Mchael Barfield with other members of the Sarasota UNIParty -Christine Robinson/Suzanne Atwell/Paul Cariagulo/Hagen Brody/Kevin Cooper/Matt Woodall celebrating CHANGE THE DATE REFERENDUM
COMPLAINTS FILED AGAINST THE POLITICAL OPERATIVE OF THE SARASOTA UNIPARTY MICHAEL BARFIELD'S WHILE PRESIDENT OF THE FLORIDA ACLU
Barfield
An official complaint to ACLU FL and national leadership per ACLU FL policy from members of the ACLU FL exercising their responsibility to call attention to a breach of conflict-of-interest policies and an ongoing pattern of gender-based harassment and retaliation.
Because of the documented pattern of retaliation, members of the ACLU FL are doing so anonymously and wish to protect our identities.
Since this is a chapter issue, ACLU FL members are copying Chair of chapter related activities at the state level.
Michael Barfield, current ACLU FL President, has both violated conflict of interest policies, and in turn demonstrated an ongoing and persistent pattern of gender-based harassment and retaliation that creates a hostile environment for females who participate in the ACLU FL.
More specifically:
1. Michael Barfield has violated conflict of interest policies and used his position for personal and financial gain;
2. There is retaliation when individuals addressed the conflicts of interest; and
3. Ongoing pattern of bullying and harassment following that and continuing to this day.
4. Continual and malicious disruption of chapter functioning, including privacy violations.
5. Discriminatory actions and hostile environment targeting females, especially females of color; and
6. Using the Grievance Process frivolously and for personal gain.
Barfield was chair of the local Sarasota Legal Panel although he is not a lawyer, and his education consists of a GED. He gained legal expertise while in prison (three times), most recently about 15 years ago.
As chair he was choosing cases to pursue that mostly addressed his personal interest and source of income as a self-proclaimed specialist in public records.
Barfield does business with many of the volunteer attorneys on the ACLU FL Legal Panel, who pay him for both public records requests and paralegal services.
In Sarasota specifically there were issues of Barfield being paid large paralegal research fees from case settlement before fees were split between chapter and ACLU FL state affiliate.
Although Barfield claims that he donated fees back to the ACLU FL, there is no evidence that this is true (a simple review of donor records could confirm that). Thus, Barfield was profiting financially from his ACLU involvement
The newer members examined the practices of the chapter board, including those of the Panel.
The previous chapter volunteers consisted primarily of retirees who did not object. However, newer attorneys now on the chapter board objected to that practice as they believed conflicts of interest occurred and that their own FL Bar membership could be in jeopardy.
There was also a blurring of the delineation between Barfield's ACLU work and his personal work in which he mainly collects fees when organizations refuse public records requests.
Thus, after deliberating for six months, the local chapter ultimately dissolved the local legal panel to prevent further violations, and so eliminated Barfield's position as Legal Panel chair. These chapter board decisions are reflected in meeting minutes.
Although Barfield maintains a civil demeanor in public settings, since the dissolving of the local Sarasota Legal Panel, he has put in an extreme effort in to bullying and retaliating against the newer chapter leadership, with harassing emails sent mostly to female members who simply sought to maintain ethical practices in accordance with typical non-profit rules and policies.
We have discussed the many incidents in which Barfield either acted alone or through a third party to bully and intimidate, and often lies, about females who only sought to contribute to the organization. The chapters that have been the target of state corrective action all had female presidents.
In a conversation with other affiliate members, we came up with this list:
• Tallahassee chapter disbanded President Lisa.
• State board member Tracey resigned after a state conversation on Title 9 – she was appalled by the misogynistic comments.
• Treasure Coast chapter disbanded President Veverly.
• State board member Andrea resigned saying that the organization was not welcoming to women of color.
• Orlando-Central chapter disbanded President Cassandra.
• When discussing closing of Central chapter at state board 9/12/2020, 2 females testified to state board that they were bullied by Michael via phone.
• Broward chapter he personally insisted President Saima resigns.
