Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Former CMU General Manager sues for reverse discrimination

Former Canton Municipal Utilities general manager John Wallace sued three CMU board members in U.S. District Court yesterday for reverse discrimination. CMU fired Mr. Wallace on June 4, 2013, on a 3-2 vote.  He served in his position for 35 years. He is represented by attorney Lisa Ross. Mr. Wallace accused board members Landres Cheeks, Cleotha Williams and L.C. Slaughter of violating his civil rights and sued them personally. Mr. Wallace also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order requiring CMU to reinstate him as general manager.

June 4 was a very interesting day at CMU. When it turned out Mr. Truly's write-in campaign for Mayor would not work, the CMU board voted to fire Mr. Wallace. The board also voted to fire Bob Montgomery as CMU attorney and hire the law firm of Blackmon and Blackmon (as in Ed and Barbara) in his place. Then-Mayor Truly appointed the three board members who authorized the firings. The board later reversed itself and allowed Mr. Wallace to remain employed until June 30.

Mr. Wallace alleges he was fired because of his race. The three commissioners are black. Mr.  Wallace is white.  They ordered Canton police to escort Mr. Wallace from the building. Mr. Wallace argues his firing violated his due process. He claims CMU had to hold a hearing and determine whether it could fire him for cause. Mr. Wallace points out the commissioners approached three candidates for the position, one of whom was hired. All the candidates were black. Barrett Hatcher replaced Mr. Wallace.

Editorial note: The Madison County Journal defended Mr. Wallace in an editorial: "John Wallace is old-school. They don't come any better than John. Nissan would have never happened without John Wallace's guiding hand." So Mayor Truly loses and goes scorched earth. Gets rid of the guy who brought Nissan to the area. Got it.



25 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is about time that OUR Federal Government levels the playing field. They have gone WAY PASSED being fair to ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS for equal rights and pushing African-Americans into positions that they were clearly not qualified (including university entrance). Look at the City of Jackson leaders, Hinds County, etc. One BIG African-American mess as THEY DO NOT PLAY BY THE RULES OR LAW for that matter. On all my government required documents, I answer the question of race as "Irish-American". My great-great-great- grandfather was from Ireland, so that makes me "Irish-American". GOD BLESS THE USA.

Anonymous said...

Good for Mr. Wallace! I just hope that those 3 defendents have to pay thair lawyers with their own money, not taxpayer money?

Anonymous said...

John Wallace was fired for TWO reasons. (1) he is white (2) he was not a Truly supporter.

End of discussion.

Anonymous said...

You rednecks notice that Lisa Ross, who is suing to block HB2, is Mr. Wallace's attorney?

Anonymous said...

Is it my imagination or didn't Wallace do something similar about twelve or so years back? The guy has been around forever. Maybe it's time to take a seat. The incumbent serves at the will and pleasure of the board. In that sense, for God's sakes, he's just like an agency head in most state gov't jobs.

Anonymous said...

Good. I hope we start seeing more action like this.
What about the four black guys that severely beat the white kid in Copiah County over the weekend. Is that not a hate crime? Where are all of the reverends and the ACLU and the media reporting that there has been yet another hate crime in Mississippi?

Anonymous said...

If you use all caps, or lots of exclamation points, most people assume you are crazy and will skip your post. This is a generally accepted rule of the internet.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Wallace may have a valid case. I don't know if he does or not, nor does anybody else on here, all of whom don't know any facts, just allegations in a Complaint.

However, for white folks to be on here whining about hate crimes is a laugher. White folks like me have run the country for generations. Times have changed. Now blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Ameticans, et al. want their SHARE of the power and want the hate crimes against THEM to stop. We've been kicking their asses for years, folks. You can't blame them for wanting a little payback.


Now I do carry my 40 cal. everywhere I go in Jackson, where I live, juuuuuust in case.

Anonymous said...

12:15pm

Speak for yourself. Payback isn't justice, it's revenge. Blood won't solve a problem.

Anonymous said...

