Debra Brown Gets Her Comeuppance

I've been a registered Republican for most of my life, but something has occurred in Texas that has caused me to think about switching parties.

While I was following the stories about the FLDS trials, I learned that Debra Brown, the executive director of the Children's Advocacy Center in Tom Green County, took a trip to Colorado City, Utah with several ladies from CASA. Photos of Debra and her girl friends with a private detective named Sam Brower were displayed on Bill Medvecky's blog. It is my understanding that Mr. Brower was teaching the women about Warren Jeffs and the FLDS. The Yearning for Zion Ranch is located near San Angelo, but I don't think any of the FLDS children were in protective custody at that time.

But Debra Brown's affiliation with the antipolygamy movement is not what caused me to consider changing political parties.

The Children's Advocacy Center is a nonprofit organization that provides services to abused and neglected children in Tom Green County. Four programs -- Court Appointed Special Advocates, Hope House, Family Enrichment Services and Child Fatality Review Team -- are run by the CAC.

The CAC first placed its former executive director on administrative in February 2011 after Mrs. Brown was unable to explain several expenditures. She resigned shortly thereafter. The CAC hired an independent accounting firm to conduct a forensic audit. The FBI and the Texas Rangers conducted a fraud investigation. In September 2011, the veteran child advocate was indicted on six counts of theft from programs that receive federal funds in a Lubbock federal court. According to the federal indictment, Mrs. Brown “embezzled, stole or obtained by fraud” approximately $237,013 from January 2005 through Dec. 31, 2010.

The public does not know how much money Mrs. Brown actually misappropriated because the forensic audit and investigation only covered the last four years she worked at the CAC. Debra Brown served as the CAC's executive director for 17 years.

On January 26, 2012, Mrs. Brown pled guilty to one count of theft.

On June 19, 2012, Mrs. Brown was sentenced to four years in federal prison. She was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and nearly $325,000 to the CAC.

What has caused me to think about changing political parties is the fact Mrs. Brown was married to County Judge Mike Brown for 29 years. Mike Brown was the Republican candidate for County Judge and has been the County Judge since 1995. He has indicated that he plans to complete his term.

Judge Brown filed for divorce the day after Debra was indicted. Their divorce became final in December 2012. I think Judge Brown had a valid reason to divorce his wife, but I'm troubled by his claims that he was unaware of an increase in his household's income as a result of his former wife's crimes. I'm also concerned that monies his former wife embezzled may have been comingled with their community property.

This case has caused me to question if Republican candidates and their spouses are as honest, moral and trustworthy as they should be. Especially those from Texas. I'm not sure I will be able to continue to support the Republican party if its candidates and their spouses don't clean up their acts.

I'm also in favor of reducing federal funds for CASA, CPS and organizations like the Children's Advocacy Center because this case proves that those monies are not going to help abused and/or neglected children.

*Information for this article was taken from the San Angelo Standard Times.


.

Why I Defended the FLDS

Call me crazy. Call me weird. But I'm an FLDS defender.

That's right. After the raid on the Yearning for Zion Ranch on April 3, 2008, I followed the story of Warren Jeffs and the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. During online discussions, I voiced my disapproval about how the raid was carried out. I also defended the women and children who lived on the YFZ Ranch.

Why? I'm the daughter of a WWII veteran. From the time I was a young girl, my parents taught me that it is morally wrong to mistreat a religious, racial or ethnic group. My parents were disgusted by the way that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis mistreated Jews, Gypsies, gays, the mentally ill, the disabled, etc. during WWII. Their generation worked together to stop Hitler and end the Holocaust. My parents, who were of German descent, said that Hitler had brought shame to Germany. Dad was quick to point out that Adolf Hitler was not a German -- he was an Austrian. My parents also taught me that we must work together to prevent genocide in the future.

I'm not advocating polygamy -- I'm advocating tolerance!

I'm following my parents' good example by speaking up for Mormon Fundamentalists, the Roma (Gypsies), and other oppressed minorities. It's wrong to discriminate against people because of their religion or traditional lifestyle. We should be embracing diversity, not promoting hatred or intolerance.

The United Nations considers transferring children from one group (i.e. Mormon Fundamentalist) to another group (i.e. Baptist) to be a form of genocide. Genocide is against the rules of the Geneva Convention. Genocide is against international law. How can we teach other countries that genocide is morally wrong if we allow it to take place within our own boundaries?

I also believe that women should help women. I don't believe that a woman should lose custody of her children because of her religion. Yes, I know that the LDS church and the FLDS sect are two separate and distinct churches. Yes, I know that the FLDS is a Mormon Fundamentalist sect that still practices polygamy. Yes, I know that many people believe that polygamy is harmful to women and children. However, if an adult woman wants to be a plural wife for religious purposes, I feel that is her personal, private business. I don't feel compelled to "rescue" her. Our government should butt out.

If a person wants to leave the FLDS sect, I certainly wouldn't try to stop him/her. I'm acquainted with several former members of the FLDS sect. I like them. They are good people. But I don't think our government should force people to leave a religion, a church, or a sect against their will. I don't have an issue with people leaving the FLDS, but I think they should do so on their own volition. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of religion to all Americans.

Finally, I think it is wrong to say that "Everyone who belongs to a certain religious, racial, or ethnic group is a ________." (Fill in the blank with derogatory word of your choice.) That's stereotyping. I was taught in junior high that stereotyping is wrong. People are individuals. I believe that there are good and bad in every race, religion and ethnic group. If you're lumping people into groups and saying that everyone who belongs to a certain group is "a bad person," maybe the problem isn't them. Maybe it's you.