I’ve been aware of an ongoing, escalating situation in Dakota County, Minnesota, involving a jailed mother facing multiple felony charges, a no doubt jubilant father undergoing reunification with his runaway teenaged daughters, three (male) journalists who helped keep the police on-target, and pending felony charges for three others (one-and-a-half married couples) who allegedly helped with parental interference resulting from a custody order issued in the family court.
This mother of five became a fugitive long before she was accused of felony parental interference. See news reports (some, below), and footnote, a 3/14/2013 post from the blog Carver County Corruption at the bottom of this post. The post dates to about a month before the girls ran away. It names involved professionals, but to those who pay attention, it also shows involved systems (such as child support) and the existence of family wealth as an incentive to “churn the case.”
Update to this post: The 3/14/2013 post remains as footnote at the bottom, but I have removed my extended “dissertation” section on both Paul Reitman (showing other publications, persuasions, affiliations) and on the “NCJFCJ” which the comment mentioned, along with the NCJFCJ [National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges — a private, nonstock, nonprofit organization based out of University of Nevada-Reno, and one which you should learn about, and about which I have learned (a lot) and have a lot to say….] “family-serving” agencies systems-change “Greenbook” (1999 publication) and “The Greenbook Initiative” (eight-year pilot-demo-evaluation project involving NCJFCJ and historic friends among the domestic violence “industry” (I call it “cartel” — and I’m a survivor too, but the term seems to apply). This planned removal shortens the post by about one-third. The removed material has already been published Feb. 25, 2016 under “What does Custody-Switching REALLY have to do with Unsound Psychological Theory? (Not much, actually)”
I want to call attention to what this, including this case, means for women (particularly mothers) and will continue to mean regardless of who (Democrat or Republican) is elected next President of the USA.
I want to talk about the off-stage actors, the executive producers, involved in any and all custody disputes in America. I want to talk about the behind-the-curtain scripts which are running along the same lines throughout the country.
A business model is a business model. Jailed mothers, righteously-indignant fathers supported by journalists, and runaway/reunified teenagers is not about law, justice, or representative government gone awry, gone “rogue.” It’s about the same government having been outsourced and outflanked by the for-profit/not-for-profit [tax-exempt, privately controlled] corporate wealth working through (and with) public institutions. It’s also about what happens when the population goes to sleep on the above; on public/private coordinated operations which cross multiple jurisdictions.
Did I mention, it’s about moving the money, local, intermediate, inter/national?
This case, and that it’s possible in this country, is a power-play by those involved, which always comes with a “spin” to justify the excess force inflicted. These outrageous custody cases, decade after decade, are therefore predictable outcomes of the larger business model in place, particularly but not only in the family court venues.
Disclaimers, and my interest: I am not an involved party, have not personally met any of the involved parties (I live in California, they’re in Minnesota) but I have had extended ongoing phone or email contact (no personal) and occasional with some of those involved, though not recently, prior to the discovery of the runaway children this past season. My contact resulted originally from submitting comments over time on one of the related blogs. So I am vicariously aware of the situation over time.
I am hardly the best, or most immediate source of information on this case, but I do empathize as a mother with the gauntlets to be run, and I (particularly through this blog) am a good source of alternate information on the model court systems being set up to facilitate these fiascoes. I also do not know anyone else who has focused on specific organizations based in Minnesota influencing the handling of domestic violence case, influencing custody-decision-making, and training judges and lawyers how to view custody disputes when domestic violence has occurred, other than those organizations themselves, who continue to promote their nationalized model decision-making processes.
I am outraged that this 50-year-old woman has been jailed; at the efforts spent to hunt her down, and the attacks in this case on anyone who even THINKS about aiding or abetting an individual who doesn’t side with Dad after the court-appointed psychologists and judge have already concluded that abuse didn’t occur, and the young ones were brainwashed when they show signs of independence from court-orders. I do not endorse dropping children off in the care of people not their parents or legal guardian (which happened here) — but fact is, good choices are often not even on the table these days.
When the family code, courts, and powerful personnel in and around them are able to basically alter the penal code, and start declaring “relationship” crimes greater than crimes against the person* or property (*which assault and battery against a spouse is), this leads to confusion in general about right vs. wrong, not a good state of affairs for any society. Confused populations are easier to manipulate, and, as I have continued to learn by studying the trade associations and institutes, societies, etc., involved, the professions specializing in persuasion, behavioral modification, and re-framing of individual, and public perception of reality, have been main-lined onto the public, at its own expense, through public institutions starting approximately 100 years ago, and increasingly expedited and institutionalized, about 50 years ago (1950s, 1960s forward).
Confusion disables dissent — or directs it in predetermined (for those promoting the original confusion) profitable or favorable directions. I will explain more in a subsequent post, but here are three links:
One more reference — when Scientology is adopting “confusion to induce hypnosis/suggestible state” techniques from renowned psychotherapist Milton H. Erikson.** I’ve mentioned this on the blog before. The reference is from a blogger who reports extensively on Scientology (Lermanet.com):
- Coercive persuasion is antithetical to the First Amendment. It contains aspects which could be interpreted as constituting the illegal acts of fraud, false imprisonment, coercion, undue influence, involuntary servitude, intentional infliction of emotional distress, outrageous conduct, and other tortuous acts
**My mistake — I checked. Milton H. Erickson is named as a psychologist and psychiatrist, not ‘psychotherapist.’ However, he is linked with the history of hypnosis as therapy…. Notice in the description of how focused on him as a person his therapy was (characteristic of the field, in my opinion. There are always, it seems gurus, heroes, founding fathers of the “psych-” fields, either worshipped or attacked by the followers, making those who attack “heretics.”)
Milton H. Erickson
Just as it’s possible to talk about hypnosis before and after James Braid, so it’s possible to talk about hypnosis before and after Erickson. His influence is enormous – the vast majority of hypnotists or hypnotherapists practising today will use some form of Ericksonian approach. In a very real sense, he remade hypnosis in his own image.
