Two Weeks Later, NEA Weighs In On Yosi Sergant Demotion

It's not quite what you'd get from a rapid-response war room, but roughly two weeks after the National Endowment for the Arts demoted communications director Yosi Sergant, the agency is getting its side of the story out.

NEA Chairman Rocco Landesman sends the following statement to HuffPost:

As chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, I would like to clarify the issues concerning an August conference call in which an NEA employee participated.

Here are the facts.

Fact 1: The former NEA Director of Communications helped organize and participated in an August 10th conference call to introduce members of the arts community to United We Serve and to provide them with information on how the Corporation for National and Community Service can assist groups interested in sponsoring service projects or having their members volunteer on other projects.

Fact 2: The former NEA Director of Communications acted unilaterally and without the approval or authorization of then-Acting Chairman Patrice Walker Powell.

Fact 3: This call was not a means to promote any legislative agenda and any suggestions to that end are simply false. Rather, the call was to inform members of the arts community of an opportunity to become involved in volunteerism.

Fact 4: Some of the language used by the former NEA Director of Communications was, unfortunately, not appropriate and did not reflect the position of the NEA. This employee has been relieved of his duties as director of communications.

Fact 5: This call was completely unrelated to NEA's grantmaking, which is highly regarded for its independence and integrity. Artistic quality, excellence and merit are the guidelines for decision-making; favoritism or political affiliation plays no role in NEA grantmaking.

Fact 6: The NEA is a successful, independent federal agency that has supported the best of the arts and arts education for nearly 45 years. We take our responsibility to the American public very seriously and are committed to upholding this public trust.

Although my time here has been brief - in fact I arrived at the agency on August 11th the day after the conference call - I am proud to lead the National Endowment for the Arts, proud to work with its capable and energetic staff, and proud to play a role in enhancing the quality of life for the people of our great nation.

Comments

[larry278]

Spin is another word for bovine scat. The statement of the NEA is nothing save, spin.

[kkurman]

This statement is a humiliating thing to have to read. The MSM is having a ratings field day pushing 'race' as a driving force behind the vitriol of the rabid fringe, they shy from suggesting it might be 'culture'. Culture is far more difficult to frame. It is dynamic within a society and can only really be measured and qualified in retrospect. America has had a rich culture, and an impoverished culture, most recently more the later. (example; our society's obsession with train wreck celebrity over the astounding developments in Human Genome Research) One could frankly state, a society without culture is dead. For those who rail against funding the NEA; just because you insist on being an idiot, don't drag your country down with you. You will find yourself a victim of your being the weakest link. The NEA provides a critical function in maintaining the cultural vitality of our country, just because you don't see it doesn't make it not so.The NEA operates in a year on what the Military Industrial Complex burns off in the time it took for you to read this. I resent that use of my tax dollars, so don't begrudge me the right to believe that a few of our tax dollars are going to keep our country's culture on life-support.
The fact that the Director of the NEA has had to grovel for the few pearls cast out by the swine is simply humiliating.

[alexdog]

I have not seen or read anything (doesn't mean if is not there) calling for defunding of the NEA. By their own admission their actions in this matter have been "inappropriate." IF (and I do not know if this has occurred) NEA grants were awarded to any ot those groups or individuals to "to further the president's very aggressive agenda (Buffy Wick's words) then it is more than inappropriate. What I am appalled by is the trend of many to hold this myopic view that because an agency or group does good work then we should look the other way when they overstep their bounds. If the Red Cross were to transport guns or drugs because they have space on the plane after dropping off supplies during a humanitarian effort, would that be okay because they do so much "good" work. It seems that so many who passionately stand behind one sector of government spending turn and point to another area that they don't agree with. I encourage those people to aggressively lobby for those areas that they are passionate about and lobby against those that they disagree with.
Here is an interesting take on this NEA situation:
http://www.city-journal.org/2009/eon0921ak.html

[Terypat]

I would say the Obama administration is more like Bush III. Change I can believe in? I'm still waiting.

[Benton]

Change your attitude.

[RationalDubSteppa]

This is why everyone thinks liberals are p***ys!!!

[av2ts]

I'm at a loss. There is NOTHING to apologize for here. When I read the full (offending) quote from Yosi I thought for sure this was going to be a letter of vindication from the NEA. Instead the White House issues the new regulations, demotes the fall guy and generally put their tail b/w their legs.