There is no such thing as "reverse" discrimination. A person is discriminated against on the basis of race or they are not.

Discriminating against a white employee because he is white is just plain old "discrimination," not "reverse" discrimination. You can't discriminate on the basis of race, no matter what the race may be. Legally, the playing field is supposed to be level for all races. I'm just sayin'....

Anonymous said...

If a share of the power was the motivation as 12:15 purports then the move to oust Wallace would have been made long ago.

Anonymous said...

John would do better with age. White males have no protection under federal law. Good luck any way to John..

Anonymous said...

The three black (Truly-appointed) CMU board members said that "diversity," i.e. Wallace's skin color, was the reason he was dismissed.

It was reported on WMGO the day after his firing. As usual, the folks who dance on the Blackmons' strings are not very smart. They admitted a prima facie case of discrimination within 24 hours of the act.

Canton Flee Market said...

Ed & Bab's would have never achieved their current net worth if it weren't for taking advantage of their poor and politically ignorant base.

Anonymous said...

Why don't you people read the complaint. The Commissioners never said according to the complaint that I read that it was diversity. I understand why the people of Mississippi are so backwards because you just take something and repeat it without ever bothering to research and educate yourselves on a topic before making knee jerk statements. It was reported on WMGO so I am sure that it must be true because everything we read in the newspapers, watch on the news, and hear on the radio is prima facie true. I understand now why everyone when they write about Mississippi or show Mississippi on National Television depict you all as who you are. Backwards, ignorant, bigoted, racists, etc.

Anonymous said...

Get a larger tampon 5:04.

Anonymous said...

And yet 5:04 PM remains a loyal JJ reader and anonymous participant with an available non-attributable opinion worth zilch.

KaptKangaroo said...

Having taken a break of sorts I find it amusing the sudden lift in progressive commentary. While interesting and admittingt I too was once under the spell of "we must praise ourselves for the responsibility of taking care of others, those Bushies (ghwb) dont know what they are doing." I too believed, foolishly, those people need help! What I failed to realize is maybe they don't want help. Actually, I did realize it. We exist to support the greater good in man, not to promulgate bad habits.

So please, take the college liberal dogma back to the tablog. Others here are interested in intelligent conversation that focuses on moving forward, together.

Anonymous said...

and what is intelligent conversation from a bunch of hicks. yeah, y'all i am intelligent. yes suh, Ias intel i gent . is that right, mastuh

Anonymous said...

and you are an anonymous participant with zilch because you didn't refute anything didn't read anything, thus proving my point Go Mississippi and yes i deliberately didn't try to be intelligent wanted to play to my audience

Kingfish said...

Ok, I let you have your fun. Get back to the lawsuit and c my. All of you are geniuses.

Anonymous said...

5:04 I know John Wallace well. I also know Dr. Truly well. I also know Landres Cheeks, Cleotha Williams, and L.C. Slaughter well. I know John Noble (CMU board member). I know both of the Blackmons. When I say I know them, I mean that I know them PERSONALLY. John Wallace for over 40 years. Most of the others for over 20 years. John Wallace was fired because Truly told the 3 board members that he wanted Wallace gone and a black put in office.

Anonymous said...

Apparently, you were in the room when the discussions took place. To know so much, I mean. If I were not a witness to something I would not comment, but I keep forgetting I am talking to Mississippians.

George said...

Ed knows he can not win this case; the plan is to bill the city and keep two boards and attorneys in so he can buy his sons another Audi. Also, a crook, named Ellis Turnage out of Cleveland an expert on civil rights law is going to represent Ed. Ellis Turnage does not pay child support see Brooks v. Turnage a case filed in chancery court from 09 he has managed to push aside because of his net woth in Cleveland from robbing the poor blind. Bill Luckett now mayor of Clarksdale rode his attorney coat tail as he did driving Morgan Freeman around he is greedy for money.This whole circle is greedy, but the sad part its at tax payers expense.

Anonymous said...

Just saw this. Payback is a bitch!



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