'Unite Norman' succeeds in getting councilmember recall certified

RECALL CERTIFIED! Unite Norman’s Recall Effort Certified for Council Member Petrone

Mayor’s Recall Certification Will Not Be Announced Till Tomorrow — and Unite Norman Cautions about Legal Precedence Below;

ALSO: Grassroots Groups Cautions against Council Member Bierman’s Planned Doxxing of List of Petition Signers in the Mayoral Recall effort, Citing Intimidation and Harassment

NORMAN — Unite Norman responded to the City Clerk’s announcement today that the signature-gathering effort to recall Council Member Petrone is certified and will now head to the ballot box.

The announcement comes after the grassroots organization turned in more than 20,000 signatures to recall Mayor Clark, and thousands of signatures to recall Council Member Petrone, and after forcing the resignation already of Council Member Wilson in Ward 5.

'Unite Norman': supporters of mayor "still don't get it" when claiming 30,000 recall signers were tricked

“THEY STILL DON’T GET IT” – Supporters of Soon-To-Be-Recalled Mayor, City Council Say 30,000 Normanites Must Have Been “Tricked” into Signing Petitions — Nothing Could be Further from the Truth, Voters Were Very Informed as Recall Was One of the Most-Covered Stories in Norman this Summer

Mayor, City Council Supporters Suggesting that All of the People Who Signed the Petition — Women, Democrats, Independents, Republicans, People under Age 50, and People over Age 50 — Must Have Been Tricked, They Can’t Possibly Have Decided for Themselves

Continued denial from city leaders shows they still don’t get it

Norman Recall story has been the biggest political story of the summer —voters were very informed by daily Media stories, newspaper ads, doorstep visits, and social media discussions

NORMAN (August 19th)  — Supporters of the mayor and city council are suggesting that 30,000 Normanites were “tricked” into signing petitions to recall the mayor and city council — but nothing could be further from the truth.

After a contentious summer debating the Defunding of Police, the Recall story has arguably become one of the biggest news stories in Norman and that state. To suggest that the citizens in Norman didn’t know what the recall was over is just disingenuous.

It is a tactic straight out of the Democrats’ playbook — a tactic that has been used in other Recall elections, such as the Colorado Recalls, where signature gatherers there also got above & beyond the required signatures.

“This mayor and city council still don’t get it,” said Russell Smith, co-founder of Unite Norman. “Thousands of volunteers spent hundreds of hours talking with residents of Norman on their doorsteps, at least 100 local TV stories were aired on the issue, and dozens of hours were spent talking with the media, and with the public on social media.

Unite Norman: Ringleader of protestors for Defund the Police vote ran Mayor’s campaign

THE PLOT THICKENS: “Concerned Norman Resident” Who Testified to Defund the Police Is Actually Mayor Clark’s Campaign Manager 

Plus: Al-Michael’s own Bio states he is a resident of Oklahoma City 

NORMAN — The man who spoke with media as a “concerned Norman resident” the night of the Norman mayor’s and city council’s action to defund the police turns out to be neither an ordinary citizen, nor a resident of Norman.

In a post unearthed today, Al-Michael lists himself on Facebook as Mayor Breea Clark’s Campaign Manager in a post on her Inauguration Day. Yet — neither he nor the mayor disclosed his role on the mayor’s political campaign when he served as the ringleader of a shouting mob inside city council chambers on the night of the vote, June 16 and 17.

In a televised interview following the vote, Mayor Clark admitted to KOCO 5 that agitated protestors had had an impact on her and the council — yet she never once mentioned that the ringleader of those protests inside chambers was her own campaign manager.

During official business surrounding the vote, she didn’t point out this conflict of interest, either.

According to public records, Al-Michael’s name shows up on the campaign committee for Breea Clark as being paid $1,250 for “political consulting services.” Yet not once during the hearings did the Mayor disclose that she had a fiduciary relationship with him.

Additionally, Al-Michael portrayed himself inside city chambers & to the Media as a concerned Norman resident — even though ALL of his online bios and even his own Facebook page states he resides in Oklahoma City. (For example, “Taz Al-Michael,” as he is also referred to in other publications, is according to his own bio, also a “community organizer based out of Oklahoma City.” Source: NewLeadersCouncil.org His own Facebook account also says he lives in Oklahoma City: https://www.facebook.com/tas608) Seems like both the Media, and the people of Norman got skunked.

“Why was it never disclosed that Mayor Clark’s own Campaign Manager and Political Consultant was testifying to defunding the police, and leading the protestors inside chambers that night?,” asks Russell Smith, co-founder of Unite Norman. “Is it possible this was all one big set-up? At a minimum, shouldn’t it have been disclosed that the Mayor’s own Political Consultant with whom she had a financial relationship was inside City Hall trying to affect the outcome of the result for the people of Norman?”