Milton H. Erickson (1901-1980) graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1928, with an MA in psychology and an MD, and went on to hold senior psychiatric posts in hospitals across the US. His medical career culminated in an appointment as Clinical Director of the Arizona State Hospital in 1948, from which he retired a year later to concentrate on teaching, writing and private practice. He was also an associate editor for the journal Diseases Of The Nervous System, a consultant to the US Olympic Rifle Team, and a consultant to the US government during WWII, studying the psychology of the enemy and the effects of propaganda.
Erickson’s relationship with hypnosis was a very personal one. He first encountered it as a way of overcoming his physical limitations. Later, as Director of Psychiatric Research and Training at the Wayne County Hospital in Michigan, he conducted many experiments on hypnotic phenomena, such as hypnotically induced deafness and colour blindness. Above all, his interest was in the therapeutic value of hypnosis, and to this end, he adopted a unique approach. So unique, in fact, that it could be said that true Ericksonian therapy died with Erickson.
Website for The Milton H. Erickson Foundation (has a facelift since I first posted on it) shows a good likelihood that a family couples therapist might be skilled or trained in “clinical hypnosis” and that this prolific individual was central in supporting it over his lifetime:
…Despite almost constant, intense physical pain and the progressive loss of mobility which lead to confinement to a wheelchair in his later years, Dr. Erickson was prodigiously active.
In 1957, he and a number of colleagues founded the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis and Dr. Erickson served as the Inaugural President. He also established the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis and served as editor for 10 years. During the 1950s and ’60s, Dr. Erickson published copiously, traveled and lectured extensively, both domestically and abroad, continued to conduct research, and was in high demand as a practicing psychiatrist. In the 1970s, restricted to his home by his physical condition, Dr. Erickson still conducted teaching seminars for professionals on an almost daily basis and continued seeing some patients. When he died on March 25th, 1980, at the age of 78, his seminars were booked through the end of that year and requests exceeded another year’s scheduling. Dr. Erickson left a written legacy of more than 140 scholarly articles and five books on hypnosis which he co-authored. …
Dr. Erickson revolutionized the practice of hypnotherapy by coalescing numerous original concepts and patterns of communication into the field. …The novel psychotherapeutic strategies which Dr. Erickson employed in his treatment of individuals, couples, and families derived from his hypnotic orientation. Atlhough he was known as the world’s leading hypnotherapist, Dr. Erickson used formal hypnosis in only one-fifth of his cases in clinical practice.
Dr. Erickson affected a fundamental shift in modern psychotherapy. Many elements of the Ericksonian perspective which were once considered extreme are now incorporated into the mainstream of contemporary practice.
(see “Store” — “Pioneers of Psychotherapy” DVD series being sold, $59/each. I’ve set it to the page include John and Julie d, names I recognized from researching healthy marriage/responsible fatherhood HHS grantees…). Would love to say more, but not on this post focused on Minnesota. “tba….” “You have NO idea” how closely this is entwined with the HHS-funded marriage-fatherhood programming….)
The history and development of these professions is documented, and can be studied — it’s fascinating, and illuminating. You’d be amazed how much overall government policy today (especially in the social services) tracks right back to devoted fans (or foes) of Sigmund Freud, William James, and/or G. Stanley Hall.
When any individual or group is dealing with people able to inflict violence through excess force against them or an immediate family member (or even neighbor) AND one or more of the opposing parties is more skilled at the art of distraction and deception (including through inflicting repeated events triggering trauma), than the target person/population is at identifying it, that target person/population IS subject to coercion and violation of basic human rights.
Excess force used against targeted individuals — such as the jailed mother Sandra Grazzini-Rucki AND her children AND some bystanders who dared to offer refuge — confuses the on-lookers and discourages involvement, leading to their isolation. This country HAS targeted divorced, and particulaly single mothers, as a class through the family court system, and federal programming — resulting sometimes in not just one, but two generations of, literally, fugitives.
List of MN counties from MN.gov. Map, from “quickfacts.census.gov” Dakota County is in the Twin Cities / Minneapolis-St. Paul area…with Carver County just west, also nearby… (see red font on image, or click census link for clearer view).
Unless there is a major consciousness-raising and widespread diligent, detailed self-education on ongoing shift of government operations — including justice and the courts — into private hands, as coordinated and centrally planned BY private hands, for private profit — this is looking to be the new “normal.”
Over the next few posts, I’ll be showing and telling about some of this as it pertains to court-connected “systems change”organizations with the word “National” in their name, taking both public and private dollars, but already operating international. And, tax-exempt. Some of these posts may be intertwined with personnel from this case — but the behavior of the professionals, and the types of professionals involved, could easily be taken from other cases across the country
The most “convoluted” writing may come from my posting, then commenting, on published articles on the case. When it gets to showing the organizations, it will probably read more consistently and be laid out systematically — after all, there is a business model in place here. So, patience please!
“Mother of Runaway Daughters took Lakeville girls to ranch, charges say” Prosecutors accuse Sazndra Grazzini-Rucki of “particular cruelty.” Nov. 24, 2015, Star-Tribune, Brandon Stahl
Four days after two teens ran away from their Lakeville home, their mother and a friend took the girls to a western Minnesota horse ranch and left them there, until they were found two and a half years later, according to amended criminal charges released Monday.
The discovery of Gianna and Samantha Rucki last week led to three additional charges for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki, 50, who was arrested on Oct. 18 and now faces six felony counts of deprivation of parental rights. A search warrant of a St. Cloud home raided last month shows Lakeville police and U.S. marshals worked for months to build a caseagainst Grazzini-Rucki and then track her down to a Florida resort and spa.
