ÿWPC‡  Ôi!¿ C4_ìÆŠ¦ûݧ·Š4_™SöŽ%í ï÷â®8…»ˆžÙ_*‰HäÚÓº½¥±òµ2ä^ÉóH}üS’˜ˆaàøü pLKïžhuàÏy;ù"U´ #msM‹É2›*Á²Õ‘È8ÆžÃ=ù®z]›«Þßqy;øU[¹‹ùÄú€Ñ©Ö6D¬¼rŠ»4O}{Í Bà MVP$ù³§ÕÖSŠ|CRAÕÖÝãÓ–p¨ö°Ï+dÊ@Mñ6ø·;‡jçºN$Üd%ÁKIqÍ´»û¯‰ˆ)xKrˆO\$Þžzu>ޤ/ë·ÆÎf€ë¤ü_j?ÇVäÄÄ,E'R ò{Ö ªª¼Ù<¤g‹£û#¥×kˆî®”()˜øjSæOa ÃPezFk7ÔÎ3¡‡*›² 3kLÿvÜ¿=é‰ ï‹‚ Л=yˆÙB ú–%æ¹æYÞá#¨×±-¾öeqNÍèØEвÔÞ¿\:[Ò4®•\ov€»¾0èþhLÉ‘jâU¯\†í 垦vôˆTçú÷ÕªÌä» ÎÄñ[S?D@gABê ~0‚ 3|xBÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ #Ñ#€Š€Xÿÿd#Ñ dÝ ƒ!ÝÝ  Ýñ9ñ›ñ9ñÔ_ÔÑ€ û¯Ñò òÓ  ÓÔ‡Šn’ŠXXÔThe€Destruction€of€The€Veterans€Group€at€California€State€University,€Long€Beachó óÐ ° ÐÌÔ#†Xz\XŠŠn’V#ÔÓJÓà  àßA€] ) °°0ÀddEŒ ª0ÀAßÐ «û ÐÌPrior€to€December€14,€1999,€òòThe€Veterans€Group€at€California€State€University,€Long€BeachóóÐ Ç Ðbecame€aware€that€California€State€Laws€were€also€being€violated€in€concert€with€the€ongoingÏviolation€of€òòThe€Vietnam€Era€Readjustment€Assistance€Act€of€1974€óó(Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô).€€€Discovery€ofÐ ¡ ñ ÐÔ_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô€during€the€period€of€the€abusive€layoffs€in€1992€had€inspired€a€group€of€veterans€toÏfight€against€discrimination€and€for€compliance€with€the€law.€€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô€requires€FederalÏContractors€to€not€discriminate€against€Vietnam€Era€veterans€in€hiring€and€employmentÏpractices,€and€to€provide€those€veterans€access€to€the€same€affirmative€action€rights,€privilegesÏand€benefits€enjoyed€by€other€ð ðprotected€classesðð.€€A€veteran€must€ð ðself„identifyðð€to€theÏContractor€in€order€to€qualify€for€the€affirmative€action€benefits.ÌÌA€petition€for€redress€from€the€violations€of€State€Law€was€sent€to€Governor€Davis€of€CaliforniaÏand€contacts€were€made€with€the€California€Department€of€Veteransðð€Affairs€(Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô).€€€TheÏGovernor€responded€by€way€of€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô€and€on€December€14,€2001€President€Ô_ÔMaxsonÔ_Ô€ofÏÔ_ÔCSULBÔ_Ô€named€a€ð ðSpecial€Advisor€to€the€President€for€Veteransðð€Issuesðð.€€More€importantly,€onÏthat€date€began€a€series€of€state€government€sponsored€negotiations€between€the€University€(aÏstate€entity)€and€The€Veterans€Group€for€the€creation€of€œañ?ñnñ?ñ›€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô€Affirmative€ActionÏProgram€(Ô_ÔAAPÔ_Ô)€for€the€qualified€veterans€at€the€University.ÌÌThis€highly€unusual€intervention€by€one€state€agency€with€another€to€gain€enforcement€of€aÏFederal€Law€came€to€a€bad€end€during€the€forth€and€final€negotiation€meeting€on€March€20,Ï2001.€€At€the€end€of€the€meeting€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô€representative€monitoring€the€negotiations€declaredÏan€impasse€in€the€negotiations.€€The€Universityððs€delaying€tactics;€refusal€œñ@ñto€ñ@ñdistribute›€draftÏcopies€of€the€proposed€Ô_ÔAAPÔ_Ô€documents€in€a€timely€fashion;€the€problem€of€gaining€adherence€toÏthe€language€of€the€regulations;€and,€the€refusal€to€discuss€implementation€procedures€and€timeÏlines€led€to€the€impasse.€ÌÌThe€destruction€of€The€Veterans€Group€was€caused€by€two€organizations,€the€Department€ofÏLaborððs€investigating€agency,€the€Office€of€Federal€Contract€Compliance€Programs€(Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô)Ïand€the€University€itself.ÌÌOn€December€14,€2000,€the€ð ðDivide€and€Conquerðð€strategy€of€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€was€in€full€forceÏagainst€The€Veterans€Group.