Prompted by "complaints" filed by ARRL Hudson Division Director Liscenco, N2YBB, with the Ethics and Elections Committee, the ARRL Board has conducted two trials of Southwestern Division Director Dick Norton, N6AA, concerning alleged violations of the "ARRL Director's Code of Conduct." This summary documents the issues covered by the second trial, held by Internet-telephone conference on November 14, 2017.

I have been elected by the membership of the Southwestern Division to represent their interests and, in my view, also the interests of Amateur Radio.

The allegation that I "publicly criticized the ARRL Code of Conduct for Board members at a public Amateur Radio gathering" is factually untrue, as confirmed by letters that four prominent ARRL Life Members sent the Board after attending the meeting, and after the censure action, by tens of others who were at the meeting.

Members might view the referenced correspondence to see if there is evidence that the enactment of the "Code-of-Conduct," and its application in this case, might be viewed as one of a number of steps taken by the present majority ARRL political party to purge the Board of members of the minority party.

Text of Censure Motion, adopted at Internet-telephone trial on November 14, 2017

Norton Censure Motion - November 14, 2017

Initial written charge against Norton - "Recommendation of E&E Committee"

Recommendation of the E&E Committee to the ARRL Board of Directors

Norton response to "Recommendation of E&E Committee"

Norton Response to "Recommendation of E&E Committee"

Norton early description (April 28, 2017) of 2017 Visalia ARRL Forum, added as an additional description of what happened

Re: Details of ARRL Board Adoption of Code of Conduct

Call for Special Meeting of the Board by Lisenco and Norris

Special Meeting of the Board

Lisenco memo claiming legal activity inquiry warrants need to "clean house"

ARRL General Counsel

Letter from Commissioner Mark Weiss, K6FG, describing ARRL Forum

Code of Conduct

Letter from Former WPA Section Manager, Tim Duffy, K3LR, describing ARRL Forum

To the Officers and Directors of the ARRL

There were two other letters received by the Board from ARRL-related individuals that also described the ARRL Forum.

ARRL Forum at Visalia - Visalia ARRL Forum and Code of Conduct

Correspondence from Lisenco (replete with false representations) suggesting revocation of Norton ARRL (Charter Life) membership, as prelude to removal from office by Board

My Thoughts on the Current State of the Toxic Working Environment Permeating the Board

Correspondence from Pace calling for removal from office

Mike's Email

Correspondence from Norris (with false implicit allegation of "hauling staff in for a grilling,") calling for removal from office

Re: My Thoughts on the Current State of the Toxic Working Environment Permeating the Board

Initial Carlson Motion, with "expelling member for good cause" paragraph and false claim of "threats of litigation"

Motion 11/14/17 11:15 PM Eastern

The ARRL President conducted the trial by internet and telephone, even after being advised that such action violated ARRL By-Law 29, use of Robert's Rules of Order.

ARRL By-Law 29 and Relevant Part of Robert's Rules of Order

During the trial, it was brought up that Connecticut law states that directors can be removed only by the subset of membership that elected them. This prompted a change in the motion to the motion that passed, which is the first Reference item in this section.

2016 Connecticut Corporations Law on Removal of Directors

After announcement of the censure, tens of additional Visalia Forum participants corroborated the claim that the charge was false, and zero additional participants supported the claims.

Correspondence was received directly from, or through radio clubs, thousands of Amateurs condemning the Board's action. Financial contributions to the League were stopped, and a good number of members removed the League from their wills.

A substantial number of members wrote to the Board, most suggesting that the censure be rescinded. No action has been taken by the Board.

The reactions by many of the members and clubs can be seen at myarrlvoice.org

1. Was the charge that "Director Norton publicly criticized the ARRL Code of Conduct at a public Amateur Radio gathering" true?


2. Was ejecting three League Directors, with legal full and unfettered access to corporate actions, including private matters, from the October 2017 Executive Committee meeting (where there were deliberations lasting 2 hours and 40 minutes and apparently directly covering this topic) in the best interests of the League and its members?


3. Was holding the trial by Internet and telephone, in violation of the League's By-Laws, in the best interests of the League and its members?


4. Was the Code of Conduct, with its stealth introduction and lack of disclosure to the membership, introduced to improve League functioning, or part of an ongoing series of actions to remove Board members who are not of the present majority political party?


5. Was the vague nature of the public charges against Director Norton beneficial to the League and the membership?


6. Is exposure of the details of this action helpful in understanding the present behavior of the ARRL Board?


7. Did the censure benefit the League or the membership?


8. Did your ARRL Director serve you well by his actions in this matter?