Black Agents of the Secret Service Demand Attention to Still-Unaddressed Class Action Discrimination Suit Filed in 2000

Business Wire, Oct 22, 2004

WASHINGTON -- Representatives of the Black Secret Service Agents (BASS) today instructed their attorneys to file a Writ of Mandamus in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, compelling the court to expedite their class action race discrimination suit filed in 2000.

BASS representatives allege that in the last four years, the Bush Administration and the Secret Service have used the judicial process to prevent a discussion of this case on its merits, citing the lack of progress in the case. A single witness has not been called, nor has a single document been produced.

"The refusal to address the merits of the Black Agents' case is shameful," said Special Agent Reginald G. Moore, BASS, Inc. president. "It is particularly disappointing that nothing was done after Representative J.C. Watts arranged a meeting with White House Associate Counsel Stuart Bowen and the class representatives to discuss the case. This is not a situation where the White House is unaware of the issues, nor could they be after the appearance of several front-page stories on the gross mismanagement and racial discrimination in the Secret Service."

Former Special Agent Cheryl Tyler agreed.

"We have no choice but to take this extreme step. We have been waiting patiently for years. Justice delayed is justice denied."

Special Agent Moore also has corresponded directly with Bush-appointed Secret Service Director Ralph Basham in an attempt to resolve the case. Basham, however, refused to discuss the case, instead referring Moore's letter to John Ashcroft's U.S. Department of Justice.

"We take this unusual step today because we cannot take four more years of denial and delay," Moore continued. "Every day that passes, we lose witnesses and evidence. The Secret Service 'accidentally' fails to retain relevant documents. For the future of the Secret Service, we must have a hearing on the merits of more than 20 years of racial discrimination and a remedy that dissolves the 'Good Ol' Boy' network, which has worked so often to disadvantage black agents."

About the Class Action Lawsuit

The lawsuit (Moore et al. v. Ridge, No. cv00953), filed on May 3, 2000, alleges that the Secret Service has discriminated against African-American special agents in selections for competitive promotions, performance evaluations, transfers, assignments, other career-enhancing opportunities, awards and bonuses, assignments to undercover work, hiring practices, testing, discipline and other terms and conditions of employment. It also alleges that the Secret Service created and maintained a hostile work environment and retaliated against agents who reported discrimination. BASS is the nonprofit organization organized to represent the interests of the Black Special Agents of the Secret Service. They have retained David J. Shaffer and Ronald A. Schmidt of the Washington, D.C. office of Garvey Schubert Barer to represent the agents' interests in this matter.