The quote said, “I would encourage you to pick something, whether it’s health care, education, the environment, you know, there’s four key areas that the corporation has identified as the areas of service.”

The corporation is the Corporation for National and Community Service. They actually appear to have 5 areas of service - including also community renewal and safety & security. I wonder if he would have mentioned these, there would have been this uproar. Are the GOP really arguing that education, health care and environment are Democray only issues? Come on.

Obama needs to grow a pair and stop caving in to every little BS story. The "stories" will surely keep coming if they keep getting results.

[RationalDubSteppa]

I agree!! The biggest let down so far is that the white house seems to be a little on the whi*py side. Just because their progressives does not mean they have to act like liberals!

[BethinIllinois]

There is PLENTY to apologize for. Maybe it's missing from your story, but here's more of it, from Politico (although I've seen the transcript elsewhere):

[[Wicks later told the NEA artists listening in that “we’re going to come at you with some specific asks here.”

Sergant followed by explaining he “would encourage you to pick something, whether it’s health care, education, the environment, you know, there’s four key areas that the corporation has identified as the areas of service.”

“My ask would be to apply artistic, you know, your artistic creative community’s utilities and bring them to the table,” Sergant said. “This is a chance for us to partner with the White House and the Corporation for National and Community Service along [with] the arts community in immediately affecting some change in our communities.”]]

That is absolutely, positively, unequivocally inappropriate. The White House pressuring the NEA to pressure artists to product art to promote the president's agenda? I would have been livid if Bush had pulled such nonsense -- and so would you. It's not right when Obama does it, either.

And by the way, does Wicks report to Jarrett? If so, that means this is something Obama signed off on. Bad, bad policy, Obama.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27456.html#ixzz0RvDnONjr

[Sweetbay]

I'm lost.

Is this the website I go to when I want to count how many times the word ACORN can be used in a sentence?

Hey, Neos. Has there ever been a conspiracy theory you didn't believe? DUCK & COVER!!!! Just kidding.

[GeorgeP922]

Hey ratings pay, just sad they are marginalizing a very talented reporter for this yawn fest garbage.

[wonketteRAWKS]

So much for free thinking. Control is the new thought process. Just dress it up and make it look perty!

[GeorgeP922]

Wow, when did you flip to puma?

Seriously, drop the wonkette title.

[wonketteRAWKS]

It was actually during the primaries when the Clintons were called the R word and the O campaign went with it. Also, when the DLC gave away unearned delegates in Michigan and Florida, thus leaving the dem meme of "every vote counts" as hogwash. And then I tok advice from Donna Brazile who said she "would leave the party." Then there's the flip on NAFTA, FISA, Iraq, Campaign Finance, no single payer even near the table, etc.

[Jack78]

What are you the new internet czar?

[denicci1977]

GOP 28% approval rating...Nothing else better to do these day eh ?

[Trustandalwaysverify]

"Analysis: Why everyone is saying no to Obama
By AMIR MIZROCH

Everybody is saying no to the American president these days. And it's not just that they're saying no, it's also the way they're saying no. The Saudis twice said no to his request for normalization gestures towards Israel (at Barack Obama's meeting with King Abdullah in Saudi Arabia, and in Washington at meetings with Hillary Clinton). Who says no to the American president twice? What must they think of Obama in the desert kingdom?

The North Koreans said no to repeated attempts at talks, by test-launching long-range missiles in April; Russia and China keep on saying no to tougher sanctions on Iran; the Iranians keep saying no to offers of talks by saying they're willing to talk about everything except a halt to uranium enrichment; Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is saying no by refusing to meet with Binyamin Netanyahu until Israel freezes all settlement construction; the Israelis said no by refusing to agree to a settlement freeze, or even a settlement moratorium until and unless the Arabs ante up their normalization gestures.

Which brings us back to the original Saudi no. The only thing Obama did manage to get Bibi and Abbas to say yes to is a photo-op at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in NY. Mazel tov. So why is everyone saying no to Obama?