“This young man’s own bio states that he is an actor,” said Sassan Moghadam, co-founder of Unite Norman. “It sounds like this was quite a charade — with the Mayor playing the leading role and the city council members playing cast of characters that night.”

Group asks: did Norman mayor hire actor to testify before vote to defund police?

Here's the latest in the drama out of Norman, Oklahoma...

Did the Mayor Hire an Actor to Testify as a Concerned Norman Resident for the Vote to Defund the Police?

An “Actor” on the Mayor’s Payroll Was Paid $1,250 before Testifying -- Actor’s own Bio states he is a resident of Oklahoma City 

NORMAN — In a televised interview, Mayor Clark told KOCO 5 that loud agitators had been successful in swaying her and the city council inside council chambers in a dark-of-night 4a.m. vote on June 17th to strip nearly $1 million from police budgets.

According to public records, it appears now that at least one of those people who testified was an Actor — and had previously been on Mayor Clark’s payroll. Tasneem Ahmad Al-Michael is listed as an “Actor” on promotional materials from the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).

“Taz Al-Michael,” as he is also referred to in other publications, is according to his own bio, also a “community organizer based out of Oklahoma City.” Source: NewLeadersCouncil.org

'Unite Norman' calls on citizens to apply for vacant council seat

Applications Now Open to Fill City Council Seat in Ward 5 Vacated by Sereta Wilson; Unite Norman Calls upon Citizens to Apply

• Grassroots Group Calls for Applicants to Step Up, Let Their Voices Be Heard, and Make their Positions Known
• With Overwhelming 25% Support of Ward 5 in Recall Signatures Thus Far, Unite Norman Calls for the Grassroots Organization to Have a “Seat at the Table” on the Selection Committee

NORMAN — Unite Norman — the grassroots group behind the effort to recall the mayor and city council for defunding the police and not upholding the will of the people — is encouraging citizens to apply for the City Council seat in Ward 5, after the city announced today that applications are now available to backfill the position created by Sereta Wilson’s resignation.

The group encouraged citizens to step forward to serve and to let their positions be know on how to unite Norman.

“Our grassroots effort has made it very clear that voters here want a focus on Norman, not national politics and extreme ideologies,” said Russell Smith, co-founder of Unite Norman. “We encourage applicants to publicly make their priorities known, so the people or Norman know exactly where they stand on the issues.”

Unite Norman releases videos highlighting mayor, city council members in their own radical words

WORDS: New Series of Viral Videos Highlights Mayor, City Council Members in Their Own Radical Words

• Norman “Nuggets of Knowledge” Video Series Will Show Mayor and City Council Members Out of Touch with Norman, as Vulgar and Profane-Laced Statements Show Some Don’t Possess Temperament to Hold Public Office
• Council member Kate Bierman says she is no longer a fan of America’s birthday, the Fourth of July, and “I don’t give a s*** what you think about me!”
• Council Member Stephen Holman Suggested He’d Like to Turn Norman into a Sanctuary City

Norman – Unite Norman is launching a series of viral videos that show the mayor and the city council members — in their own words — are too radical for Norman.

In some cases vulgar, profanity-laced tirades also show that some members are unfit for public office.

In her own words, council member Kate Bierman states that she’s no longer a fan of the Fourth of July — a position held by far-left-wing radicals such as anarchists in places like Seattle’s CHOP/CHAZ zone; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C. Source: “4 Grown-A** Women of the Apocalypse” podcast, 7/11/20  https://tinyurl.com/NotAFanofJuly4

In case you were wondering, Bierman doesn’t care what you think of her, “I don’t give a s*** what you think about me!” Source:  “4 Grown-A** Women of the Apocalypse” podcast, 5/11/20 https://tinyurl.com/IDontGiveASh

Council member Stephen Holman suggested that it’s not Norman Police Department’s job to check immigration status, thereby turning Norman into a de facto “Sanctuary City.” Source: City Council Meeting, 2/4/20 https://tinyurl.com/HolmanSanctuaryCitiesSupport

And, as we pointed out late last week, Mayor Clark is not to be outdone in the department of radical ideas as she pushes for allowing 16-year-olds to vote in municipal elections — an issue only supported by the most radical cities in the United States including Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. Source: City Council Meeting, 6/16/20 https://tinyurl.com/ClarkLet16YrOldsVote

“In their own words, the mayor and the city council members are showing that their ideas and policies are far outside the mainstream of Norman,” said Russell Smith, co-founder of Unite Norman. “This is the result of seven percent voter turnout in the last election. We must do better in the next.”

