Marcus Roberts reversed the credit card charges for his USCF Life
Membership !!!!

Grant Perks, the USCF In-House Accountant and also a candidate for
election to the USCF Executive Board, has posted the startling news
that Marcus Roberts purchased a Life Membership for himself and
regular memberships for nine other people but then subsequently
reversed all the credit card charges for these ten memberships.

Perks says that nevertheless Marcus Roberts and his nine friends have
all received ballots for the current election. Perks wants these ten
ballots to be declared invalid and not counted.

This revelation raises so many questions I cannot even list them all.
First, I do not think that Marcus Roberts or anybody else should be
allowed to reverse credit card charges for a USCF Membership,
particularly where, as here, an election is involved.

Secondly, Grant Perks became aware of this situation by working in the
Crossville Office of the USCF. The other candidates, with the
exception of Ernie Schlich, do not work for the USCF and therefore
would never have known about this.

Judging by the postings by Marcus Roberts on the Internet, it is most
unlikely that Marcus Roberts would vote for Grant Perks or for any
other current USCF employee. Since this election is likely to be
close, Grant Perks is understandably concerned about losing these ten
votes and therefore has complained.

Marcus Roberts is still listed on the USCF website as a Life Member of
the USCF.

http://www.uschess.org/msa/MbrDtlMain.php?12421655

Here is the posting by Grant Perks on this subject:

"I understand that 10 or more ballots were sent to individuals
who should not be considered current members. Apparently an electronic
credit card payment by Marcus Roberts for his life membership as well
as annual memberships for 9 other residents of Florida was backcharged
by American Express at Mr. Roberts's request in March 2006. The USCF
did not correct the membership records for Mr. Roberts, and I assume
they did not correct the membership records of the other 9
individuals.

"In my opinion, the USCF office should review their backcharge
and credit card reversal transactions for the past twelve months to
identify any potential individuals that should be denied voting
privileges. Once identified, the ballots of those individuals should
not be counted in the state delegate election nor special board
election.

"Best,
"Grant Perks"