€€There€were€two€fronts€of€assault.€€Secret€negotiations€between€anÏÔ_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€investigator€and€two€of€the€veterans€with€discrimination€complaints€for€impossibleÏððspecial€settlementsðð€from€the€University;€and,€grievous€violation€of€The€Freedom€of€InformationÏ(Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô)€and€Privacy€Acts€in€selective€and€discriminatory€disbursements€of€or€access€to€theÏpersonal€case€file€documents€between€the€veterans€and€also€the€University.€€The€University€wasÏgiven€unlawful€access€to€personal€case€file€documents€alleging€criminal€activity€by€theÏUniversity€against€a€veteran.€€It€has€been€documented€in€the€remanded€investigation€of€1999,€thatÏthe€veteran€suffered€direct€retaliation€from€the€University€during€the€ððinvestigationðð€by€theÏÔ_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€in€1996.ÌÌUpon€inquiry€to€the€Inspector€General€of€the€Department€of€Labor,€Gary€D.€Thayer,€Chief,Ð ¼- )- ÐÑ û¯ÑÑ7€z\XXdíXXdí7ÑÑ  Ññ@ñÑ û¯ÑÑ7€J[XXdídÈ7ÑÑ  Ññ@ññ?ñÑ û¯ÑÑ7€J[XXdíXXdí7ÑÑ  Ññ?ññ9ñÑ û¯ÑÑ#€Š€Xÿÿd#ÑÑ  Ññ9ñDivision€of€Financial€Management€(?),€Employment€Standards€Administration€responded€onÏñ9ñÑ û¯Ñâ  âÑ8€÷pXXdìXXdì8Ñâ  âÑ  Ññ9ñAugust€16,€2000€as€follows:ÌÌà8  àò òð ð5)€The€ð ðDivide€and€Conquerðð€tactics€ð!ð€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€denies€this€assertion€andÐ wÇ Ðstates€that€it€has€not€participated€in€any€attempts€to€defuse€youró ó€ò òcomplaint€byÐ c³ Ðpitting€the€complainants€against€each€other.€€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€acknowledges€that€oneÏof€the€investigating€Compliance€Officers€(CO)€did€approach€one€of€theÏcomplainants€with€an€offer€from€the€university€to€settle€his€complaint.€€OnceÏÔ_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€was€made€aware€of€this€incident,€the€CO€œñBñwñBñas›€reprimanded€andÏinformed€that€this€was€inappropriate€action.ððó óà p àà È àÐ S Ð Ð  ÐÌChief€Thayer€dealt€with€the€potentially€more€serious€violations€of€the€Freedom€of€InformationÏand€Privacy€Acts€as€follows:ÌÌà8  àò òð ð1)€California€Bureau€of€State€Audits€ð!ð€Information€collected€by€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_ÔÐ £ó  Ðduring€the€1996€investigation€œhñ;ññ:ñsñ:ññ;ññ<ñasñ<ññ=ñañ=ñ›€not€been€purged.€€Documentation€gatheredÏduring€the€investigation€cannot€be€provided€because€the€case€remains€open.€ÏHowever,€you€may€request€data€that€you€submitted€to€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€under€theÏÔ_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô.ððó óÐS£Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àò òð ð4)€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô€concerns€ð!ð€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€can€only€provide€the€information€youÐ ,| Ðsubmitted€while€the€cases€remain€under€active€investigation.ððÐ Ð Ð  ÐÌó óThe€Director€of€Staff€Personnel€Office€at€Ô_ÔCSULBÔ_Ô€authored€a€letter€to€the€principal€of€òòÔ_ÔRenaudÔ_Ô,€et.Ð ð@ Ðal.€Ô_ÔCASÔ_Ô#I960029óó€stating€that€he€had€been€given€complete€access€to€the€personal€case€files€of€theÐ Ý- Ðveterans€at€the€Los€Angeles€District€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€office€during€July€1997.€€That€was€in€the€middle€ofÏthe€sham€ððappeal€phaseðð€of€the€investigation.€€Apparently€in€recognition€of€the€violation€of€law,Ïthe€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€then€delivered€to€that€same€principal€the€ostensible€entire€case€file€of€all€personalÏdocuments€submitted€by€veterans€to€investigators€as€under€Chief€Thayerððs€section€1€above.