I wonder have Reps. Steve King and Michelle Bachmann noticed this… HISTORIC BLACK FARMERS SETTLEMENT RECEIVES COURT APPROVAL — John Boyd and Team Mark Achievement After 12 Year Effort — WASHINGTON, DC – John W. Boyd, Jr., founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, hailed the ruling that Federal Judge Paul L. Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued tonight granting the motion to certify and approve the settlement in the historic Black farmers discrimination case.
In his ruling https://ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_public_doc?2010cv1053-43, Judge Friedman wrote: “Today, because of a Congress that was willing to once again waive the statute of limitations and to appropriate $1.25 billion to help further redress the historic discrimination against African-Americans farmers, the Court is pleased to approve the settlement agreement proposed by the Moving Plaintiffs, and endorsed by the United States, as fair, reasonable, and adequate. It will also approve the appointment of neutrals who will participate in the implementation agreement. This settlement is the product of extraordinary efforts by private litigants and their counsel, by the Congress, and by the Executive Branch. The Court joins all of those parties in hoping that it will bring class members the relief to which they are entitled.”
“This is a very important step that should provide assurance to the Black farmers that each of their cases will now move towards a resolution. Tonight we must honor Judge Friedman, Congress, the Obama Administration and each of the individuals who worked tirelessly on this case. Over the years I have found Judge Friedman to be fair and on many occasions he has done everything in his power to move this case towards a final resolution. We will always appreciate the work he did to achieve justice for the nation’s Black farmers.”
This is the critical step that now puts this long journey into a final – yet lengthy – phase towards compensating the thousands of late filers who were discriminated against by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, never had their cases heard on the merits, and finally won the new settlement and passage of $1.15 billion in funding for payments passed through Congress and signed into law by President Obama on December 8, 2010 at the White House.
Boyd and the team that has supported the organization’s efforts on behalf of the nation’s black farmers, devoted more than a decade to this case. Boyd and this team have devoted much of their professional careers since 1999 to the work on behalf of these farmers.
Boyd’s efforts have been chronicled by the national press throughout this effort that has involved working with three presidential administrations and their leadership at the Departments of Agriculture and Justice, working with Congress, and a relentless strategy to keep the issue of the Black farmers in the news through public events (including rallies, marches, and press conferences), communications and policy efforts, conferences and more.
“Today is an important day, in fact a truly historic day for the nation’s black farmers and for all of those who worked so hard to give every farmer their day in court so they may be compensated for the government’s discrimination,” said John Boyd. “We are supportive of the steps taken by Congress, the White House, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and todays Court approval said Boyd. We look forward to a hearing on the fairness of the distribution of legal fees. This issue should not hold up or slow down a single payment to the farmers, but must be resolved by the court in an appropriate manner.” It is also important for the farmers to know that all cases must be adudicated before the payments go out to the farmers said Boyd. After all we have been through justice always finds its way home, I have been praying for this day Boyd concluded.
