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  Radio Free Richmond Unmasked
June 19, 2014
 
 

It turns out that Radio Free Richmond is a surrogate for BMWL, which is partners with Whitehurst/Mosher, the public relations firm that serves corporations like Chevron and the American Beverage Association.
The story below that carries Antwon Cloird’s name as author was actually written by Kevin Gibson <kevgibs@gmail.com of BMWL under orders from John Whitehurst.
Gibson emailed Cloird, “Its Kevin from BMWL. I attached below the housing story we (John) wants to post on Radio Free Richmond under your name.”
Cloird claims he never gave permission for the story to be carried under his name, but it went on Radio Free Richmond anyway.
Far from being the  home grown blog it claims, Radio Free Richmond is just another cynical attempt by big business to influence politics in Richmond. Below is what Radio Free Richmond claims to be (http://www.radiofreerichmond.com/about):
That’s where Radio Free Richmond comes in. We’re people who live and work in Richmond who want to tell the stories about the city — both good and bad — that aren’t getting out.  Some of us, like Don Gosney, are ex-journalists with years of Richmond experience. Others, like Felix Hunziker, are neighborhood activists who are trying to make Richmond a better place to work and live.
We’re inviting other Richmond citizen journalists to join us and to submit story ideas, finished articles, photos and videos about Richmond.  We plan to feature local stories and — with your help — expose problems in our community.  We’ll never be able to compete with professional journalists and news organizations, nor is it our intention to.  Instead, we want to draw attention to the stories that aren’t being covered in our community with the hope that they’ll be picked up by the pros.
Radio Free Richmond is sort of the Fox News of Richmond.
http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/radiofreerichmond/sites/1/meta_images/original/Radio-Free-Richmond-logo-title3.png?1394998076
Antwon Cloird: Mayor Wastes Opportunity in DC
Posted by Radio Free Richmond 1sc on June 17, 2014
blogimage.jpgI recently found out that Mayor Gayle McLaughlin traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress.  I figured she was there to make good on her promise to help Richmond public housing tenants living in poor conditions after nearly four months of inaction.
No.  Mayor McLaughlin wasn’t in Washington, D.C. to lobby for more money for public housing, education, re-entry, or jobs.
She was in Washington, D.C. to lobby for the release of five convicted Cuban spies.
The Mayor spent five days in Washington D.C. lobbying for the “Cuban 5,” a group of five foreign agents convicted of spying in Miami. She said that "As a mayor and elected official, I want to use my voice, and I am honored to be part of this.” The Mayor plans to spend more time in the future working on behalf of Cuba, promising that “we have to keep pushing and advocating for them, and I will continue to stand for the Five, I carry them always in my heart.” 
What about pushing and advocating for Richmond? Three months ago, the Mayor ordered the immediate evacuation of the Hacienda, but she walked away as soon as the television cameras were off. More than 70 residents living in Richmond public housing came out in March to tell the Mayor about the squalid conditions and blatant disrespect they’ve endured. Scores of residents sounded off about mold problems, roof leaks, lax security, bed bugs, roaches, mice, and staff disrespect. The Mayor told RHA residents to trust her. “Our residents deserve more than outreach,” she told the crowd.
We do. Instead of heading to D.C. to lobby for Cuba, the Mayor should have asked the Department of Housing and Urban Development for Section 8 housing vouchers or additional funds to move residents out of the Hacienda until repairs are completed. She should have demanded that our Congressional leaders take our local emergency seriously. 
To paraphrase Vice President Joe Biden, “Don’t tell me what your priorities are, show me your calendar and I’ll tell you what your priorities are.”  How about spending less time freeing foreign spies and more time helping Richmond residents here at home.
- Antwon Cloird, Richmond resident

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