Abdul Kallon
(From al.com)
How is this for irony? America's first black president and Alabama's only black member of Congress have trumpeted Kallon's nomination. Neither President Barack Obama nor U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (D-AL) apparently are aware that Kallon spent much of his law career working against the interests of black people.
On top of that, Kallon has worked against the interests of women. Black Americans and women are supposed to be major constituencies of the Democratic Party. But Obama and Sewell support the elevation of an individual who has worked to ensure employers can get away with discriminating against blacks, women, and other minorities?
Unreal.
Want proof of Kallon's tendency to trample the rights of women? Look no further than McCormack, et al v. Campus Crest Group, et al. (WD of NC, 2011), a case involving allegations that Charlotte-based Campus Crest Communities and then CEO Ted Rollins engaged in vile discrimination and harassment against blacks and women.
Regular readers will recognize the name Ted Rollins. He has appeared frequently here at Legal Schnauzer because of his central role in a divorce case that caused his ex wife, Sherry Carroll Rollins, and two children to wind up on food stamps in Birmingham. The chief corporate law firm for Rollins and Campus Crest was Bradley Arant, of Birmingham. Before Obama nominated him as a U.S. district judge, Kallon worked at Bradley Arant and was actively engaged in defending Campus Crest against allegations in the McCormack case.
What was it like for women to work at Campus Crest? Consider this from an earlier post about McCormack:
Campus Crest Communities, which develops student housing near college campuses, is charged in Charlotte federal court with creating a work environment that is hostile to women and African-Americans. Two plaintiffs in the lawsuits, Nicole McAuliffe and Heather McCormack, say they were terminated after complaining of a sexually hostile work environment at Campus Crest. A third plaintiff, Tammy Hughes-Brown, says she has faced discrimination because she is an African-American. . . .
Nicole McAuliffe was hired as an area manager at Campus Crest's Charlotte headquarters in October 2008. She was paid a salary of $82,500, with a bonus potential of $50,000. But she quickly discovered that the workplace was hostile and demeaning toward women, driven largely by Chief Operating Officer Brian Sharpe. McAuliffe's complaint states:
"Sharpe, on a frequent and/or daily basis, used the term “fuck” and “fucking,” in his verbal communications in the workplace. Sharpe further referred to women in the office as “cunts,” “bitches” and “whores” and referred to Defendant’s marketing team as the “whore’s den.” On more than one occasion, Sharpe, in the presence of Plaintiff and others, referred to Shannon King as a “cunt.” On another occasion, while on the corporate jet with Sharpe and others, Sharpe made derogatory and misogynistic remarks about Heather McCormack, Defendant’s Vice-President of Administrative Operations, calling her a “fucking bitch” and threatening to “rip her fucking head off.”
This language did not come from a low-level supervisor. It came from the company's COO. Here is more about the threatening and demeaning language women were subjected to at Campus Crest:
Shannon King, who had been executive vice president and chief marketing officer, resigned from Campus Crest in October. McAuliffe's complaint provides insight into why King and other women might have been uncomfortable at Campus Crest:
"Also, Sharpe, in Plaintiff’s presence, complained about a race discrimination complaint made by another female employee of Defendant and stated he “couldn’t believe she had fucking done this [made a complaint]” and that “if our employees don’t want to work, they should fucking get out.” On yet another occasion, Plaintiff heard Sharpe shout sex-based obscenities at McCormack and observed that Sharpe had become so angry and agitated that he popped a blood vessel in his eye."
According to the complaint, Rollins and Chief Investment Officer Mike Hartnett tolerated Sharpe's behavior. In some instances, Rollins contributed to the hostile work environment:
"Further, Plaintiff heard Ted Rollins frequently yell at Heather McCormack to “go get the fucking money.” On yet other occasions, Rollins insisted that all attractive female applicants for employment be introduced to Brian Sharpe; alternatively, if Rollins saw an attractive applicant for employment in the office, he would bring Sharpe in to meet her."
Did Abdul Kallon stand up to such racism, sexism, and bullying? Nope. He tried to protect the bullies, to make sure the victims would get as little justice as possible.
Barack Obama and Terri Sewell want the public to believe that such a man is fit to sit on a federal appellate bench where civil-rights cases frequently land? Who are they trying to kid?
