RAMSEY: Rethink funding for MADD support, citing "irresponsible behavior."
A Mothers Against Drunk Driving group recognized as the organization's chapter
of the year in 2002 has raised the ire of the Anderson County district attorney
general.
Jim Ramsey said the chapter's president, Susan Ford, has engaged in "reckless
and irresponsible behavior" and "vigilantism."
Ramsey said the MADD chapter caused a two-vehicle accident June 28 with a fund-raising
roadblock, and had previously interfered in ongoing criminal cases.
"This MADD group, they're into the business of publicity stunts," Ramsey told local media.
"RID (Remove Intoxicated Drivers) and MADD have the same inspiration but RID has rules of propriety and does not inject itself into pending cases like MADD does," Ramsey said to The Oak Ridger Friday. "The local chapter of MADD has proven itself reckless with the facts and prone to perform one-time publicity stunts on an opportunistic basis of expediency, while RID has long-term policies which contribute to the general welfare and safety of the community, such as a regular CourtWatch program staffed with trained volunteers and issuing regular progress reports that are communicated to the public (and to this office), and other educational and legislative efforts - all within guidelines consistent with standard rules of professionalism."
Ford, head of the Anderson County MADD chapter, said she is baffled by Ramsey's criticisms and opposition to the chapter's efforts, she said local media.
"We are within the policies and guidelines of MADD," said Ford. "We feel like we have community support, and we are achieving the goals within our mission.
"He (Ramsey) has never been supportive of our presence in the community, and I'm unsure why," she said.
Ramsey wrote to MADD's national headquarters in 2001, criticizing Ford. On Thursday, he sent another letter to the headquarters and to Anderson County commissioners about the June 28 accident.
"It's very ironic that MADD, whose goal is to prevent crashes, is itself the cause of the crash," he said. "I think it's a public safety issue."
Highway Patrol Trooper Kelly Smith reported that MADD representatives had set up traffic cones in the road while they solicited donations from motorists traveling on state Highway 62. The drivers of the vehicles involved in the crash told Smith that the cones were confusing and the MADD representatives were obstructing the road. Ford was one of those representatives.
Ramsey in a letter to Anderson County Executive Rex Lynch and Anderson County Commissioners that the MADD fund-raising roadblock was the cause of the crash. He wrote that he wanted commissioners to be aware of the issue because commissioners had "chosen to fund MADD."
"You may want to condition your financial grants in the future on responsible behavior by the recipients," Ramsey wrote to commissioners.
Ramsey said Friday that MADD claims to "represent" particular persons they identify as "victims," whether or not the police investigation confirms that as a fact - it is a "passionate," rather than a rational approach, tailored to fit their emotional theme.
"We as responsible public officials cannot allow ourselves to be complicit in such unprofessional conduct; we are required to be objective and to adhere to the law," he said. "This is not to say that criticism of the police or the prosecution is inappropriate. RID rips us regularly, but appropriately and with due consideration of the law and the facts when a case is no longer subject to improper influence by inflammatory pretrial publicity."
He said MADD had in the past initiated "unprofessional police ride-along busts" and has criticized General Sessions Court judges for not using certain stylized evidence MADD deemed applicable.