This write-up makes it sound like the woman was living the high life having dumped off her kids just so long as their father couldn’t get them. Not exactly, from what I’ve heard, and from some of the court documents in the case… AND NOT EVEN CLOSE. This woman was thrown out of her home under threat of arrest (for what, was unclear), without warning and without cause, after her divorce case was closed. She was forbidden to even let her children know as they were sent off to school, and to take anything with. Her wages were garnished below the ability to survive and a host of court orders attacking her ability to function, to own assets, or even a car apparently were already in effect.
Should Grazzini-Rucki be convicted, the county is seeking an aggravated sentence against her, saying she caused the girls’ father “particular cruelty” for depriving him of the girls for two years. David Rucki has “suffered extreme emotional pain beyond what is normal for this crime,” Assistant Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena wrote in a notice to the court filed last week.
Assistant Dakota County Attorney, Kathryn Keena
No question there has been “particular cruelty” and “extreme emotional pain” was suffered in this case, but in the circumstances, it hardly seems to have started with Sandra. Interesting it was a woman in powerful position emphasizing with the father in this situation; it’s a pattern familiar to women in family court disputes.
(I know little about ADA and so simply looked): Kathren Keena was among five finalists for district judge, First Judicial District, in 2004, as selected by a Commission on Judicial Elections, for the Governor (Pawlenty) to choose from, it gives her background as of that year. From a list of releases at MNHS.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Leslie Kupchella January 14, 2004 (651) 296-0001
COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL SELECTION ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR FIRST JUDICIAL DISTRICT VACANCIES
Saint Paul – The Commission on Judicial Selection today announced five finalists for two First Judicial District trial court bench vacancies.
The first vacancy occurred with the retirement of the Honorable Thomas R. Howe on December 2, 2003. The Supreme Court certified the continuation of this judgeship for Scott County. The second vacancy occurred with the retirement of the Honorable Thomas M. Murphy on January 3, 2004. The Supreme Court certified the continuation of this judgeship for Dakota County.
The finalists are Michael A. Fahey, Diane M. Hanson, Kathryn M. Keena, Michael J. Mayer and Kathryn Davis Messerich. ….
Keena, of Hastings, has been an assistant Dakota County Attorney since 2000. She was an associate attorney with the Bellingham, Washington law firm of Zender and Thurston from 1997 to 2000, the Lyon County Attorney in Marshall from 1992 to 1997, an assistant Lyon County attorney from 1990 to 1992 and a public defender with the Velde Law Firm in Alexandira from 1989 to 1990. Keena earned her juris doctorate degree from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul in 1989 and her bachelor of arts degree magna cum laude from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, in 1986.
(Continued from “Mother of Runaway Daughters took Lakeville girls to ranch, charges say“, Nov. 2015 article by Brandon Stahl)
Grazzini-Rucki, who is being held in lieu of $1 million bail, did an interview with ABC-TV’s “20/20,” her attorney, Michelle MacDonald, said Monday….
Yes, however nothing about Michelle MacDonald or this case reads even close to normal. From April, 2015, “Above the Law” Lawyer Allegedly Tortured for Doing Her Job.” (as outrageous as this sounds, and I’ve heard more than one side of it — hearsay of course — I question the wisdom of Ms. McDonald’s snapping photographs for a different case in the courtroom while handling anything so weighty as the Grazzini-Rucki case, at this stage in its development. It just wasn’t too bright and, obviously (see link) didn’t turn out too well…)
The girls ran away from their home on April 19, 2013, [[ages 13 & 14, it says ]] amid a bitter custody battle between their parents. Before they disappeared, the teens repeatedly accused their father of abuse, but a court-appointed psychologist concluded that Grazzini-Rucki had brainwashed them. In November 2013, Dakota County Judge David Knutson granted Rucki full custody of his children, saying there was no credible evidence that he abused the girls.
Judge David L Knutson
Notice, someone forgot to name the “court-appointed psychologist.”
Must have been an oversight, as every one else seems to have a name in this story… Anyhow, tell me “so, what else is new?” What do we think court-appointed psychologists are there for to start with (let alone the family courts) other than to claim that abuse did not take place?
Not approving of parental interference, but in general:
The indignant “how DARE you!” attitude shown in the treatment of this situation, and by various reporters, including Brandon Stahl of the Star-Tribune and at least another, locally, rings one big, fat, hypocritical tone in the ears of any woman — and we are MANY — who has never seen prosecutors, or news reporters, give even “the time of day” mention to close, or similar, actions involving their own children, who have never even paused to show indignation at felonies committed (but not prosecuted) upon them or their children, including complete, overnight, cutoff of court-ordered contact.
More, from that same 11/24/2015 article makes it sound as though the real energy behind finding the missing girls was actually a lone reporter, Michael Brodkorb.
From my other “on-the-sideline” private communications, it appears that at least a few (Brodkorb, Brandon Stahl, and Steve Timmer of “Left.mn” blog) were working with each other, and some may have been politically motivated (Left, vs. Right, which Michelle MacDonald as Republican contestant for state supreme court justice represented)… These three were continuing to publicize the situation; see (November 2015), Steve Timmer’s “Dede Evavold? Never heard of her,” written after the girls were found, but linking to some earlier articles, as follows:
Just in case you can’t quite place the name, Dede Evavold was Michelle MacDonald’s campaign manager in her bid for the Minnesota Supreme Court in 2014. MacDonald is Sandra Grazzini-Rucki’s lawyer. …
There has been some kudos voiced for Brandon Stahl and Michael Brodkorb, writing for the Strib, in bringing some needed attention to the case; they certainly did.
I [Steve Timmer] trace the finding of the girls today to one particular story written by Michael Brodkorb (that I commented on here) where he reported that Dale Nathan had told Michael that he had information about the underground railroad that had assisted in spiriting the girls away. Shortly after Michael’s story was published, the police executed a search warrant on Dale Nathan’s apartment.
