre "complaints" come from one-on-one 
meetings, with no witnesses.

I will put my record of honesty and fairness up against anyone’s, and 
plenty of Radio Amateurs will back me up.

I repeat, the complaint is utterly false and outrageous.

Dick Norton, N6AA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On December 21, 2023 at 08:45:20 AM PST, Ryan, Jeff, K0RM (Dir, RM) 
<k0rm at arrl.org> wrote:

Mr. Norton:

The Ethics & Elections (E&E) Committee has received a complaint about 
you filed by Ms. McIntyre.   As chair of the E&E Committee she has 
recused herself.  She reached out to me as a member of the E&E committee 
and verbally explained her recollection of an interaction with you.  I 
asked her if she wanted to file a complaint and she said “yes”.  I 
requested she send that information to me in an email.  After receiving 
her complaint I contacted Mr. Roderick and advised him that I was in 
receipt of a complaint from Ms. McIntyre and that she has recused 
herself from the Committee.  I did not provide any details about the 
nature of the complaint nor the parties involved (except, of course, Ms. 
McIntyre).   Mr. Roderick named me as temporary acting  chair of the E&E 
Committee for the purposes of looking into this incident.

According to Ms. McIntyre:

You approached her on November 18th, 2023 after the A&F Committee 
meeting at ARRL HQ in Newington Connecticut.   Vice Director Marcin was 
present and you requested he excuse himself so you could have a private 
conversation with Ms. McIntyre.  As that conversation progressed you 
appeared to be agitated and implied that she had not complied with a 
previous action you expected her to take.  As the conversation was 
concluding, you approached her in a physically threatening manner and 
verbally threatened her that you would be embarrassing her at the 
January board meeting.

Ms. McIntyre advised the E&E committee members that she felt very 
uncomfortable with this interaction and felt physically and verbally 
threatened.

The purpose of this email is to:

     1. Inform you that Ms. McIntyre has filed a complaint with the ARRL 
E&E Committee    2. Allow you an opportunity to respond in writing to 
the E&E Committee (Director Luetzelschwab and me)

Please respond via email no later than January 5th, 2024 directly to me 
(k0rm at arrl.org)  and copy Director Luetzelschwab (k9la at arrl.org) with 
any comments you wish to make with respect to your conversation of 
11/18/2023 with Ms. McIntyre or this email.   With or without a response 
from you, the Committee expects to conclude its inquiry prior to the 
January 2024 ARRL board meeting; however, if you believe you need more 
time to respond, please let me know.

Jeff Ryan, K0RM
Acting Chair
ARRL Ethics & Elections Committee