ÌÌPast„Regional€Director€Ô_ÔHeleneÔ_Ô€Haase,€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô,€has€written€that€the€access€to€the€case€file€byÏÔ_ÔCSULBÔ_Ôððs€Mr.€Ô_ÔAngellÔ_Ô€would€have€been€a€violation€of€law,€and€that€the€Mr.€Ô_ÔAngellÔ_Ô€was€neverÏgiven€access€to€the€records,€despite€the€existence€of€Mr.€Ô_ÔAngellÔ_Ôððs€letter€bragging€of€such€access.ÌCurrent€Regional€Director€Woody€Ô_ÔGillilandÔ_Ô,€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô,€has€written€in€apology€for€the€violations€ofÏthe€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô€and€Privacy€against€the€veterans;€and,€indeed,€shortly€after€Chief€Thayerððs€letter€theÏcase€file€in€contention€was€released€to€the€veteran€requesting€it.ÌÌThis€is€where€the€fascination€about€the€purging€of€criminal€allegations€begins.€€The€ððcase€fileððÏreceived€by€the€principal€in€1997€contains€criminal€allegations€that€the€ððcase€fileðð€released€in€lateÏin€2000€does€not€contain.€€The€criminal€allegations€from€the€1997€release€actually€bear€theÏð ðReceived€by€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ôðð€stamp€thereon.ÌÌIn€a€completely€unrelated€sequence€of€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô€violations€by€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€and€their€NationalÐ ‡+×&* ÐÔ_ÔOmsbudÔ_Ô€office,€again€related€to€Chief€Thayerððs€section€1€above,€occurred€during€the€periodÏMarch€1999€through€September€1999.€€Indications€are€that€Director€Haase,€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô,€was€forcedÏinto€early€retirement€at€least€in€part€due€to€the€willfulness€of€her€repeated€violation€of€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô.€€ÏHer€boss,€Mr.€Harold€Busch,€Division€Director,€Program€Operations,€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô,€had€advised€theÏveterans€to€seek€confirmation€that€their€appeals€had€been€reviewed€by€use€of€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô€to€theÏRegional€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€office€in€San€Francisco.€€This€effort€was€to€be€assisted€by€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€NationalÏÔ_ÔOmsbudÔ_Ô.ÌÌRegional€Director€Haase€denied€multiple€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô€requests€for€access€to€the€actual€appeal€letters€ofÏthe€veterans.€€As€it€turned€out,€she€truly€had€a€motivation€for€the€denials€„€the€appeals€had€neverÏbeen€reviewed,€and€indeed,€her€office€did€not€even€have€copies€of€the€appeals.€€Yet€she€signed€anÏappeal€denial€in€November€1997€without€ever€having€reviewed€the€appeals!ÌÌThis€context,€plus€the€unusual€stance€of€the€principal€of€the€1996€that€the€personal€documents€ofÏthe€other€veterans€that€had€been€obtained€in€gross€violation€of€law€were€his€personal€property,Ïled€to€unending€problems€and€strife.€€Strife€which€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€was€completely€aware€of,€andÏwhich€they€encouraged€through€continuing€discrimination€in€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô€access€to€personal€case€fileÏmaterials.€Ultimately,€that€strife€partially€backfired€on€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô,€since€the€principal€ultimatelyÏreleased€some€of€the€personal€documents€just€prior€to€the€start€of€the€remanded€investigations€inÏNovember€1999.