The information obtained in that search undoubtedly led to Dede Evavold, and on to White Horse Ranch
Meanwhile, last spring (May, 2015), on the side-lines on group-emails, commenting on various blogs, and from out-of-state (last spring), I commented in a group email on the political back-and-forth spin put on this custody case, I continued attempting to talk past party lines about areas of my own concern, including some which had roots in this state. The blog “Red Herring Alert,” supportive of Sam Grazzini-Rucki and with a marked conservative flavor was interested in taking on the progressive “Left.MN”
After looking up who was sponsoring the LEFT.MN blog platform (including some origins in a NY LLC), and realizing that Steve Timmer had demonstrated (elsewhere on his writings) some good investigative skills, on corporate ownership/money trail and otherwise), and on receiving a 5/6/2015 group email all excited that LEFT.MN had noticed Red Herring Alert (as a PAC), (circulating this link http://left.mn/2015/05/michelles-pitch-for-martyrdom/), I wrote:
Why is it so great that LeftMN has noticed the Red Herring blog? “All PR is good PR” works if you have something to sell, or tell. So what’s the real the ground-breaking message here – the courts are really, really bad and not abiding by the law? …..
Why does this, from the group email “sidelines” look like watching some salmon swimming upstream, discussing among themselves “Wow, we got their attention! Great times ahead!“as if they were actually the fly-fishermen on the shores (who actually have bait, hook, rod, reel, and some experience in how to reel ’em in?)
In any situation it’s possible to (eventually) figure out whether you are fishers or the fish.
Unfortunately, LEFT.MN doesn’t do comments fields, it’s a one-way, out-bound platform. So I circulated by email what I’d have told those on the left if those on the right wouldn’t hear for more interest in politics than in identifying and reporting the scope of (bipartisan) money influencing the custody disasters that make the headlines.. All this was, again, last spring..
(Myself, as if to Left.MN): “Gee, where does a public comments field go on such three-fold (Brodkorb, Stahl, Timmer) sport like this? Are you just having fun, or is there interest in output other than on the pro/con side of the MacDonald and Grazzini-Rucki case?
“If you are, I am an (out-of-state, FYI, but aware of what’s been cooking in-state for systems-change organizations in Minnesota, for years). I’m in touch with, if not in complete agreement with, some of the people you are having some fun with here. Believe it or not, they are not all endorsing the martyrdom aspect, I wouldn’t be in touch unless at least one or two were ready to talk technical on specific organizations and associations in Minnesota with an agenda to “transform” the bad, bad courts with their expert insight. ”
(FYI that’s called “Family Court Enhancement Project” it has four major player participants (two are federal agencies, and one a long-established nonprofit — NCFJCJ — and another a NEWLY established (in MN) nonprofit who’s been working the conference circuit for years AS IF they were a legitimate, separate agency, and that’s “BWJP” _- Battered Women’s Justice Project. BWJP spun off of “Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs” in Duluth, which it’s about time some of (y’all) got a grip on and started taking a position (pro/con) on. )
“It didn’t take long to see (I read your [Steve Timmer’s] complaint to the MNGOP, have the same issues with the courtroom photography, and don’t approve of Bible-thumping, or similar grandstanding behavior which doesn’t take into account other, $150M a year, $10M a year, and “interlocking directorate of tax-exempt corporations collaborating)…. “
That last comment (para.) was in regard to events relating to Michelle MacDonald’s trials and tribulations regarding the campaign for supreme court justice. Steve Timmer had written a sensible piece on the Republican Party’s handling of these matters, but those on the “right” who I’d been communicating with weren’t interested in what it signified — but into the sport, the debate, having become a target….gotten some press. He was showing sensible writing — but being on the “wrong” political party, that didn’t matter in the partisan / political dynamics involved.
These are the matters I attempt to speak of with individuals, particularly the “NCJFCJ” — and I have since discovered new, intriguing information about some of its leadership’s private operations — with my first “leads” coming from an older tax return. This information is public-interest, it’s relevant, and it may have more to do than seems immediately obvious to why custody cases NEVER seem to close, and before they do, if one side has access to certain amount of wealth, somehow at least one parent has to be broke, broken, and disgraced / humiliated / discredited in public (especially when such a parent may make a big stink and seek media coverage of their plight). …. And it doesn’t require the rest of us to literally follow the ins and outs of every single crazy case, to see the other data — the systems!
Back to “Mother of Runaway Daughters took Lakeville girls to ranch, charges say“, Nov. 2015 article by Brandon Stahl:
It wasn’t until April 2015 that police got a new lead, when the Star Tribune reported the statements of a self-described witness to the girls’ flight.** Dale Nathan, a longtime critic of family courts and a suspended attorney, said that when Samantha and Gianna ran away, their mother picked them up in her car, and that he drove around with the three of them for two to three hours before he was dropped off.
**Who at the Star Tribune? As this article is itself also in the Star Tribune, why not enclose a link to the article and let the reporter (Brandon Stahl?) take credit for it?
Soon after, Star Tribune blogger Michael Brodkorb started reporting on the case and interviewed Nathan. Brodkorb wrote in a blog post that Nathan had information on his computers about the girls, but would not turn that over the law enforcement.
Homes searched
Police searched Nathan’s home in August, where they say they recovered computers that had about 29,000 e-mails. Among those was a message sent two days after the girls went missing from Dede Evavold, a friend of Grazzini-Rucki’s, according to the search warrant. Attached to those e-mails were two typed letters from the girls, with handwritten notes under the signatures.
Maybe among the 29,000 e-mails, SOME of them relating to this case, they might find the one I sent Mr. Nathan a long time ago, attaching HHS grants to specific domestic violence groups in Minnesota (and as I recall the larger “Futures without Violence” in San Francisco) and asking why there was no significant conversation among the “family court reform groups” on the HHS grants, or the federal incentives to turn a custody case into a years-long personal nightmare once any form of abuse had been identified or alleged?
