Deborah Butler posts an email from TONY BENNETT
November 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
The Madeleine Foundation
66 Chippingfield Tel: 01279 635789
HARLOW, EssexCM17 0DJ
e-mail: ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Dear Debbie
Expulsion from membership of The Madeleine Foundation
It is with great regret that the undermentioned members of The Madeleine Foundation Committee have unanimously resolved to expel you from membership of The Madeleine Foundation for conduct which has brought or tended to bring The Madeleine Foundation into disrepute, please see Paragraph 6 of our Constitution. The particulars of how you have brought the Foundation into disrepute are shown on the attached sheet.You have the right of appeal against our decision and you should submit your decision to Tony. This decision does not in any way mean that we do not recognise the huge contribution you have made within The Madeleine Foundation towards truth and justice for Madeleine, and which all of us have deeply appreciated. But your conduct especially since 26 October regrettably gave us no alternative.
Signed: Sharon Lawrence
Grenville Green
Helene Davies-Green
Tony Bennett
_____________________________________
Deborah Butler posted an email that she received from Carina
04 November at 8:22 pm
Dear Debbie,
Hallo. It's me (NAME REMOVED) here. I hope you can remember me. We met at the Harlow meeting, and spoke together towards the end of the meeting. Debbie, I'm really sorry I haven't been in touch with you before today. You will have needed every bit of support you could get these past two months, and I'm so sorry that I didn't even drop you a line. I really should have written to you before now, to let you know how much I support you. I didn't, but I haven't forgotten you, and I know you are a wonderful, genuine, decent, honest, kind and strong person, who I am very proud to have met.I wanted to let you know a couple of things today. The Harlow meeting was on the Saturday, and the next evening, Tony Bennett had invited (NAME REMOVED) and me round to his house. Everything went pleasantly, and Greta cooked us a really good meal. Towards the end of the evening, however, I thought I'd mention to them, just how much Grenville Green and his wife had disgusted and insulted me at the meeting the previous day. Helen Green had literally exploded at me with rage, after I had extremely quietly dared to say that I agree with the idea of a united Europe. She immediately blew her top at me, and I more or less fell into a state of shock. I still wanted to say goodbye to Grenville though, before they left, so I went over to him to shake his hand. I asked him to give my love to Derby from me, to which he replied, "The question is, is Derby missing you?" That knocked me out a bit more again, because up till then, I had really thought Grenville was a nice person, and hadn't expected anything like that. By the time you and I had got talking, I was just about in a daze, wondering what in the world had just hit me in the face!
Anyway, Tony Bennett and Greta seemed quite sympathetic with me about that. I got the impression they had both experienced the Greens' explosive rages before. So I then dared again to mention my opinion that I do believe in a united Europe as an ideal unity, and not just one for an individual country's financial benefit. This time I experienced Tony Bennett's - if more controlled - rage! He looked as though he was really trying to control his temper. He walked out of the room, came back a few minutes later to tell me I was "completely wrong", and threw a few statistics around he had just thought up, to "prove" his point!These three people (TB, GG and wife) are members of the UKIP party, and are extremely right-wing people. I just kept thinking, my God, I've lived 37 years in Germany, and where do I go to, to meet extreme right-wing idiots for the very first time? - England, Harlow!! The evening finished, we parted, and (NAME REMOVED) and I returned home the next morning, with me still in a state of shock.A week later (NAME REMOVED) I went on holiday to Portugal for a week. We stayed in Lagos, went to PdL on one day, and we also met up with (NAMES REMOVED)!! I tried to explain my misgivings to them about Tony Bennett, but wasn't very successful, I don't think, mainly because I couldn't really explain myself very well, and also because I think everybody just thought I shouldn't let his politics bother me. But extreme right-wing, near-Nazi politics do bother me a great deal!! - Always have done and always will.Since then, I've not posted much anywhere - never did really much anyway. I've just read, and seen everything you were going through, and your courage. I finally decided to write to you today, since seeing that TB has disappointed you as well. I just wanted to say that I have not forgotten you, and that I know you are a decent, honest and caring person.