More videos are on the way. They will appear on Facebook and may appear on other Social Media platforms.

Unite Norman: we have more Recall signatures than votes that elected Norman mayor

Unite Norman Announces They’ve Surpassed in Signatures the Number of Votes that Elected Mayor Clark
Grassroots Effort Achieves More than 6,700 Signatures So Far — A Greater Number than the Votes that Put the Mayor in Office“Overwhelming support” from Normanites to recall the mayor, says founder

Norman (July 20th) — Unite Norman — the grassroots group behind the effort to recall the mayor and city council for defunding the police and not upholding the will of the people — announced today they are well on their way to getting the recall effort on the ballot.

The grassroots group shared that they have now garnered more than 6,700 signatures — that’s more voter support than Mayor Clark was actually elected with.

“The people of Norman are speaking overwhelmingly,” said Russell Smith, the founder of Unite Norman. “We’re only about a third of the way there, and certainly have more work to do, but we’re strongly encouraged by the overwhelming response of support from the voters.”

Unite Norman condemns anti-police group for posting home addresses of Norman police

Unite Norman Condemns Actions of Norman Facebook Page Targeting Police Officers, Doxxing Officers’ Home Addresses

Grassroots Organizers Say the Practice is Uncivil, Dangerous, Many officers’ wives, small children at home while Officers are working shifts

Norman — Unite Norman — the grassroots group behind the effort to recall the mayor and city council for defunding the police and not upholding the will of the people — condemned today a Norman group’s Facebook page for doxxing — releasing — the personal home addresses of Norman Police Department officers.

The Facebook page, “Norman Police Accountability Project,” has been releasing one-by-one the personal details, names, and street addresses of officers, drawing concern from officers and their families who are now targeted.

Norman police officers leaving force after defunding by mayor and city council

MASS EXODUS: More Norman Police Officers to Resign or Retire by Month’s End

• 7 Officers Plan to Depart by End of July (in two weeks)
• Resignations Come as 9 Officers’ Positions Are Already Scheduled to Be Cut
• PLUS: 7 More Officers Consider Leaving, Have Begun Interviewing & Testing at Other Cities
• Total of 25 Departures Would Be Nearly Three Times the Annual Average Turnover Rate 

Norman, OK (July 15th) — Seven Norman police officers are reportedly on their way out the door in two weeks, with seven more considering following, thanks to the recent Defunding of Police pushed by Mayor Breea Clark and the Norman City Council.

Reports of officers deciding to resign or retire come today as nine positions are already on the chopping block via the Mayor’s proposal. Officers preparing to depart were reported last week by KFOR TV. However, more departures have been confirmed today by the Fraternal Order of Police.

The total of now 25 officers’ positions would be nearly three times more than the annual average of departures. Norman police department reports that it usually has only about 10 departures per year normally.

“This is a real-life public safety concern for the entire community of Norman,” said Russell Smith, founder of Unite Norman, the organization whose goal is to recall the radical Mayor and the most radical members of the City Council. “As predicted, the reverberations of the Mayor’s and the City Council’s efforts to Defund the Police are already having a detrimental effect. This is the beginning of a mass exodus of frontline first responders who feel they are no longer backed by the city they serve. We must unite Norman around the support of critical frontline officers, or face the peril that more departures will bring.”

Fewer officers and defunding will likely mean longer response times for families, homeowners, and business owners in Norman, as well as less training for officers in the field.

For more information about Unite Norman, visit UniteNorman.com.

Citizen Group launches Recall of Norman Council and Mayor

Citizen Group Launches Recall of Council and Mayor

In an unprecedented show of civic solidarity, Unite Norman today initiated recall proceedings for the office of mayor and every city councilor eligible for recall.    This submission comes on the heels of a meeting of more than 700 residents who braved over 90-degree temperature on Wednesday to receive volunteer training for signature gathering and learn more about the effort.

“When this city council succumbed to an angry mob at three o’clock in the morning and decided to undo months of budget discussions, we all said enough is enough. This is no way to run our city.  We care too much about Norman and our law enforcement officers to let Norman be run this way,” said Chris Dragg one of the unpaid citizens organizing the effort.

“We really want a council that focuses on Norman, not the hot national news issue of the day, said Russell Smith, another longtime Norman resident helping the campaign.  “Unite Norman is about making certain our leadership puts Norman first instead of promoting personal ideologies and bringing Washington D.C. style politics to Norman.  We are better than that,” Russell Smith continued.