I have never met any of the individuals named here, but yes, as an observer had some phone and some on-line contact. Mr. Nathan is elderly, and it appears to me he identified closely with the BMCC/CPPA/Barry Goldstein (Mr. Goldstein being another disbarred attorney involved in domestic violence and custody matters along with the “broken courts crowd.” See my last post, June 2014 for more info!).
Moreover, none of the above were about to talk seriously about the role played by organizations such as AFCC, or even the truly unique role Minnesota as a state has played in transforming the family court system, in my opinion, to become increasingly hostile towards women, even as within the same state, a supposedly feminist nonprofit (government-funded) pushes the “liberation of the oppressed” ideology, directing decision-making away from the courts into the hands of “expert professionals” and pushing systems-change through behavioral-modification-oriented trainings. (I refer to http://theduluthmodel.org/)
“…The City of Duluth was selected in 2011 as one of three national sites for the Blueprint for Safety Adaptation Demonstration Initiative, a project of the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice, in partnership with Praxis International, a national training organization with offices in Duluth and St. Paul. (Other sites are New Orleans, LA, and Shelby County/Memphis, TN). Duluth is the second of the three demonstration sites to adapt the successful St. Paul Blueprint for Safety, developed in Minnesota in 2010.”
Look at the left side of the website and you’ll see two links:
- DONATE and 2. TRAINING. That’s the essence of the organization. However, as a 501(c)3 it still gets most of its money from “government” grants anyhow.
(HHS grants since about 1995 only. Of this $23M, some grants show the organization plays a special role in administrative (HHS) handling of domestic violence in general — coordinated (FYI) with organizations in other states:
| Fiscal Year |
Award Number |
Award Title |
Award Action Type |
Principal Investigator |
Sum of Actions |
| 2010 |
90EV0375 |
FOUR SPECIAL ISSUE RESOURCE CENTERS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE |
NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION |
DENISE GAMACHE |
$ 1,178,812 |
| 2009 |
90EV0375 |
FOUR SPECIAL ISSUE RESOURCE CENTERS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE |
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT ( + OR – ) (DISCRETIONARY OR BLOCK AWARDS) |
DENISE GAMACHE |
$ 50,000 |
| 2009 |
90EV0375 |
FOUR SPECIAL ISSUE RESOURCE CENTERS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE |
NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION |
DENISE GAMACHE |
$ 1,178,812 |
| 2008 |
90EV0375 |
FOUR SPECIAL ISSUE RESOURCE CENTERS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE |
NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION |
DENISE GAMACHE |
$ 1,178,811 |
| 2007 |
90EV0375 |
FOUR SPECIAL ISSUE RESOURCE CENTERS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE |
NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION |
DENISE GAMACHE |
$ 1,178,810 |
| 2006 |
90EV0375 |
FOUR SPECIAL ISSUE RESOURCE CENTERS FOR INFORMATION & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE |
NEW |
DENISE GAMACHE |
$ 1,178,811 |
Somehow, not even people IN Minnesota and disturbed by custody results want to engage in open conversation about these various groups, what they do, what they signify (for example, DAIP “incubated” Battered Women’s Justice Project” for YEARS before it incorporated in 2013 just in time to be announced as a trainer for “Family Court Enhancement Project,” which had already been in the works. BWJP (such as it was, a non-entity, which by association really means “DAIP” (Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs)) has been all along collaborating with “AFCC,” another organization not enough talk has been about in these fields — as their “domestic violence consultant” when in fact, I don’t believe that DAIP reflects the voices of battered women as they have to deal with reality post-welfare (post 1996) at all.
Police raided Evavold’s home on Oct. 21, taking numerous computers, flash drives and phones. Lakeville police say they found evidence from Evavold connecting the girls to the White Horse Ranch in Herman, Minn.
Police went there hoping to find more information about the girls’ whereabouts, but instead found the sisters.
The owners of the horse ranch, Gina and Dale Dahlen, have declined to comment on the case.
The ranch, situated among cornfields and prairie, is about 160 miles west of the Twin Cities. On its website the White Horse Ranch describes itself as a nonprofit where abused children can heal by working with horses: “Broken children and hurting horses are able to bring each other to a place of healing through God’s unconditional love.”
This post started on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2016, doesn’t reflect latest, or ongoing, developments, in the case it’s referring to. For that, perhaps read the headlines, or a blog run by two women, one of them involved in the case, “Red Herring Alert,” (<=a Thanksgiving week post; there are more) and/or “Carver County Corruption.” (<=posts tagged to Dakota County, several cover this case) I am not in the business of journalistic reporting of custody disasters: there are too many! I also don’t believe that reporting on them prevents their re-currence. But, some do seem particularly “egregious” in a field where “egregious” appears to be the standard.
AND, Minnesota has been a critical state in the nationally-synchronized network of how (everyone) should “handling” domestic violence, child abuse, and of course, custody.
While concerned for (and outraged about the treatment of) this particular mother and her five children, and those who have dared even verbally or socially support her while she was under significant, prolonged, and multi-pronged personal attack (still in process),## my over-riding concern is that next to no sustained and detailed social media blogging (let alone MSM syndicated or even local professional journalists) connects the dots between the custody case drama and the networks (system) of rapidly-evolving, privatized into quasi-judicial entities, and “court-connected corporations” driven by national/international blue-print, model-based standardizing of systems across state and even national borders.
## For example, and as reported in…”Family Abduction Watch:Breaking: Gina and Doug Dahlen and Dede Evavold Charged in Sandra Rucki Parental Kidnapping Case” (1/12/2016, and this link has a series of articles dating back to 2015 and attempting to connect these individuals with Faye Yaeger, Amy Neustein, and others dating back to the 1980s, as the “Protective Parent Movement”):
In the historic Teenager Family Abduction Case in Minnesota,Gina Dahlen, Douglas Dahlen and Dede Evavold were charged on January 11, 2016 as third party conspirators in the Sandra Rucki Parental Kidnapping Case. This is one of the few times that alleged members of the protective parent movement or family court critics will be prosecuted. They have been charged with 2 counts of parental deprivation for their alleged role in hiding the Rucki girls.