• State legal panel Sumaya; Michael insisted she resign; then claimed she quit.
• State board removed Susan Nilon from committee chair; encouraged Pete to file grievance against her.
• Nom Com state board forced a meeting without the chair Jennifer; encouraged George to file grievance against her.
• Sarasota chapter Interim President Moira attacked with a slew of harassing emails and was not allowed to speak in a discussion on 529 at the state level 12/5/2020.
All these females share characteristics in that they are of a younger generation and are professional women who are outspoken and assertive.
In this list there are four African American women, two Muslim American women, and six white women most who are Gen X or younger.
Nine of the twelve were on the state board of 36 people.
Thus, 25% of the state board departed partially based on hostile environment for women and especially women of color. A tenth state board member, a Hispanic female attorney, resigned from the state board just last week without giving a reason. During Barfield's tenure as state president, not one chapter with a male president has been sanctioned or disbanded.
There have never been so many grievances as during Barfield's tenure as state board president.
Just as he hounds government officials for public records for financial gain, Barfield encourages dissent and filing of grievances between the organization’s internal actors through gossipy one on one phone campaigns.
There is no evidence any of Barfield actions are in the interest of the ACLU, but instead seems to be targeted toward anyone who questions Barfield's actions.
Interestingly, Barfield even disbanded the previous ACLU FL grievance committee (GC) fall 2020 when they did not make decisions to Barfield's liking, which included a grievance against the individual who filed a complaint against him. He then installed some loyalist state board members of the old guard into the positions on the GC.
We are requesting that the ACLU Complaint procedures be followed according to official policy. We are requesting that Barfield be subject to corrective action, including possible national intervention and supervision.
All conflicts of interest must be disclosed and monitored.
Barfield should not be permitted to send any email correspondence or to call any state board or chapter member without a third-party copied or present, and phone records should be monitored.
Barfield should complete mandated education on institutional racism, sexism-misogyny, and in creating a diverse and inclusive environment.
Barfield should cease and desist from any further communications that could be construed as retaliation, bullying harassment, disruption to chapter functioning, targeting of females, and/or encouraging the frivolous filing of grievances, including enlisting others to assist him in efforts that are counter-productive to the goals of the organization.
Using the state board grievance process frivolously.
There have never been so many grievances as during Barfield's tenure as state board president.
Just as Barfield hounds government officials for public records for financial gain, Barfield encourages dissent and filing of grievances between the organization’s internal actors through gossipy one on one phone campaigns.
There is no evidence any of his actions are in the interest of the ACLU, but instead seem to be targeted toward anyone who questions Barfield's actions.
Interestingly, Barfield even disbanded the previous ACLU FL grievance committee (GC) fall 2020 when they did not make decisions to Barfield's liking, which included a grievance against the individual who filed a complaint against Barfield.
Barfield then installed some loyalist state board members of the old guard into the positions on the GC.
We have attempted to discuss these issues in multiple venues for two years before ultimately deciding we need outside assistance. We have brought up issues internally to no avail.
Although we are still members of the ACLU, we have resigned from any leadership positions so as not to be subject to furtherabuse. The ACLU in general should carefully consider the long-term effect on the larger membership and potential donors in general.
Every person who experiences the bullying and who then resigns spreads negative information. Retaliation At every turn Barfield has sought to punish and retaliate against those individuals in chapter leadership who cast him out as Legal Panel chair.
Barfield has enlisted support and acted as a proxy through unwitting third parties such as previous Sarasota chapter president Pete Tannen, state board members Jeanne Baker and George Griffin, and anyone else who would listen to how he has been wronged.
Barfield encouraged Tannen to file a grievance against past chapter president Susan Nilon, and he then removed her from a state board committee chair position without cause (in his position as State Board President).
Barfield had Jeanne Baker make a series of phone calls questioning the events in Sarasota in fall 2018.
Next, Barfield much later tried to remove Larry Eger from the Sarasota chapter board claiming he was ineligible according to policy 529. Eger was running for a (non-partisan) elected Public Defender position and he had already been a member of the chapter leadership for several years.
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