I have done my best to keep all of you wonderful readers up to date on the happenings between Bank of America and Action Now's board member Marsha Godard. Two recommended diaries later we have BofA's response. They call into question Marsha's integrity and her entire side of the ordeal.
I have also been writing about it on my own site where the Political is Personal.
Action Now continued their call for people to close their accounts with Bank of America over the weekend.
Last week I wrote about Marsha Godard's side of the incident. Bank of America finally responded to some of my questions and it only leads to a single conclusion - one side is lying.
Prior to being arrested Godard claimed she entered the headquarters and asked to speak with someone in charge of the foreclosed lots. She said she was a customer and entered the building alone. She did not seek nor create a confrontation and was never asked to leave the building. BofA claims otherwise:
On Tuesday, Ms. Goddard was inside our banking center and creating a disruption. The Chicago Police made the decision to arrest her only after she had been asked at least three times to leave the building and continue her demonstration outside.
Someone is lying.
Ms. Godard said she was unable to deliver the list of properties. BofA says they did accept them:
Contrary to claims by Ms. Goddard and Action Now that have been picked up in published reports, a bank representative did accept a list of vacant properties once all demonstrators were outside, and the bank will review the list to determine property ownership and responsibility.
"Once all demonstrators were outside" is the key part of that statement. Ms. Godard was the only one who entered the building and she only left after she was arrested. The list was "accepted" when an employee must have picked it up after the CPD left with Marsha in handcuffs. In a follow up conversation with Ms. Godard she maintained that she was never asked to leave and merely waiting for assistance. If any commotion was happening it was outside with Action Now peacefully gathering on the sidewalk.
The following day Ms. Godard was threatened with arrest if she tried to enter the Bank of America facility in an attempt to close her account. BofA said the following:
While leading a second demonstration on Wednesday, Ms. Goddard asked to go into the banking center as a customer to conduct personal business. Again, in the interest of security, safety and service to other customers, the bank treats any customer involved in an active demonstration as a demonstrator for the duration of the incident. Although she would not be allowed in the banking center during the demonstration, a Bank of America representative courteously invited Ms. Goddard to accompany her from the demonstration site to another banking center less than two blocks away, where she would be able to conduct her business as a customer, not a protestor; or to call to arrange an appointment at another time. Ms. Goddard declined the offer.
Ms. Godard was adamant she was never offered the appointment nor the accompaniment to another banking center. I tried to speak with Patricia Holden -the local BofA executive- about the incident but was referred to a media relations person instead. Thus BofA's statements are taken secondhand, at best.
Bank of America stops short of calling Action Now's board member a liar but they do spell her name incorrectly over and over again. The lack of respect that shows is more than a mere oversight but a slight of hand showing they really do not care.
I am still awaiting more information from Bank of America pertaining to the charges of criminal trespassing against Ms. Godard. Her court date is set for September 22nd.