It's the economy, stupid. "

[psnyder]

Gross overgeneralization. "Everyone"? You mean, domestically, the minority that didn't vote for him to begin with, and, internationally, the leaders of countries involved in some of the most intractable international problems? Gee, whoever could have guessed that the likes of them would say "no" to Obama once, twice, and even more than twice?

[Sweetbay]

I would love it if you could provide the link to the U.S. President who got a peace deal while giving a speech at the U.N.

I can't seem to find it.

And, could you please provide the link to the conversations you cited above. I can't seem to find any reference to your assertions of any leaders who have had actual meetings with the President saying "No" to him.

Thank you.

[One more Thing]

You lie.

[RationalDubSteppa]

This is the d*mbest peace of analysis I've wasted my time reading in a while.

[middleoftheroad]

Was ANYONE at The White House on the call in question?

[JulieSA]

Yes. Valerie Jarrett's deputy, Buffy Wicks.

[JulieSA]

Also someone from Serve.gov (which finally took down their ACORN link), and someone from a huge PR firm affiliated with Axelrod. They're the ones who slimed Palin with an astroturf youtube.

[GeorgeP922]

Wow Julie, you got me to turn against Obama, congrats.

Im sure you were boiling mad when Monica Goodling was exposed.

And Palin, your gonna defend Palin, someone who wouldn't spit on you if it would save your life.
Man Freedworks is brilliant!

[JulieSA]

Go to biggovernment.com for the whole story. The White House was asking NEA-supported arts groups to promote Obamacare, and most of them complied.

[Iccarus]

Is that a bad thing?

[Sweetbay]

Are you suggesting that reasonable people should go to a blog called "biggovernment"?

Really?

[thaneb]

As the link you provide demonstrates the White House was NOT asking the arts group to "promote Obamacare"
“I would encourage you to pick something, whether it’s health care, education, the environment, you know, there’s four key areas that the corporation has identified as the areas of service.”
“And then my ask would be to apply artistic, you know, your artistic creative communities utilities and bring them to the table.”
Where in these excerpts from the conference call is there a request to promote? As the author writes, "the organizers never discussed any specific policies"
Do you ALWAYS mischaracterize?

[sassy]

Julie is a good student of Beck's...he covered all this just today...co­incidence? I think not.

[RationalDubSteppa]

biggovernment.com is hardly a respectable news source.

[Lorianne]

Yoshi, meet bus.
Bus, meet Yoshi

[mg moore]

Its hilarious to me how many people you guys are going to let 'the annointed one' throw under the bus and not make a peep.

You're too proud and self deluded to accept that you've been had.... just another hack politician with a gift for oratory....

I honestly was really frightened by the tone of the country on Jan. 20th.... but now all I see is the 'Change' that I want to believe in....

to Conservatives in 2010... Yes We Can!!!!

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Conservatives can't DO anything.

[zanzig]

They can plagiarise others' slogans.

[formerliberal2012]

Wrong.......we have a army behind us........Obama could possibly destroy the left for decades

[c2morow]

I can understand someone who posts a comment like yours to not understand the difference between real leadership and authoritarianism. Pres. Obama believes in accountability, thus the reason for the demotion. This is a sign of a true leader, unlike Bush, who did not throw people under the bus, and now we are in the mess we are in.

[formerliberal2012]

Obama is a major cause of this crisis......key a eye out....we have tied Obama to every criminal group.....news about Acorn "coming soon"

[GeorgeP922]

Ryan, lets hope this is the last Glen Beck powered story.

Aren't you tired of all the tr0lls that come here, why don't you write a story how they completely avoid the Mike Ross scandal, but focus on the "way too black for me" ACORN

[wonketteRAWKS]

That chip is really big!

[So Calif Ind]

Three states and at least 5 different ACORN offices that come up with the same advice and the people in charge of ACORN say it's a few bad apples?

Someone is teaching them what to say and it doesn't sound like a local thing.

[tiredofthesameoldstuff]

You know the Red Cross and other agencies that have lots of volunteer workers have the same issues from time to time right?

[GeorgeP922]

Also Ryan if you are reading, try getting to work on how Nancy Pelosi just killed the deal with the house blue dogs, the SAME day it comes out that blue dog leader Mike Ross might be faces some serious criminal charges.

It's top of the rec list on Kos, how long will you guys wait (as I see the Ross story shot strait to the bottom of the politics page)