• Originally published September 1, 2010 at 4:55 p.m., updated September 1, 2010 at 4:55 p.m.

Dear Editor

I read your Joyce Black and Mayor Mark Bricker stories on Sunday and I am disgusted at how corrupt the workings if this town’s government has become. I have lived here more than 75 years and this is the worst behavior I have ever seen from elected officials.

It is stated in your Joyce Black article that she was indicted and arrested for theft. It is strange that you did not state what she is supposed to have stolen and from whom. The article also failed to mention the fact the Indictment was sealed. They did not want her to know they had sneaked around and files phony charges. The reason why Lt. Andrew Lewis said he could not release any further information about the case is because there is not one word of Truth or facts to prove these "Phony Charges". They are made up by alcoholic/illegal drug user addict son, Thurman Gardner.

Shame on DA Steve Reiss and the Bay City Police Department for getting involved with doing the "Dirty Work" for former Mayor Richard Knapik, Clark Young, Jerry Naiser, and JP Susan Thompson. Since this group could not silence Joyce Black's voice any other way, they are trying to Dirty up her name to keep her from assisting Bay City workers with their Federal Case.

DA Steve Reiss has been angry with her ever since he was sent a file from the Attorney General's office relating to Bay City's woes of "Misappropriations of Taxpayer Funds/Credit Card Abuse and etc., (which had been submitted by Joyce Black by way of resources from a Congressman's office.) Seemingly, Mr Reiss became angered because her action taken to bypass him with the information made him look less than capable to handle the matter in the eyes of the Attorney Generals office. A similar situation occurred when Steve Reiss forwarded the file over to Range Maxwell to investigate the matter. Sandra and Barney Mason made a request to Ranger Antonio Leal (Maxwell's Boss) to remove Maxwell and provide a replacement Ranger to handle the inquiry; this is when Ranger Crayton McGee was assigned to the case.

Know these facts, Joyce Black spent many days trying to get assistance from Chief Roger Barker, Lt. Andrew Lewis, MCSD officers and Prosperity Bank officials in trying to stop my son/Thurman Gardner from burning up more than 100 thousand dollars of your "Taxpayer's VA Dollars" on/with dope dealers, prostitutes, and crooked Bay City officials during a 4 month period, last year. I am told he doled out as much as 12 thousand dollars in 1 day to drug dealers and other illegal activities and not less than 1 thousand every other day.

instead of arresting him for selling illegal drugs, driving drunk on City streets without a license and other crimes too many to mention, Knapik and gang allowed him to remain free to terrorize other motorist on the streets and pollute the community with more drugs while they were busy working at finding a phony trumped-up charge to file against Joyce. Ironically they settled on "theft charges" (as these are the same charges levied against Bay City officials) in order to smear the name of Joyce Black. Thurman is intoxicated or high on illegal drugs 99.9 percent of the time. The word is, City officials made a deal with him to tell a lie about Joyce taking monies from him so as to shut down her work as an activist. Many others as well as I know for a fact she "never" took $1 from Thurman because she has been his secondary financial support for more than 40 years.

It is beyond sickening that DA Steve Reiss, Texas Ranger Maxwell and other officers of the Law Enforcement are parties to these outrageous efforts. These are facts to which I have first hand knowledge as I was listening and watching her efforts to desperately seek help from the fore mentioned named sources.

I am proud of the work my daughter Joyce has done in helping countless numbers of people who come to her for assistance with their workplace or Civil Rights issues. I am just as proud that she has established good relationships with various FBI agents across this nation. The kind of people whom I am certain will come to this town and clean it up. Therefore, we the residents of Bay City can get to the bottom and eliminate all of the stench. Joyce's reputation will out stand these shameful efforts put forth by Knapik, Young, Reis, Maxwell and all the rest.

As far as what the four City Councilmen are trying to do by taking away Mayor Bricker's power to hire and fire department heads, this community should organize a voting process to oust each person who supports this ridiculous unlawful action.

China M. Thompson

Bay City

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