Take care, Carina.
________________________________________
Bank Account Frozen by Chairwoman Debbie Butler
By admin • Nov 5th, 2009 •
Category: Headline The Chairwoman of the Madeleine Foundation has just requested that this statement is placed on this website:
“I have found some evidence of serious fraud in connection with the Madeleine Foundation finances that were administered by secretary Tony Bennett. I have taken immediate action and yesterday I froze the company bank account. Mr. Bennett has failed to respond to important questions sent by email and he is refusing to answer the phone. Any member with any questions about this matter can contact me by phone or email. I will be more than happy to speak to them.
Chairwoman, Debbie Butler”
___________________________________
POSTED BY TONY BENNETT 5 November 2009
On madeleinefoundation.org
Steve,I cannot believe you have just posted this. The two of you - you and Debbie - seem to have gone utterly insane:
http://madeleinefoundation.org/main/2009/11/bank-account-frozen-by-chairwoman-debbie-butler/
There is absolutely nothing in what Debbie says, same as for much else that she has said in the past two weeks. In fact it is an outrageous and deliberate lie. The accounts have been scrupulously kept and Debbie has always known about all payments in and out of The Foundation, as my frequent e-mails to hear bear testimony. No cheques have been paid out since 2 October when we met Kirwans in Liverpool. Your own credibility will suffer as a result of this Steve. I cannot afford to take libel proceedings against you or issue writs, but this is almost an unpardonable offence the two of you have committed. It would be very hard for me to forgive this one. Especially as in fact the Foundation owes me money in respect of postage etc. as yet unclaimed.I must insist you remove this straightaway and apologise for posting it up.
By the way, I went to the bank several days ago, properly notified them there was a dispute according to established procedure, explained that a new Committee was in operation, and added that new signatories to the account would be provided after our meeting on 14 November. Debbie is lying, I'm sorry to say it but there is no other word, and I just know she has no evidence; I also know that she cannot have given you any evidence therefore you are wholly guilty of the libel as you can't have seen any evidence to substantiate your article. Nor did you check any of Debbie's increasingly wilder accusations with me before posting..It's not very often I'm dumbstruck and shaken to the core, but this is one of those occasions.It makes me wonder all the more what Debbie Butler has been talking about in the many conversations she admits to having recently with Clarence Mitchell and Adrian Upshon (aka "Deuce", aka "Modnrodder") which you also know all about.You won't destroy the Foundation and me over this. But in time your consciences will get the better of you for circulating a deliberate, calculated and wholly untrue libel.In the meantime, a 3-year-old British girl waits for the truth about her to be uncovered.
Tony Bennett
EMAILS--——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Debbie Butler accuses Tony Bennett of ‘Serious Fraud’
From: ANTHONY BENNETT ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Date: Thu, November 05, 2009 2:40 pm
To: admin@truthformadeleine.com
Cc: butler683@btinternet.com
Steve,I’ve not even read your flurry of e-mails yesterday.You are guilty of a clear libel – period.I require you to put up my response to you word for word and I will reply to each of your various e-mails within the next 72 hours, I have other things to do as well as reply to those. We are staying with my mother over the weekend so I can’t reply to all your e-mails until the weekend is over. Already the e-mails are streaming in to me saying that people have now lost trust in you as well as in Debbie.
You said: “However, I said and I repeat that I am not going to take sides on this”
ANSWER: You already have. Big time. So you are willing to publish libel without checking?
STEVO: If you want me to publish your side of it then I will do. Debbie Butler told me she is still the Chairwoman of the Madeleine Foundation, that she is perfectly ok with the website and that she wished for that story to go on there. I will post anything you like on there”
ANSWER: So please post my initial reply to you, unedited, if you have not already done so.
