Pine Bluff NAACP branch President Ivan Whitfield is calling foul play on a text message that was brought to his attention Friday night insinuating that the branch was asking for donations to a personal CashApp account for election purposes.
The message reads: “Good morning. As you know we are in a heated battle with GFPB (Go Forward Pine Bluff) working to beat this ballot initiative. We have a goal to raise $3,000 over the next 4 days. Please consider making a donation of any amount…” The CashApp handle named in the message links back to Whitfield’s wife, Loretta, who is running for the position of city treasurer. The message goes on to say, “If you are able to make a donation, please let me know so we can keep tabs on where we’re at on my end of raising funds. Thank you in advance for your support …” “This text was not authorized by the president or the board,” said Whitfield, adding someone is posting something that looked like it came from the NAACP. “It is my belief it is a false text, and I would love to know who it came from because it is not authorized.” Whitfield also pointed out that the creator of the text never mentions NAACP, but instead uses “we,” never identifying who they are.
When asked why his wife’s CashApp is linked to the message, Whitfield said during Thursday’s NAACP meeting that a December potluck, which his wife oversees, was discussed.
“When people asked how could they make contributions for the potluck, she gave out her CashApp.” Whitfield said all meetings are recorded and everything said in those meetings is reflected in the branch’s minutes.
“Myself as the president, the PAC [Political Action Committee] chairman Albert King nor the treasurer authorized that text,” he said. “The person who posted it on social media should have also revealed who it came from.” The Pine Bluff Commercial asked the person who posted the message on the newspaper’s social media page if they were the recipients of the message, and when and from whom the message was sent.
The response was: “The message was forwarded to me. I shared it in the comments on your post.” Whitfield believes someone is using a strategy of “dirty politics” tricks but said he is not in any political races, even though he has been very vocal about his opposition against Go Forward Pine Bluff.
“I don’t want to believe someone would make up a false text message,” he said. “Maybe it was someone with good intentions who did it, but this was never approved by the NAACP.” Whitfield said he has been up to par on the legalities since having an ethical complaint filed against him a few months ago for some things he claims he didn’t know he needed to do when in opposition to a ballot initiative.
“I called the Attorney General’s office and talked to an attorney and filed the necessary paperwork so we could have the paperwork filed to raise money,” said Whitfield, adding until recently the organization has not been fundraising.
Now that they are raising funds, Whitfield said their bookkeeping is reflective of who donated, how much and what the money was spent on.
“The money raised is given to the treasurer and recorded,” said Whitfield. “The money is deposited in a bank account through our treasurer. When we spend the money, everything is invoiced.”