Welcome to the ugly world of USCF politics

This was posted on the USCF Forums yesterday:

Dear friends and colleagues,

I would like to thank the members of the FOC and the moderators for giving up their time to help. However, we are facing a very serious situation. This is the same problem that has existed in the USCF for decades. This is the same problem that chased away many good people including sponsors and supporters.

Not long ago, I decided to make a test. I purposely told someone (who has been a big time person in this system for a long time) some random information. I asked that person to keep it confidential. 2 days later, that information landed in the hands of one of the candidates and it publicly came out. I obviously know how this candidate got the information because I only told 1 person as a test. Checkmate!

Now, we are facing the same situation in this forum. A few weeks ago, one of the posters brought up the name of one of my best friends since I was 17-18 who also happened to be my ex-wife. We have two beautiful kids together (girl 15 and son 14) and we are still great friends to this day. My ex-wife has never attended a single chess tournament and she knows no one in chess. But her name was dragged in this ugly and dirty political game.

I sent a Private Message to 2 FOC members to inform them the identity of the person whose name was dragged into this. This Private Message was leaked and it was not leaked by the 2 people who I sent the PM to. It was leaked by another member of the FOC committee. I know exactly who this person is but it is no use to talk about it. Then I got an anonymous email telling me that he/she knows where my children live.

Private messages are intended to be private. I do not trust anyone who publishes private messages. I think it is unprofessional and I do not condone that kind of behavior. What kind of legal problems would the USCF get into if private messages in the USCF sanctioned forums are published by the USCF office? This is one the big reasons why I decided to run in this election. This sort of practice has happened for decades and it will not stop unless the leadership would be strong enough to put their foot down. It is harmful for the federation legally and professionally.

Some people would do anything to win the election even if they are not qualified or have no necessary experience to help the USCF. They know that nothing will be done to them. I do not expect anything to change now because it is election season. In order to win, one of the oldest tactics is to make sure your opponents are harmed as much as possible.

GM Polgar received anonymous emails not long ago demanding her to drop out of the election or her family and children would be harmed. Other threats were made to her foundation as well. So instead of helping to promote chess, they would stoop to this level. After consulting her attorneys, she was told to get out of this forum or she would be a sitting duck waiting for frivolous lawsuits for political reasons.

Others also faced legal threats. In the mean time, there are tons of problems that are being ignored because we are wasting our time with this kind of nonsense. I have personally apologized to some members of the FOC for having to go through this. A few people feel that they just have to harass and abuse our volunteers and supporters for their own agenda. Nobody deserves to be treated this way, especially people who volunteer their valuable time to help the USCF.

I pleaded over and over to discuss real issues to help the USCF. I pleaded to discuss the qualifications of each candidate. The EB is angry when I brought up the problems facing the USCF. But what have been done to protect our members, sponsors, volunteers or supporters? Is this not important? I will not be a part of this political game.

From this day on, I will no longer post in this (USCF) forum until this disgusting practice of destruction and abuse can be stopped. I stopped once before but many asked me to come back and I gave it another shot. Enough is enough. I am not going to open myself up to potential lawsuits. These people know that I will not sue the USCF because I love chess and I care deeply about this federation.

Once again, I would like to thank the members of the FOC and all the moderators. Just ask yourself one question, if the identity of some of the moderators and FOC members (in the beginning) are supposed to be confidential, how do some of these people know their identities? Why is there a need to protect them? Why do the same 4-5-6 people insisting on finding out their identities? Why shouldn't we make it public? Because these volunteers do not deserve to face what they are facing now!

Just look at has happened! An FOC member resigned quietly and the info was leaked immediately. A new moderator just got started and his identity was leaked! Is this the kind of ethical behavior we expect from our candidates and their supporters? And some USCF EB members, candidates and their supporters attacked me for not revealing info for them to verify my past employment. Do they really expect all of us to be this naive? Amazing! Some things just do not change!

How can you expect different results when we keep on electing the same group of people again and again? If you want to ask me about any USCF issue, please feel free to email me or via Susan’s blog (www.susanpolgar.blogspot.com). I wish you all of you the best and good luck to all the candidates.

Best regards,
Paul Truong - EB Candidate

PS. I am sorry Terry and Gregory! You do not deserve this. You have my most sincere apology. I am very disappointed that the candidates that these people endorsed have not said a thing publicly about the ethics and integrity of their front men. This will not happen under my watch if I am elected. This will stop or the USCF will be doomed. We cannot afford to keep chasing away one good person after another.