Open Letter to National Parents
Organization
It is time to explain your actions
Part 1
It is far past time for the National Parents Organization to explain why they have worked against every organization that has independently sought to bring comprehensive changes to the approaches that states take to custody laws across the county.
With your appointment of Don Hubin, as your new Interim Executive Director, the responsibility of answering these questions now falls directly on his shoulders. Dodging or failing to answer for the organization's actions will further show that it is the intent of the National Parents Organization to drag the much-needed changes out for years into the future. All information that I am basing these questions that have come from others that have had the misfortune of had the organization interfere with numerous efforts across the country.
Let us start with the issues from across the Nation before we address the long history of personal and organizational screwups in Ohio.
Please explain to the Nation why Rita Fuerst contacted the various independent groups around the country and told them they couldn’t introduce a bill unless NPO vetted the bill first. This was confirmed by a group in Arizona that I had been working with for years. They were working at that time on the final element that would have changed Arizona to equal custody with clear and convincing evidence as to the standard of review. To support that change they came to me for an explanation of why that can be seen here.
Arizona Family Rights
October 8, 2019
I hate to sound condescending on this issue, but it truly was/is unfortunate. As DC should be aware it was myself, Michael Espinoza and two other Senators (obviously with collaboration with other Senators and Representatives) worked relentlessly, and in the face of fierce opposition to our Assumption of Equalized Parenting Time. When the laws passed in 2012 it caused a mini-uproar in the legal community here in Arizona.
The ability to get it done was amazing, we had a zero budget and we were going against huge names in opposition. We were accused of helping dead beat dads, promoting domestic violence, hated kids, etc., but we kept on. We reached out to the NPO multiple times, only for it to reject us because we did not want to use lawyers and their people to get it done. We showed NPO how we could get it done, and we were essentially laughed at and ignored. I am not trying to get a pat on the back, but since 2012 only Kentucky has replicated what Arizona did (Congrats Kentucky). To this day even though NPO knows who caused and allowed these laws to pass there is no mention of our names, our efforts and our . . . No ,the Arizona Legislatures did not ‘just’ pass these laws, we had to brutally fight for them, and tons of work had to be done.
But my greater point to NPO is, why can’t you swallow your pride, realize how successful we were/are, embrace us, and help us move our and your agenda forward. Your position that only lawyers can cause change is what is so wrong here, because it was not lawyers, it was the Great People of Arizona who caused changed. However, and not to kick dirt in the face (though it will appear as such). What have you done NPO as successful? Imagine what could have been done since 2012 if we could have collaborated. Unfortunate that we had something good that could have turned into something amazing only to have you ignore us in this successful adventure . . . I am just so confused as to why you decided to walk away from this monumental turning point over pride. Anyway, I loved the lessons and people who helped us get this through, I just wish NPO, as they could have, would have supported us, and then embraced our activities the throughout the United States. I think that would have been amazing.
Please explain why those associated with NPO in Nebraska insisted on introducing a bill that had already failed twice before. The language of the bill was highly flawed and Kids Have Rights Too had no choice but to ask me to point out the numerous flaws in that bill.
Please explain what the concern was that I wasn’t on the conference call in Nebraska when Rita Fuerst attempted to recruit Dr. Shultz of Kids Have Rights Too to join NPO. Confirmed to me that the first thing said in the conversation when he joined the call was that there were multiple voices that state “That is not Ray.” What is a matter was NPO worried that I would expose the fact that you openly opposed and blocked SB144/HB253 in Ohio?
Please explain to the Nation why when members of Kids Have Rights Too were gathering signatures for a ballot initiative that I had written for them that those that were associated with NPO contacted those that had agreed to help to gather signature to stop because they intended to get a bill introduced. That was confirmed by a Senator in Nebraska. No bill was ever introduced nor even attempt which was confirmed by multiple Senators in Nebraska.
Ned Holstein needs to explain why he refused to support the suggested changes to strengthen a bill that was being worked during the Massachusetts Family Task Force.
These are suggestions that were made: see here
This information came directly from another member of that Task Force and he said that all Ned would say was: “We don’t think it will pass.” That seems to be the only thing that Ned can say in response to any bill or proposed change in legislation that would correct the problems in the Nation’s custody laws. .
Please explain why when Petra Maxwell released her first newsletter to everyone prior to Fathers’ Day she struck out Fathers and replaced it with Parents as her tagline.
Please explain why NPO is claiming that Kentucky is the first state to pass a “shared parenting” when every state has shared parenting, First was California and the last was New you since you have failed to keep up on the history of shared parenting. Kentucky was not the first as that passed bill was nothing but a presumption of equal custody which does not automatically give anyone equal custody. How many times does it have to be pointed out to you that Ohio has had a presumption of equal custody since before 1991? All it takes is to read the ORC, something you obviously refuse to do or choose to ignore.