€€Those€documents€ultimately€proved€that€the€case€file€had€been€purged€ofÏcriminal€allegations€and€criminal€evidence€collected€on€April€11,€1996€by€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_ÔÏinvestigator.ÌÌThe€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€seemed€to€begin€to€take€the€issue€of€evidence€much€more€seriously€after€theÏCalifornia€State€Audit€inspected€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€case€file€materials€and€removed€some€of€theÏmaterial€which€had€not€been€purged.ÌÌThe€consequences€of€these€Divide€and€Conquer€tactics€by€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€were€in€full€bloom€by€theÏtime€of€the€second€negotiation€meeting€sponsored€by€the€California€Department€of€VeteransððÏAffairs.€€Imagine€the€two€questions€with€no€answers:ÌÌà8  àHow€come€you€can€get€my€personal€stuff€by€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô,€and€I€canððt€get€it€by€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô?Ð Ð Ð  ÐÌà8  àHow€come€theyððre€offering€you€early€retirement€ððas€if€you€were€62',€and€theyððreÏnot€offering€it€to€me?Ð Ð Ð  ÐÌThe€offers€of€early€retirement€came€in€December€1999,€the€Conciliation€Agreement€between€theÏÔ_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€and€Ô_ÔCSULBÔ_Ô€of€January€26,€2001,€contained€no€mention€of€early€retirements.€€€€TheÏVeterans€Group€was€reeling€from€the€contentions€brought€about€by€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€actions,€and€thenÏthe€Universityððs€Special€Advisor€to€the€President€for€Veteransðð€Issues€started€in€on€the€process,Ïusing€elements€of€the€above€issues€to€drive€further€wedges€between€members.ÌÌWhat€with€all€the€talk€of€spies€in€the€media€recently,€our€imagination€is€sparked€by€theÐ ’+â&* Ðastonishing€status€of€an€original€member€of€the€class€action€from€1996.€€In€October€1996€thatÏindividual€was€identified€in€the€findings€of€that€ð ðshamðð€investigation€as€follows:ÌÌà8  àà8` Ð Ð àð ðMr.€[redacted]€has€self„identified€as€a€Vietnam€Era€Veteran,€butÏhis€dates€of€service€do€òònotóó€fall€within€the€Actððs€coverage.ððÐd´` x` x ÐÌGiven€the€overall€understanding€that€a€sham€investigation€had€occurred€in€1996,€this€individualÏwas€believed€when€he€continued€to€protest€his€status€as€a€Vietnam€Era€Veteran.€€€Once€again,€inÏAugust€2000,€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€identified€this€individual€as€being€ð ðnot€Ô_ÔVEVÔ_Ôðð€[not€Vietnam€EraÏVeteran]€in€the€official€findings€of€the€investigation.ÌÌThe€misrepresentation€by€this€individual€of€his€qualifying€status€was€complete.€€In€August€2000,Ïhe€was€ñ9ñpublicallyñ9ññ9ñpubliclyñ9ñ€asked€to€explain€his€apparently€deceptive€actions€and€the€purpose€for€them.€€OfÏcourse,€there€was€no€response.€€In€1998€Congress€passed€a€new€law€modifying€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô,€òòTheÐ ¹  ÐVeteransðð€Employment€Assistance€Act€of€1998€óóextends€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô€rights,€privileges€and€benefitsÐ ¦ö  Ðto€all€veterans€outside€the€qualifying€Vietnam€Era€if€they€have€acquired€a€campaign€ribbonÏinvolving€military€action€by€the€United€States.€€Mr.€[redacted]€is€apparently€also€not€a€qualifiedÏveteran€under€the€new€1998€extension€of€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô.€€His€expressed€motivation€to€protectÏœveteransñ>ñððñ>ñ›€rights€is€now€seen€as€entirely€suspect€by€the€actual€class€action€veterans€at€Ô_ÔCSULBÔ_Ô,€asÏdescribed€below.ÌÌMr.€[Redacted]€and€the€Special€Advisor€for€Veteransðð€Issues€at€Ô_ÔCSULBÔ_Ô€did€somethingÏastonishing€on€May€12,€2000.