Thread by @naima, So.... Lee Merritt letting families be used by Trump signals to me [...]

So.... Lee Merritt letting families be used by Trump signals to me that he and Shaun are figuring out the path of greatest visibility moving forward. Shaun can't trade on Sanders' name anymore.
Be clear, the two are partners. In this Grassroots Law thing, in everything...

Not even sneaky, follow-the-thread-to-find partners. They've talked about it. When there's an all too frequent killing of a Black man by police, Shaun handles messaging and "awareness", Lee reaches out to rep the families.

Black PERSON* I should say; lemme check if they repped Breonna's family.

This is why Shaun is always able to say he's in contact with the family, his work is sanctioned by the family, etc. Because of Merritt.

"We have to work with anybody..." is the pivot. Watch this space.
Don't get me wrong, we DO have to go through bipartisan efforts to get things done, but not at the expense of the dignity of these families. https://twitter.com/jay_slypig/status/1272939621953998848?s=20

https://twitter.com/jay_slypig/status/1272939621953998848?s=20

Merritt, Shaun's college classmate (I ain't gonna shout the alma mater out because it deserves better) and - again- teammate in alot of his work, was also one of the members of the panel for that financial audit King was touting last year. Which is why so many of us were like

King talking about the Grassroots Law project, which Merritt is the face of while King is the voice. I have never in my life seen this kind of manipulative language from an org. King is still too closely tied to everything; you never hear about other board members or leadership.

Yup. Although I doubt Lee was on any actual retainer. King just uses his name when he needs to invoke a lawyer. Which, by the way, wouldn't King need a whole different kind of lawyer for HIS personal and organizational needs? Not a civil rights atty? https://twitter.com/luvthispayne/status/1272942425896599553?s=20

https://twitter.com/luvthispayne/status/1272942425896599553?s=20

Again, this ain't even "exposing" anything. Google Shaun and Lee's names together. They interview together, they name check each other, they talk about working together.
None of it's secret....people just somehow miss it.
This is a very coordinated routine with them.

Which THEY see as a positive thing. They have an effective method of bringing awareness, sure. But what does Merritt actually DO for these families?

That's a whole other question. But whatever.

Here’s the thing: in my heart of hearts I actually do believe King wants to be a change agent....
.... but I believe he wants to be KNOWN as a change agent more than he wants to be one.
I don’t think he’ll ever do work without glory attached.

That’s why he won’t appoint boards. That’s why he writes about himself in third person. That’s why he can’t stop launching shit even though he publicly promised to stop organizing and focus on aweness and amplification YEARS ago.
It’s all ego.

And if you ask folks who were close to student government at the ‘House when he was SGA pres, it was all ego then, too.
Great pitchman. Terrible execution.

See, this is EXACTLY my issue with how King moves and, by extension, Merritt (bc this is def King’s playbook). He ALWAYS, ALWAYS circumvents local orgs and organizers. How and *whom* does that help?
https://twitter.com/georgia_naacp/status/1272890309207351297?s=21 https://twitter.com/georgia_naacp/status/1272890309207351297

https://twitter.com/georgia_naacp/status/1272890309207351297?s=21

His ass don’t work with BLM chapters, with on the ground organizers, with established orgs already working toward a cause - but he’ll hijack the messaging and start fundraising for “the work.”
THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER ORG WORKING ON WHATEVER HE’S DOING. Find. It.

WHY THE FUCK IS MS. WANDA ON FOX FUCKING NEWS?!?! Talmbout Trump was compassionate?!?!

Oh nahhhhhhhhh....

This is WORSE than a rose garden photo opp.

https://twitter.com/trumpwarroom/status/1273042594264686593?s=21 https://twitter.com/trumpwarroom/status/1273042594264686593

https://twitter.com/trumpwarroom/status/1273042594264686593?s=21

I didn’t see that earlier.
What I *did* see was the number of posts on King’s Twitter and IG that were anti-Democrat and pro-Republican. Not just messaging bipartisan efforts, but ANTI-Dem.
This. is. a. set. up.

I’m telling y’all. Keep watch.

I feel like Van Jones recruited Shaun to the Shuck and Jive committee. Told him he ain’t gotta go full Diamond & Silk, but can rest somewhere to the left of Canadace Owens and hang out with Kanye.

Because I believe Van is an op...

...but that’s a different thread

Lemme just keep this going bc I’m tired and I feel like people might actully be ready to pay attention. The first shot is my response to someone earlier in this thread re: King as a “leader.”

These posts are from his IG and an ACTUAL Atlanta organizer. People usually say “What about the work he does?!” You mean the work OTHER ppl are already doing that he coopts as his own so he can fundraise?!
Wouldn’t it be BETTER to lend efforts to local groups? Join forces?

I’ll say it again: there is ALWAYS A LOCAL ORG (or SEVERAL) doing the work Shaun claims to do. The ONLY benefit in him not amplifying others instead of coopting messaging himself is the OPPORTINITY TO FUNDRAISE.

... so he can send an email like this.

(And I think somebody from BLM got at him bc be made sure to shout out BLMLA in a recent post about a police reform measure)

https://twitter.com/lesliemac/status/1271233629499412481?s=21 https://twitter.com/lesliemac/status/1271233629499412481

https://twitter.com/lesliemac/status/1271233629499412481?s=21

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