Ray R. Lautenschlager
National Legislative Director
Ohio Family Rights
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Donald C. Hubin, PhD, Ohio, Interim Chair DonHubin@nationalparentsorganization.org · Director, Center for Ethics and Human Values, The Ohio State University · University of California, Davis, University of Arizona |
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Philip Dyk, Connecticut · Partner, Alinda Capital Partners · Claremont McKenna College |
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Robert A. Franklin, JD, Texas, Journalist for National Parents Organization · National Parents Organization's 'featured columnist' · Formerly Executive Editor, Houston Law Review · University of Houston |
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Matt Hale, MBA, Kentucky · Architectural Sales, Spohn Associates · Bradley University, University of Louisville |
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Benny Hau, MD, California · Medical Director, Physician Assistant Program; Assistant Professor, School of Allied Health, Loma Linda University · Yale University, Loma Linda University |
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Linda Reutzel, Missouri · Owner/CFO FGR Mechanical, Inc. · Southeast Missouri State University |
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Management |
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Ginger Gentile, California, Deputy Executive Director · Activist filmmaker, public speaker and media strategist dedicated to building large coalitions that support making divorce and separation healthier for children. · Her previous, Erasing Dad, (Borrando a Papa, 2014) caused joint custody to be enacted in Argentina. · Third feature documentary, Erasing Family, premiering in the fall of 2019, exposes the trauma children suffer when a loving parent is erased from their lives after divorce and is told from the children's point of view. · Columbia University |
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Lianna Mika, Massachusetts, Office Manager · Manages National Parents Organization's files, database, and general office |
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Executive Directors Emeriti |
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Ned Holstein, MD, MS, Founder and Chairman Emeritus · Nationally recognized expert on the effects of the environment on human health · Founded Fathers and Families, now National Parents Organization, in 1998 to reform the family courts · Harvard College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine |
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Daniel B. Hogan, JD, PhD · Management consultant and author of four books on the regulation of psychotherapists · Yale University, Harvard Law School and Department of Psychology |
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Glenn Sacks, MA · Leading voice for family court reform · University of California, Los Angeles |
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Rita Fuerst Adams, MBA · More than thirty years' experience in not-for-profit management, organizational development, and fundraising · Capital University, Ohio University |
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California |
Nazly Behnia |
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Georgia |
Jason Ibarra |
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Legislative Liaison |
David James |
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Florida |
Dawn Endria McCarty |
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Hawaii |
Tina Lia |
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Idaho |
Jerry Papin |
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Illinois |
William Cozzi |
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Kansas |
Will Mitchell |
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Vice-Chair |
Chris Batcheller |
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Kentucky |
Matt Hancock |
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Vice-Chair |
Jason Griffith |
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Director of Women's Outreach |
Alexandra Beckman |
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Clinical Director of Family Preservation |
Jen Warawa |
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Maryland |
Andrew Marshall |
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Massachusetts |
Ned Holstein |
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Coordinator |
Richard Fucillo |
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Missouri |
Linda Reutzel |
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New
York |
Clayton Craddock |
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North
Carolina |
Dustin Long |
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Vice-Chair |
Michelle Capps |
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Military Liaison |
April Kirk |
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Ohio |
Don Hubin |
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Pennsylvania |
Stephen Meehan |
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Texas |
Chris Piper |
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Director of Legislative Affairs |
Dave Edmondson |
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Director of Media and Communications |
Miles Olson |
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Utah |
David Daniels |
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Chairman of Legislative Affairs |
Dan Deuel |
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Virginia |
Christian Paasch |
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Co-Chair |
Kristen Paasch |
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Washington |
Dan Hund |
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West
Virginia |
Chad Phillips |
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Vice-Chair |
Dakota Collins |
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Social Media & Women's Outreach |
Samantha Smith |
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Wisconsin |
Tony Bickel |
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California |
Nazly Behnia |
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Georgia |
Jason Ibarra |
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Legislative Liaison |
David James |
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Hawaii |
Tina Lia |
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Idaho |
Jerry Papin |
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Illinois |
William Cozzi |
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Kansas |
Will Mitchell |
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Vice-Chair |
Chris Batcheller |
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Kentucky |
Matt Hancock |
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Vice-Chair |
Jason Griffith |
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Director of Women's Outreach |
Alexandra Beckman |
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Clinical Director of Family Preservation |
Jen Warawa |
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Maryland |
Andrew Marshall |
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Massachusetts |
Ned Holstein |
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Coordinator |
Richard Fucillo |
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Missouri |
Linda Reutzel |
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New York |
Josh Blumenthal |
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Co-Chair |
Clayton Craddock |
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North Carolina |
Dustin Long |
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Ohio |
Don Hubin |
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Pennsylvania |
Stephen Meehan |
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Texas |
Dave Edmondson |
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Utah |
David Daniels |
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Chairman of Legislative Affairs |
Dan Deuel |
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Virginia |
Christian Paasch |
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Co-Chair |
Kristen Paasch |
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Washington |
Dan Hund |
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West Virginia |
Chad Phillips |
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Vice-Chair |
Dakota Collins |
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Social Media & Women's Outreach |
Samantha Smith |
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