€€The€meeting€they€called€was€the€official€ending€of€the€publicÏgroup€action€by€The€Veterans€Group.€€€They€called€for€a€meeting€of€The€Veterans€Group€underÏthe€ostensible€authority€of€the€California€Department€of€Veteransðð€Affairs€to€further€the€processÏof€negotiation€towards€a€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô„based€affirmative€action€program.€€€Despite€no€confirmationÏof€this€from€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô,€a€meeting€was€held.€€€The€veteran€principal€of€the€1999€ComplianceÏinvestigation€would€not€attend€the€meeting€out€of€principle€„€there€was€no€clear€authority€callingÏthe€meeting,€and€there€would€be€no€monitoring€for€bad€faith€by€an€outside€agency.ÌÌBad€Faith€by€the€University€has€been€the€emblem€of€the€investigations,€this€fact€is€cited€in€theÏAugust€2000€findings€for€the€enjoined€discrimination€and€compliance€investigations.€€€At€theÏfinal€negotiation€meeting€sponsored€by€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô€draft€materials€of€Ô_ÔAAPÔ_Ô€documents€wereÏdistributed,€in€particular€part€of€the€primal€ð ðSelf„Identificationðð€package€of€documents€œñAñwasñAññAñ›wereñAñ›Ïdistributed.€€If€a€veteran€does€not€Self„Identify€to€the€Federal€Contractor€as€a€qualified€veteranÏunder€the€law,€then€no€rights,€protections,€and€benefits€are€due€the€veteran€under€law.ÌÌGross€fraud€against€Ô_ÔCSULBÔ_Ô€veterans€was€proved€by€them€to€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€by€use€of€the€CaliforniaÏInformation€Practices€Act€to€obtain€personal€hiring€records€of€veterans€identified€in€the€1996Ïfindings€as€having€ð ðnot€self„identifiedðð.€€The€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€had€refused€to€investigate€this€matter.€€InÏall€cases€it€was€demonstrated€that€the€veterans€had€self„identified€to€the€University€at€the€time€ofÏtheir€hiring,€and€that€the€University€had€refused€to€even€update€their€records€after€the€class€actionÏveterans€proved€their€qualifying€status€to€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€by€submission€of€their€Ô_ÔDDÔ_Ô€214€militaryÐ ’+â&* Ðseparation€document.€€€Mr.€[Redacted]€had€self„identified€as€a€Vietnam€Era€Veteran€which€theÏUniversity€accepted,€and€actual€qualifying€veterans€were€kept€off€the€list.ÌÌThere€has€never€been€an€explanation€of€what€authority€the€Special€Advisor€and€Mr.€[Redacted]Ïcalled€the€meeting€to€continue€work€on€Self„Identification€documents.€€€Prior€to€the€meeting€theyÏhad€distributed€a€touted€first€draft€of€the€critical€ð ðInvitation€to€Self„Identifyðð€document€in€whichÏthe€veteran€hire€is€first€informed€of€his/her€potential€status€and€employment€benefits€under€theÏÔ_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô.ÌÌAfter€the€preliminary€argument€at€the€beginning€of€the€May€12,€2000€meeting€as€to€the€questionÏof€under€what€authority€the€meeting€was€being€called,€and€who€was€to€be€the€external€monitor€inÏthe€absence€of€€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô,€the€first€major€act€of€bad€faith€became€apparent.€€A€substantiallyÏlonger,€more€informative€and€more€compliant€version€of€the€ð ðInvitation€to€Self„Identifyðð€hadÏbeen€distributed€at€the€March€20,€2000€meeting€monitored€by€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô.€€The€versionÏdistributed€prior€to€the€May€12òòthóó€meeting€was€significantly€shorter€and€less€compliant€with€theÐ ¦ö  Ðversion€contained€in€the€Appendix€to€the€Regulations€[41€Ô_ÔC.F.R.