Photo AJC -Jack Staver, one of the speakers against the TSPLOST referendum in 2012, would have to disclose donors to his advocacy groups under a bill in the General Assembly backed by House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge. BOB ANDRES / BANDRES@AJC.COM

Grassroots Organizations, “Mystery Groups” and/or “Dark Money”?
By Viola Davis, February 28, 2016

House Speaker David Ralston (R) from Blue Ridge introduced HB370 to expose “mystery groups”, make such groups more transparent and force them to identify their funding…called “dark money”.

I say, “What Dark Money?” Our grassroots organization, Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter, came to light by exposing the molestation/mistreatment of children. I helped create the organization after filing a lawsuit against the Department of Veteran Affairs due to their attempt to make me (a Critical Care Registered Nurse) lie and conceal the poor patient care given to fellow veteran, like myself, within the VA Hospital. I refused and found a way to sue in order to expose the danger to veterans within our VA Hospitals over 15 years ago. The “truth” is now coming out. We have spent a majority of our time exposing wrongdoing, malfeasance and alleged criminal activity in DeKalb County government. How many grassroots organizations, whistleblowers, organizers and activists have tried to expose the truth and went bankrupt in the process?

Last but not least, people are not going to believe that a couple of black women (Ruby Davis and Viola Davis) purchased georgiateaparty.com, gateaparty.com and dekalbteaparty.com long before the tea party movement even began. While doing research for the late Hosea Williams, I wrote a report on tax equity and told him that we needed a “Georgia Tea Party”. Hosea said to me, “What do some Negroes know about some tea?” Anyone who knew Hosea knows that he did not say Negroes and that I am being politically correct. We purchased these domain names to push transparency, ethics and accountability (T.E.A) as a program under the Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter ministry.

Do not be fooled. Speaking “truth to powerful people, politicians and corporations” will land you in “bankruptcy” without a retirement, job, salary, home, etc. The powerful elected officials and government officials will use government resources to try and make you and others around you regret ever exposing the truth. Most grassroots organizations and activists suffer acts of intimidation and retaliation, not profits. Grassroots organizations and activists are often self-financed. Their success depends on volunteers more than “money”. The media needs to expose the true cost of speaking “truth to power” that grassroots organization and local activists experience such as:

• Josie Dean’s organization Rockdale Think Tank – Prior to forming her Think Tank, Dean helped expose wrongdoing within DeKalb County’s Sheriff Department. She helped the late Derwin Brown win the position of Sheriff before his assassination. After the assassination, Josie’s home was monitored by the law enforcement to make sure she was not harmed. Due to her “speaking truth to power”, Josie’s home was foreclosed, her home daycare business was under attack, she had to file bankruptcy, and she eventually had to move out of the county of DeKalb. Yes, Josie asked me to write on her behalf and explain that she (like us) has no “dark money” and was forced to file bankruptcy. We cannot afford to take “dark money” because we are missionaries and must keep our hands clean. We work for our God to do “what is right and just”.

House Speaker David Ralston wrapped himself in a red robe of conservatism while being a member of one of the strongest unions in Georgia (don’t be fooled by its Right to Work label)…Yes, that union is called the Georgia General Assembly. Ralston’s union does not want to be questioned and/or challenged. He (also others in the Georgia General Assembly) wants absolute power to set laws that increases the “insiders” profits. He wants to remove any and all measures of transparency and accountability, don’t even mention the issue of ethics. Democrats and Republicans unite against the taxpayers and voters (We the People) to remove the grassroots organizations that force them (the elected officials) to be transparent, ethical and accountable to the people. HB370 will remove the grassroots organizations that interferes with their union’s power.

Read the entire article in the AJC – http://www.myajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/house-speaker-wants-light-on-georgias-secret-polit/nqSCX/