(Whoever runs that site — it’s just a wordpress blog, positions itself as authoritative on a list of people and organizations, (“the leaders”) hatefully so. It doesn’t particularly distinguish people from the groups they’re associated with, and (unlike my posts) reveals nothing about the groups mentioned as business entities. From that long, and not very organized list, I’m familiar with several of the professionals listed on the blog (from their “conference circuit”) and have met a few over the years as they are in California. Where a group is mentioned, I can and sometimes do report on it as a 501(c)3 (date, size, place, reporting compliance, etc.).
Overall, the tone on this blog seems hateful, specifically hating women. They even personally list Rita Smith, as former Staff (not board of directors, probably) of the Denver-based NCADV, which is simply a sort of umbrella organization taking membership fees from the statewide “domestic violence coalitions” taking HHS grants. NCADV itself at least lists the state coalitions, including the one in Minnesota [Minnesota Coalition For Battered Women], (not referencing they are on the HHS dole, however). I see from its tax returns that NCADV has been “small” in recent years, but in 2014 more than tripled its revenues (contributions) that year.
Click on organization name (i.e., on NCADV) for year 2014 to see on the tax return that they have only 5 board members, 8 employees, and most of their $1.2M contributions that year (Part VIII shows) come from non-government sources, not particularly from “membership” either. The prior year had been pretty lean; and it appears Rita Smith was perhaps an outgoing executive director that year.
Among the state coalitions listed at NCADV website (and searchable under http://TAGGS.hhs.gov, used “Advanced Search” for most details):
14 board members (mostly unpaid), 11 employees only. Exec. Director Elizabeth Richards (not to be confused with NAFCJ.net’s Liz Richards of Anandale, VA) earned $74K, as compared to Rita Smith (NCADV) who earned about $174K the year I looked at.
Their total assets more than doubled in two years, as you can see. Briefly, that happened only because contributions increased by just under 50% (from $701.6K to $1.0M). Their $1.0M came about half from government and half from private, plus $15K “Membership.” ( The prior year, I see, it was still about $500K government funding; it was the private sector that increased contributions then) In turn, in “2014,” their expenses paid about $7K membership dues to (unknown, but possibly to NCADV). And for what activities? Page 2 of the IRS form prompts organizations to put in a concise paragaraph and breakout the expense to revenues for each activity, , but (like some nonprofits) MCBW didn’t bother to fill it out (INCLUDING the prompts for Expenses, including grants (distributed) and Revenues) but said “See additional data” and attached an free-form essay on their wonderful work, which begins:
…The Coalition works to improve the lives of battered women and their families through public awareness, public policy, and Increasing the capacity of those who work directly with domestic violence victims.”
The first detail on the free-form essay of accomplishments (minus financial breakdown of costs as prompted on the IRS form) is apparently an email list which displays flags each time there is a DV femicide/homicide (both terms used):
MCBW has expanded the Live Violence Free flag campaign. The flag campaign is connected to MCBW’s Domestic Violence Femicide Report. Each time there Is a domestic violence homicide in Minnesota, participants in the flag campaign are notified via email and asked to display the flag image for one week as a way to increase public awareness and promote education in local communities.
…and next accomplishment, more media campaign, with Verizon sponsorship:
MCBW created and launched the “Real Love Is..”campaign with youth. This social media campaign was taken up by youth organizations around the state. A contest, sponsored by Verizon Wireless, awarded three youth organizations prize money for their winning campaigns. The campaign will be expanded upon during fiscal year 2015.
Funny how MCBW doesn’t see fit to mention the access and visitation grants or, really, deal with the family law system as perpetuating forced contact between people fleeing domestic violence, and partners who have threatened to kill, kidnapped, or are continuing to stalk them, regardless of impact on any children. Funny how MCBW (and NCADV) also did not see fit to do a public awareness campaign on in-state groups which are pushing fatherhood, treating domestic violence as a social pathology (not a crime) and pushing expensive supervised visitation/judicial education / batterers intervention, i.e., driving funds to behavioral change professionals instead of leaving funds in the households of those raising the children.
Comments fields remain open, except to spam, any personal threats, or simple hate-talk. Keep them informative (provide links or searchable information for other readers) or ask good questions, or constructive feedback please./// Let’s Get Honest. 1-23-2016.
FOOTNOTE: from http://carvercountycorruption.com/2013/03/14/dakota-county-mn-judge-david-l-knutsoncase-of-grazzini-rucki/
Post from Carver County (MN) Corruption, posted March 14, 2013 (almost two years ago) re: Grazzini-Rucki case. This is a “copy and paste” job except, I may highlight certain portions. Also available on the link:
Dakota County neighbors Carver County in Minnesota. Both Dakota and Carver County are in the First District Court.
[letter sent to 150 state reps and senators]
Judge Denies Mother Contact With Her Children
The case of Sandra Sue Grazzini-Rucki and her children.
Dakota County Judge David Knutson issued an order on September 7, 2012 that denies the mother of five children any contact with her children. He ordered mother to vacate her home of 15 years on the same day as the court order. Mother was able to take only a suitcase of her clothes. She was forced to leave her home and all of her possessions which she has never been able to recover. She was denied any due process. She was told she would be arrested and jailed if she refused to follow Judge Knutson’s orders. She now is homeless, has no vehicle, no bank accounts, no credit cards, and no assets other than her clothing. She has only her job as an airline flight attendant which she has held for approx 27 years while taking leaves to care for her children. As a professional flight attendant, she is routinely tested for alcohol and substance abuse. All her independent psychological evaluations are completely normal.