Ô_Ô€6„250].ÌÌMr.€[Redacted]€and€the€Special€Advisor€expressed€shock,€complete€shock€when€confronted€byÏthe€draft€ð ðInvitationðð€from€the€March€20òòthóó€meeting.€€They€had€never€seen€it!€€They€had€noÐ Zª Ðknowledge€of€it!€Yet€they€had€been€at€the€same€meeting€with€the€rest€of€the€veterans€and€theÏrepresentatives€of€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô€and€the€Los€Angeles€County€Department€of€Military€and€VeteransððÏAffairs€who€were€monitoring.€€The€Special€Advisor€has€direct€contact€with€the€PresidentððsÏmanagement€team€and€consulted€with€them€regularly,€yet€he€had€no€knowledge€of€the€extent€ofÏthe€draft€materials€distributed€by€his€management€contacts?ÌÌThe€veteran€principal€of€the€1996€discrimination€investigation€reports€that€the€Special€AdvisorÏhad€been€lobbied€during€that€period€of€time€for€support,€moral€or€otherwise.€€He€had€refusedÏthen,€and€yet€he€purports€to€represent€the€class€action€veterans€as€Special€Advisor?ÌÌAs€is€common€in€human€affairs,€egg€on€oneððs€face€sometimes€leads€to€the€desire€for€revenge€andÏconfrontation.€€One€thing€led€to€another,€and€Mr.€[Redacted]€€physically€confronted€anotherÏveteran€over€the€matter€of€the€illegal€Ô_ÔFOIAÔ_Ô€distribution€and€access€to€those€documents€by€allÏclass€action€veterans.€€This€is€observed€by€the€Special€Advisor.ÌÌWhat€made€that€meeting€so€special€and€resulted€in€the€destruction€of€The€Veterans€Group€wasÏonly€discovered€the€next€morning,€when€a€class€action€veteran€was€informed€by€the€very€highÏranking€guest€to€the€meeting,€the€Director€of€University€Research€Office,€that€recorded€excerptsÏof€the€meeting€were€left€on€his€home€answering€machine€as€an€apparent€act€of€intimidation.€€TheÏculture€changing€aspect€of€modern€email€systems,€as€embodied€by€the€Universityððs€resources,Ïprovided€an€astonishing€record€of€the€aftermath€and€disintegration€of€The€Veterans€Group.ÌÌThe€Special€Advisor€did€deny€in€writing€any€involvement€in€the€illegal€audio€recording€of€theÏmeeting.€€Mr.€[Redacted]€did€not€so€honor€his€comrades€with€such€a€denial€in€the€firestorm€ofÐ ’+â&* ÐÔ_ÔemailsÔ_Ô€which€followed.€€The€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô,€the€President€of€the€University,€the€University€Police,€andÏthe€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô€all€refused€to€investigate€the€issue€of€an€illegal€audio€recording€being€made€for€theÏpurpose€of€intimidation€of€the€veterans€at€the€meeting.ÌÌAll€prior€meetings€of€The€Veterans€Group€had€been€held€behind€closed€doors€for€securityÏpurposes.€€€The€four€negotiation€meetings€were€held€in€administration€conference€rooms.€€YetÏMr.€[Redacted]€is€understood€to€have€specifically€sited€the€May€12òòthóó€meeting€out„of„doors€nearÐ > Ž Ðone€of€the€food€vending€buildings€on€campus.ÌÌIn€April€2000,€between€the€time€of€the€€last€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô€sponsored€meeting€and€the€May€12òòthóó€meeting,Ð  U  Ðthe€Special€Advisor€had€published€misinformation,€direct€falsehoods,€in€ð ðThe€VeteranððÏnewsletter€as€to€the€alleged€fact€that€the€University€had€forwarded€the€Ô_ÔAAPÔ_Ô€document€package€toÏthe€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€and€with€a€letter€from€the€President€indicating€willingness€to€bring€the€UniversityÏinto€ñ7ñimmediate€ñ7ñcompliance€with€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô.ÌÌRepeatedly,€in€public€meetings€and€in€writing,€several€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô€officials€repudiated€the€assertionÏof€the€Special€Advisor€that€such€documents€had€been€sent€to€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô.€€As€a€result€of€hisÏrefusal€to€issue€a€retraction€of€the€falsehood€told€to€the€entire€contingent€of€veterans€on€cañ8ñÌñ8ñmpus,Ïthe€newsletter,€ð ðThe€Veteranðð€died.€€€His€rigid€requirements€of€ð ðno€attributionsðð€and€contentÏcontrol€of€the€newsletter,€in€context€of€publishing€lies€about€compliance,€cannot€be€seen€asÏsupporting€veteran€rights€under€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô.€€The€Special€Advisor€seems€embarrassed€that€anyÏveteran€would€ever€claim€discrimination€as€a€veteran.ÌÌSeveral€months€later€the€Special€Advisor€took€to€the€President€of€the€University€a€false€assertionÏthat€ð ðthe€veteransðð€were€asking€for€some€special€memorial€to€or€for€veterans€on€campus.€€ThereÏis€already€on€campus€a€significant€large€sculptural€piece€related€to€the€Vietnam€War€titledÏð ðVietnamðð.€€€President€Ô_ÔMaxsonÔ_Ô€seemed€appalled€and€concerned€when€informed€that€ð ðtheÏveteransðð€included€only€the€Special€Advisor€and€one€other€veteran.€€There€had€been€noÏdiscussion€whatsoever€of€ð ðThe€Flagpoleðð€in€any€meeting€of€The€Veterans€Group,€since€theÏSpecial€Advisor€was€not€able€or€willing€to€guarantee€the€privacy€of€any€such€meeting.€€€As€of€theÏdate€of€this€essay,€April€30,€2001,€there€is€still€ò òno€compliance€with€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ôó ó€at€CaliforniaÐ v Æ ÐState€University,€Long€Beach.€€There€still€has€been€no€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô„based€ð ðSelf„Identificationðð€ofÏveterans€for€inclusion€in€the€Affirmative€Action€Program.€€On€or€about€March€10,€2001€theÏConciliation€Agreement€became€ð ðeffectiveðð,€yet€there€is€no€compliance,€and€the€Bad€FaithÏcontinues.ÌÌThe€Conciliation€Agreement,€signed€on€January€26,€2001,€requires€the€creation€of€a€permanentÏVeterans€Advisory€group€to€assist€with€the€monitoring€of€compliance€with€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô.€€AlthoughÏnot€specified€in€the€Agreement,€the€Special€Advisor€has€taken€it€as€his€role€to€form€the€group.ÌÌOn€Thursday,€April€26,€2001,€the€first€meeting€of€the€Advisory€group€met,€with€the€SpecialÏAdvisor€calling€it€a€ð ðSteering€Committeeðð€meeting.€€€No€formal€notification€of€this€fact€occurredÏto€the€class€action€veterans€and€no€class€action€veteran€was€invited€to€attend€the€meeting.€€ThatÐ •+å&* Ðis,€unless€you€still€consider€Mr.€[Redacted]€a€class€action€member?ÌÌBoth€the€Special€Advisor€to€the€President€for€Veteransðð€Issues€and€Mr.€[Redacted]€have€beenÏqueried€as€to€why€no€class€action€member€of€the€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô€complaints€is€to€be€allowed€toÏparticipate€in€the€creation€of€the€Advisory€group€mandated€by€the€Conciliation€Agreement.€€InÏboth€cases€they€have€responded€that€there€is€no€requirement€for€participation€by€any€class€actionÏmember,€nor€in€fact,€is€there€any€requirement€that€Vietnam€Era€veterans€be€allowed€toÏparticipate.ÌÌAt€this€time,€the€Ô_ÔOFCCPÔ_Ô,€the€Ô_ÔCDVAÔ_Ô,€the€LAC€Ô_ÔDMVAÔ_Ô,€local€legislators€and€a€growing€numberÏof€interested€veterans€are€pondering€the€situation.€€Just€how€can€the€group€of€veterans€whoÏfought€the€Ô_ÔVEVRAAÔ_Ô€battle€at€Ô_ÔCSULBÔ_Ô€be€excluded€from€the€campus€Veteransðð€Advisory€GroupÏthat€was€mandated€by€the€Conciliation€Agreement?ÌÌThe€answer€is,€of€course,€that€we€are€not€ððtame€veteransðð€working€for€management.ÌÌThe€tale€will€continue....ÌÌÌ