News Report - Graham, C4C controversy continues

Graham, C4C controversy continues

By Bob Robinson

“Steven was fired because of this group,” John Graham said, holding Steven’s picture in front of him. “I worked with him for six months, mentoring him. He was working. He was getting his life back together.

“Because of them, he lost his job, had no means of support. The state put him on a bus, took him back to Findlay and dropped him off in front of the post office there.

“I am angry!”

Graham didn’t say this incident was the catalyst for an Advocate article that attacked his critics as a “hate” group. He left it for members and guests of the Darke County Republican Men’s Club to draw their own conclusions Saturday morning.

Two hours later, Kathy Beam, one of the leaders of Citizens 4 Change, meeting in Shelter 3 at Greenville Park, said that to her knowledge no one has lost a job as a result of their efforts.

“If they (an employer) chose to do that,” she added, “good for them. We have enough of our own people here who need jobs.”

She said in an earlier meeting, and reaffirmed Saturday, that she won’t patronize a business that hires someone from Graham’s homes. She noted that she was aware of two businesses in Darke County who did this.

She also said C4C was not a hate group.

“We don’t hate,” she said, “just the opposite. All we’re doing is protecting our neighbors and our kids.”

Graham spoke to the men’s group about his controversial Good Samaritan Program, going through its history to where it is today. He talked about five myths that were circulating about him.

Myth 1. Ludlow is not a halfway house. It is for homeless felons on Parole Release Control. They have to have a place to stay or it is a parole violation and they go back to prison. He said the majority in the house are sex offenders because they have the most difficulty finding a place to live.

Myth 2. The $76,650 income for Ludlow is not for salary; it is for expenses. According to his accountant he actually lost $50,000.

Myth 3. None of the residents in Ludlow are scouring the neighborhood looking for victims. Graham said 95 percent of all sex offenses occur among family or friends. There are only 115 abductions in the entire country… what is driving this is fear and misinformation.

He also said that recidivism among all felons is about 65 percent. In sex offenders it is about 15 percent. In his program it is “zero” percent.

Myth 4. “Just tell us what’s going on.” Graham said that those who want to find out what’s going on can. He sends out regular newsletters and he will speak to any group that expresses a desire to get information. I never get calls, he said. Nobody asks.

Myth 5. I’m not a left wing liberal Communist. I’m a registered Republican. I vote Republican. He said offering a second chance is one of the things Republicans stand for, noting the stances of Abraham Lincoln, George Bush and Bob Taft as some of his examples.

Graham said there are 93 sex offenders living in Darke County. Eight-nine of them are unsupervised. The four living in Ludlow are, and they are in his program voluntarily.

Graham was asked about Steven being returned to Findlay, which is not in the three-county area (Mercer, Darke and Miami) from which he said state parolees come. Graham said that there are exceptions. In Steven’s case, he had spent more time in Findlay than in any other area, so that’s where they took him.

In a later brief conversation, Graham said Steven was fired because of flyers being circulated through downtown businesses. The landlord of the property told the business owner he couldn’t keep Steven because of the controversy. Graham said he didn’t know if any of his other residents were targeted in the flyers.

Beam, at the C4C meeting, talked about the organizations and individuals supporting Koinonia House and has attempted to contact them. She also noted that the “support” Graham talks about comes from letters dated in 2007. None since then.

“There are no letters from the neighbors,” she said. “There isn’t community support for this.”

She and other members of the group also said they have proof that Graham has violated city ordinance that says no more than four unrelated people can live under one roof.

“We have facts. We can go online and get it.”

Greenville Mayor, Michael Bowers, said he wasn’t sure “we need to bring anyone else in… from the outside. At what cost?”

One child, he said. That’s too much.

He added that Council is working to see how the city can be made safer.

Beam and C4C members were adamant that they aren’t going away, and that there was going to be no discussion with Graham about the issue.

“He’s already lied to the public,” they said.

Bob Robinson is the retired editor of The Daily Advocate, Greenville, Ohio. If you wish to receive notification of his comments, opinions and reports when they are posted, send your email address to: opinionsbybob@gmail.com. Feel free to express your views.