Her wages are garnished 25% for payment of past marital taxes even though mother has been left destitute with prior use of MN Care Insurance and food stamps after the divorce. Her ex-husband’s income is in excess of $200,000 per month and he retains all of the marital property. There was no hearing or any finding that she ever hurt or abused any of her five children in any way.
The five children, ages 10, 11, 13, 14, and 16, were ordered to live in the custody of two aunts. The four youngest children have lived with their maternal aunt for almost six months without support from anyone. The children have not had or been allowed any contact with their mother except for one three-hour heavily supervised visit in late December, 2012. They have not had any contact with their father who has physically and sexually abused them and who hate him. In court on February 26, 2013, this aunt said she no longer is willing to provide for the children. The oldest child, a boy 16 years old, now lives in the former home of his mother with his father, who we believe a car and other expensive gifts in an attempt to buy the boy’s loyalty. The four youngest children no longer have a relationship with their oldest brother.
Why did all of this happen? In late August, 2012, Judge Knutson appointed an “expert” to make a recommendation on the parenting of the children. This expert, Dr. Paul Reitman, met with four of the children for about thirty minutes. ## He conducted no other evaluations, tests, or analysis. Yet, on the basis of this meeting, he issued his report that the problem was caused by the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS), a condition of the mother. Parental Alienation has been rejected by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Association. They believe it to be unsubstantiated. In fact, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)** has published guidelines stating that “The theory positing the existence of ‘PAS’ has been discredited by the scientific community.”
My insert/interjection here has major two parts, based on references in that paragraph above. (1) PAUL REITMAN, and (2) NCJFCJ as an organization and what it’s up to.
BOTH extended sections show why quoting NCJFCJ’s opinion on PAS is less relevant than what business it’s in, generally speaking… and a few terms that ought to be commonplace to people concerned about family courts. (“The Greenbook Initiative “being one of them)…..[[SEE NOTE NEAR TOP OF BLOG — THIS INSERT/INTERJECTION MATERIAL HAS NOW BEEN (MOSTLY) REMOVED TO A POST PUBLISHED FEB. 25, 2015, titled What does Custody-Switching REALLY have to do with Unsound Psychological Theory? (Not much, actually)]]
So, above, under paragraph “Why did all this happen?” at:
FOOTNOTEhttp://carvercountycorruption.com/2013/03/14/dakota-county-mn-judge-david-l-knutsoncase-of-grazzini-rucki/
[letter sent to 150 state reps and senators]
Judge Denies Mother Contact With Her Children
The case of Sandra Sue Grazzini-Rucki and her children.Dakota County neighbors Carver County in Minnesota. Both Dakota and Carver County are in the First District Court.
[letter sent to 150 state reps and senators]
Judge Denies Mother Contact With Her Children
The case of Sandra Sue Grazzini-Rucki and her children. . . .
Why did all of this happen? In late August, 2012, Judge Knutson appointed an “expert” to make a recommendation on the parenting of the children. This expert, Dr. Paul Reitman, met with four of the children for about thirty minutes. ## He conducted no other evaluations, tests, or analysis. Yet, on the basis of this meeting, he issued his report that the problem was caused by the Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS), a condition of the mother. Parental Alienation has been rejected by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Medical Association. They believe it to be unsubstantiated. In fact, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ)** has published guidelines stating that “The theory positing the existence of ‘PAS’ has been discredited by the scientific community.”
Let me talk about the process of assumption of causation under situations of duress, or attributing cause after significant coaching from what appear to be strong (as to social media presence, sustained personal contact with group emails, and with involvement of nonprofits engaging PR specialists — which Center for Judicial Excellence, from its start around 2006, has been):
Women (mothers in custody/divorce/domestic violence/child abuse-involved court actions have been coached (online, group email lists, and sometimes at conferences, such as the Battered Mothers Custody Conference (“BMCC”) for years [by Broken Courts (now “Safe Child”) groups such as the Leadership Council, California Protective Parents Association, and others…] to fight and debate usage of a psychological theory instead of to analyze systems of organizations serving as court-connected conduits, and where opportunities for slush funds, money-laundering, and case-specific, or organization-specific potential kickbacks (through, for example, money that went “missing”).
They were discouraged from talking and thinking in analytical terms about nonprofits or the money, or about the federal grants. They were encouraged to support organizations as their “Friends” and allies which promoted, as recently as the year 2010 [14 YEARS after PRWORA welfare reform] a book by two people prominent in the BMCC circuit over the years (including one of the conference’s founder, Mo Hannah, Ph.D.) called, and with its abstract, notice the use of the term “broken courts” and the call to reform them:
Editors: Mo Therese Hannah, Ph.D. and Barry Goldstein, J.D
Civic Research Institute
Format: Hardcover Book
© 2010 approx. 710 pp.
ISBN: 1-887554-76-9
For many years protective mothers have complained that unfair custody courts are taking their children and forcing the children to live with abusive fathers. These concerns have now been confirmed by a definitive new book, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, ABUSE and CHILD CUSTODY co-edited by Dr. Mo Therese Hannah and Barry Goldstein. The book contains the most up-to-date research and information from over 25 of the leading experts in the US and Canada including judges, lawyers, psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, journalists and domestic violence advocates. One could reasonably argue about when the research became so clear as to confirm the failure of custody courts to handle domestic violence custody cases in a way that protects children. The common practices and approaches adopted over thirty years ago when there was no research available have been discredited, but they are so deeply ingrained that the courts have not been open to reforming the broken system. Today we know the system must be reformed. This book should be used by journalists to expose the problem, courts to fix the problem, legislators to reform the system and the public to demand the courts stop sending children to live with abusers.
The book was being sold for about $100, each, at subsequent Battered Mothers’ Custody Conferences — to women who were stripped down and strung out already by the system. “Recommend OUR experts, theories, and research’ was the mantra. This “market positioning” at the expense of (the rest of the truth about custody-switching — and a good proportion that “rest” turns out to be!!) played right into the hands of these individuals/professionals as “protective mothers” or “broken courts” consultants.
