I do not cry for Mike, but if DeSantis did it once he could do it again.

There are a few DZ's in his state that have came out and said they will not be filing incident reports for anything less then a fatality now since they don't want a whole list of things being used against them in the future. Have a jumper break a leg and you file an incident report on it, then later have the USPA turn that over to someone sueing you to prove that your operation is unsafe since there were injuries there in the past? No wonder the number of incident reports for nonfatalities has decreased while injuries have increased in the last 5 years.

The bottom line in all this is WE the Members of the USPA got sued by Michael Hawkes because JOHN DeSANTIS acted outside the RULES of OUR association.

Do you know what, if any reports or documents were released to whom. If you can't answer the question just say so.

In other words, since we don't really know what docs were sent around, or how DeSantis came to have them, it would be interesting to discover that before passing judgment on him.

Boy...that was a while ago I thought!

I don't remember the exact details...and it's not my place
to infer anything.

John has always been an up front, straight forward guy,
with the organizations best interest at heart.

Same as Gary Peek...


As I recall...

John was acting not as a member of the board
out to hurt a DZO,
but somewhat as a 'private' business person.

The materials were of the nature of records, that
could have been procured through legal channels,
but that formality was circumvented because of
his relationship in the organization.

The slap on the wrist so to speak...
Is about HOW not WHAT happened.

At least that's how I remember it went...
I could be wrong.

(not a direct reply to anyone...)

What if DeSantis was "whistleblowing"? Often, whistleblowers must operate outside the boundaries set by their company/union/fraternity/whatever to get things handled. Often, a beaurocracy has rules in place to protect themselves, and if those rules prevent the whistleblower from blowing the whistle, then shouldn't those rules be re-evaluated and re-determined?

Is the seemingly "light" reprimand of John D an idication that the executive board would have approved of the release anyway?

That's kind of the way I interpreted the whole thing.

Since it wasn't done the long slow legal way,
and there wasn't a record of 'discovery' or whatever..

The DZ that was being sued over an injury / liability issue,
was somewhat blind sided in court because the plaintiff
had better records in regard to his operational history
than he did.

In other words, since we don't really know what docs were sent around, or how DeSantis came to have them, it would be interesting to discover that before passing judgment on him.

First off it shouldn't matter what documents were release, the facts are DESANTIS released them against in rules of the USPA.

Desantis gave the incident report to the plantiffs attorney. After 30 days he was suppose to destroy his copy. He purposely did not comply. I'm pissed!

Check out the BOD minutes for the meeting he was slapped him on the wrist.

Since you have no problem with Desantis and his actions, YOU can pay the legal bill. I will expect my check in the mail!

Judy

Desantis gave the incident report to the plantiffs attorney. After 30 days he was suppose to destroy his copy

Well I am not Upset that the USPA defended him. I AM upset he was not removed for a clear violation of his job duties for a personal grudge.

Do You know this to be fact or what you have heard. If you know it to be fact would you name the source. Thank you for the information.

Former USPA Regional and National Director Ray Ferrell for one. Several others in the "know" as well.

Do you consider Ray to be unbiased when it comes to Hawkes and DeSanitis?

Second, as members of USPA we will all pay the legal bill, this one and any other that comes along. We also pay for the insurance that will come this bill. It is a standard practice in business to insure officers against suit.

Former USPA Regional and National Director Ray Ferrell for one. Several others in the "know" as well.

Have you?

>Have you ever talked to John D about it to get his side of the story?

Have you?

Yes I have, on several occasions. I am aware of all the documents involved and how they came to be in John's possession.

Then why do you keep asking if we know which documents. You made it appear that you didn't know which documents we are all referring to and that we are all just making this up.

The fact still remains that he violated the trust of the members by doing what he did. His actions cost me money as a member of the USPA. I would have much rather seen that money spent on something productive and useful to skydiving instead of his ego. He does not have my best interest as a skydiver at heart.

Judy