I am somewhat reluctant to post this message. I usually don't get involved with politics and more importantly I don't like to deliver negative information concerning our hobby. But, I think that this must be said.

In the election for the CCA Vice-President, there are two candidates. One candidate is running for reelection and is the most hard working and devoted CCA board member. I am voting for Jim Follis for CCA Vice-President, his record of volunteering for the CCA is impeccable. Jim is one of the individuals that I think make this hobby as great as it is.

Now here comes the hard part. The other candidate is someone that I would never do business with. Why? Because he has demonstrated a lack of ethics. As the Webmaster of the ChipGuide, one of my responsibilities is to enforce the ChipGuide Usage Policy, which clearly and simply states that images from the ChipGuide cannot be used for commercial purposes, which includes auctions. This candidate was given multiple warnings that his eBay auctions could not use ChipGuide images. Usually an offender only gets one warning, before the next step in the enforcement policy is taken. But politics as they are, this offender got multiple warnings and still was using ChipGuide images in his eBay auctions.

You may not think that is a big deal, and I was not aware as well until it was explained to me by the CCA's attorney at the time, Eric Rosenblum. ChipGuide images are copyrighted to preserve ownership of the images. Thousands of collectors have entrusted their images with us and the ChipGuide has the responsibility to safeguard and protect them. If the ChipGuide is aware of any Copyright Infringements and does not act to protect the Copyright, then the Copyright may no longer be valid and anyone can freely use ChipGuide images as they please. Someone could make their own website or publish a book with ChipGuide images and we couldn't stop them.

A CCA Code of Ethics violation claim was submitted and an investigation was launched. When the investigator approached this candidate he would not cooperate and instead let his expiring CCA membership lapse. At the time of the violations, he was a member, but after the claim was filed he was no longer a member. The investigation continued anyhow and the claim was upheld. A decision was made to sanction the candidate by not allowing him to rejoin the CCA for at least 6 months. By the way, the refusal to cooperate with the investigation was in itself another Code of Ethics violation.

I believe strongly in the CCA and the Code of Ethics as a standard for all CCA members. There are no exceptions in the Code of Ethics for CCA officials, every member is held to the same standard. It is difficult for me to believe that a Code of Ethics violator is even allowed to run for an elected office in the CCA. Maybe that needs to be changed. The question that you have to ask yourself is:

Can you vote for someone who has violated the CCA's Code of Ethics?