As posted (that link) at organization NOMAS in Denver: “pro-feminist, anti-racist, gay-affirmative, enhancing men’s lives.”
NOMAS
National Organization for Men Against Sexism
3500 E. 17th Avenue
Denver CO, 80206
As I saw it (first edition), there was not a single chapter on the child support system, and while mentioning “fathers’ rights groups” there was zero reference to the PRWORA-funded federal grants series, or, for example, key nonprofits’ influence in getting it set up, perpetuated, and etc. And of course, nothing about the Access and Visitation grants.
Yet distressed mothers, women, were coached, for the most part, to fight this theory, sometimes even quoting well-connected associations (like the APA and the NCJFCJ) and organizations but without the same coaches publicizing and teaching about the connected, entirely relevant, information on who was propounding the “PAS” theory in conferences throughout (the land), in particular the APA- and NCJFCJ-friendly Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCCnet.com) and, individually, professional members of the same. Essentially, this is like telling soldiers to surge forward into battle — without a scouting report, and of course without defensive weapons, or at times, even a roadmap.
Apparently this drama works well enough for psychologist-affiliated organizations and associations arguing theory — but I don’t see that it’s worked well for the populations supposedly being protected with that approach. What women were not told is the “professional courtesy” of silence about the underlying networked of organizations that are content to promote/debate PAS until the sun goes down — so long as those grants and court-referral businesses keep coming…
Overall, I believe that
NCJFCJ discrediting PAS is far less relevant than who is NCJFCJ as an organization, and what has it been doing over time.
**Let’s Get Honest comment on quoting organizations that discredit “Parental Alienation” to support mothers under attack — who has ANY idea who NCJFCJ is?
Back to the Carver County Corruption post of 3/14/2013
Nevertheless, Judge Knutson appointed another expert, Dr. James Gilbertson, to attempt to re-unify the children with their abusive father. He said he would “reprogram” the children to like their father—he saw them 3 times in 6 months. This failed leading to the February 26, 2013 hearing. At this hearing, Dr. Gilbertson arranged for the children to appear before Judge Knutson in a conference room. Judge Knutson listened to the children’s short statements and told them he was going to issue orders that they had to follow. The transcript of this meeting has been ordered. The mother has requested information from Gilbertson and Reitman such as appointment dates, payment history, and other documents, but these have been denied by the practitioners saying they are protected by the judge and do not need to follow the guidelines of their respective professional organizations. Judge Knutson has not allowed the opinions of any other professionals to be heard.
Dr. James Gilbertson, PhD
The four youngest children will now be homeless. They begged to be with their mother. Their lives have been seriously disrupted. The Guardian ad Litem (GAL), Julie Friedrich, initially agreed that they belonged with their mother. Her story has now changed. She told the children that everything had been given to their father, and that their mother was homeless and without a vehicle. (The children reported this information to their mother at the late December 2012 meeting.) Ms. Friedrich also informed the children that their mother was in a mental institution, in jail, had moved to Philadelphia, PA, had been fired from her job, and that mother’s whereabouts were unknown. Julie also told the children that their mother didn’t want them and that she was gone. She informed Dr. Gilbertson that no further contact between mother and children should take place. Mother has not been allowed to schedule any further visits with her children despite numerous
attempts.
Guardian ad Litem Julie Friedrich
The youngest child, 10 years old, has a significant medical condition that since his birth has been attended to solely by his mother. His complex medical issues include dealing with numerous doctors, surgeries, and providing day to day care and attention. Over the last 10 years mother has been the sole provider of his care along with his pediatrician, Dr. Tim Anderson, who in a letter and in a conversation with Guardian ad Litem Julie Friedrich, stated that his mother has been the sole provider of his medical care and in the best interest of the child he should be with his mother due to her history of care and knowledge of all factors relating to him. He is placed at risk without her care.
Mother was the beneficiary of a life insurance purchased by her father, now deceased, that provided $1.3 million for mother’s use. This total amount was exhausted in the spring of 2012 when mother was ordered by Judge Knutson to pay substantial amounts for attorney’s fees and debts that became hers as a result of the original judgment and decree. She is now Pro Se, unable to afford her own attorney.
When David Rucki failed to pay the court ordered child support, the state pulled his driver’s license. Judge Knutson wrote an order to child support and the state noting that David’s license was not to be revoked now or in the future. This ruling breaks state and federal law. His passport also was removed according to state and federal law due to child support arrears, yet Judge Knutson is attempting to over-rule federal law by reinstating his passport in defiance of the Dakota County District Attorney’s affidavit telling the judge that he cannot do this as he has no authority to over-rule the US Department of State. This is clearly our of Judge Knutson’s jurisdiction, yet he has scheduled a hearing on the matter.
Judge Knutson refused to order the normal parental arrangement where one parent has primary custody and the other parent visitation. He refused to follow Minnesota laws on parenting. He refused to give mother any due process or to follow court rules of procedure. There is no penalty or consequence to him because of his violation of law and other abuses. He is not accountable to anyone. Judge Knutson is actually a member of the Board of Judicial Standards where complaints against judges are sent! He has refused to remove himself from the case, denied a change of venue, and no action has been taken against him for the clear violations he has enforced. A letter of complaint about Judge Knutson’s actions to the Board of Judicial Standards from concerned citizens in the Burnsville, Lakeville, and Eagan area had no effect whatsoever. Clearly, this needs to be changed. There needs to be legislative oversight of the judiciary.
__________________________________________________________
Sandy Grazzini-Rucki was recently able to hire an attorney with the financial help of a close friend. Sandy retained a local attorney from the MacDonald Lawfirm in Minneapolis Minnesota. Link to pdf download of a scathing and impressive memorandum written by her attorney on behalf of Sandy and her children. LINK: MacDonald Lawfirm 90-3345
Justice for Sandra Grazzini-Rucki and Children 