Woman ousted from government position, claims reason is being a black female

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Rene Swafford, center, speaks Wednesday during a press conference at the Arundel Center in Annapolis about allegations that Anne Arundel officials ousted her from her position because of her race and gender. - Jason Flanagan/Examiner

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Rene Swafford said she is being ousted from her Anne Arundel government position because she is a black female — and she may not be alone.

“I am now concerned that other African-American employees may be subject to the same kind of indifference that I experienced,” said Swafford during a press conference Wednesday in Annapolis.

Swafford’s position as deputy director of the Anne Arundel Workforce Development Corp., a quasi-county-controlled business organization, will end Tuesday, and she will be offered a lower level manager position with a smaller salary.

Swafford has filed complaints with Attorney General Doug Gansler’s office, the U.S. Department of Justice and Maryland Commission on Human Relations demanding an investigation.

“Taxpayers have a right to know that their government is not condoning sexist and racist activity,” Swafford said.

But county officials said her allegations are untrue, and her position was nixed because of budgetary cutbacks for fiscal 2009. Anne Arundel had a lean budget because of declining real estate taxes.

“We have a certain amount of overhead ... and the judgment was made to cut to the deputy director position,” said Bob Hannon, president of the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp.

Hannon said he notified Swafford of her position change two weeks ago, and at the time, she did not complain.

Hannon and county officials learned of her allegations of sexism and racism through the media, he said.

He would not comment on Swafford’s character, or how the corporation will absorb her duties.

Roughly 18 percent of the county government’s 45 top level positions are black, and 62 percent are women, according to county officials.

Swafford said the corporation’s former director, Douglas Burkhardt, “resented my appointment, and did everything he could to make my appointment untenable.”

Swafford said she was directed to attend a conference in Ohio, only to discover during the trip her corporate-issued credit card was canceled.

Hannon, who is now the corporation’s acting director, said it was a “human error.”

Swafford also said many of her duties were “given to a white employee.”

Burkhardt could not be reached for comment.

Swafford’s complaint comes after a former animal control officer, also a black woman, alleged racial and sexual discrimination.

“This is the second African-American female that feels she was not treated fairly, and it does raise a question mark from a government where the county executive is supposedly promoting diversity,” said Gerald Stansbury, head of the Maryland chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

County Executive John R. Leopold said in a statement that his administration is dedicated to diversity.

“Any allegations otherwise are baseless and unfortunate considering the inclusiveness of county government since I took office,” he said.

jflanagan@baltimoreexaminer.com

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