Tony—
EMAIL from Steve--——– Original Message ——–
On Thu, 5/11/09, admin@truthformadeleine.com
wrote:
From: admin@truthformadeleine.com admin@truthformadeleine.com
Subject: RE: Debbie Butler accuses Tony Bennett of ‘Serious Fraud’
To: “ANTHONY BENNETT” ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Date: Thursday, 5 November, 2009, 2:25 PM
Tony,I said yesterday that I didn’t want to be involved in this. I also sent you several emails asking some questions which I thought you would have had the decency to have answered.Time cannot have been a factor because your answers would have required less typing than there is below. But you haven’t responded to me and I’m mystified why. I like you, we’ve got on well in the past two years and all of a sudden your behaviour has gone…well…to put it mildly, “bizarre”.However, I said and I repeat that I am not going to take sides on this. If you want me to publish your side of it then I will do. Debbie Butler told me she is still the Chairwoman of the Madeleine Foundation, that she is perfectly ok with the website and that she wished for that story to go on there. I will post anything you like on there – as I will post anything Debbie requests.Can you specify what is libelous about the short story? Your heading here is wrong. The article does not accuse you of fraud – serious or otherwise.I have no intentions whatsoever to destroy anyone. I am running a website for the Madeleine Foundation. I am getting two sides of this – please understand my position. How do I know you are any more right or wrong than she is? She claims to be the Madeleine Foundation chairperson and you say you sacked her. How do I know? Debbie is or was a director of the Madeleine Foundation. She says she was not involved in any decision to fire her. How then can the meeting to oust her have been done in accordance with any regulations, policies or procedures?
Steve====================
Debbie Says: (on madeleinefoundation)November 5th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Mr Bennett, I would advise you to resign please as I have asked and also for you to give me an apology without further delay
Sharon Says: November 5th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Dear Steve
Please, I am asking you politely to remove this content from the webite. http://madeleinefoundation.org/main/200%20...%20ie-butler/
There is a dispute between Debbie and Tony, but you have only heard one side, I for one have heard both. I can confirm that Debbie’s allegations against Tony are wholly untrue, unfounded and libelous. In fact, what she is doing is nothing short of cruel, it is a horrible vindictive vendetta against a gentleman who has worked really hard to get the truth out about Madeleine`s disappearance, is this not what you want too? All this is simply because he would not risk his home and family for the cause, would you? Debbie felt that he should, I along with many others strongly disagree.I see absolutely no reason to suggest that there is any improper conduct on anyone’s part with regards the fund. The books are all in order and available for inspection. I do not know what grounds Debbie has for suggesting that there is any fraud, I guess none.I guarantee that Tony had offered Debbie re-imbursement of her expenses each time he saw her, but being a generous lady she declined each time. When she did request payment, she received the full amount within a few days. As for the 4 four signed cheques, this was because of an agreement between Tony and herself. Since she lived 60 miles away, she would sign a few cheques in advance for payment of bills, when they were used Tony would notify her. As it is, these cheques have not yet been used. What evidence do you have to say that anything is wrong here? Besides, why would she sign the cheques if she did not trust him? Think about it, doesn’t ring true, does it?For your information, Debbie is NOT the chair-person of the Madeleine Foundation since the committee saw fit to expel her for misconduct within the past few days, this has the backing of many of the members and supporters. The fund has not been frozen and certainly not by the ex-chairperson. As a matter of fact, Tony has been to the bank to explain the situation and to change the signatories. The committee have been informed of all events.A letter has recently been sent out to all members which included a summary of income and expenditure and a note to say that they can be subject to audit should anyone request this. I will say that we have had a very good response from the members who have been very supportive, and I am sure that they will all agree that Tony Bennett is a hardworking and very trustworthy and highly respected gentleman who has put everything into finding truth and justice for Madeleine, he has been completely honest with all of us and we have no reason whatsoever to doubt his integrity. Contrast this with the outburst from Debbie on the MM (Missingmadeleine) forum starting Oct 26th.To be quite honest with you Steve, I thought that you were very much like Tony in some ways, very professional, friendly, putting everything into the cause. Your websites are brilliant, second to none and I really believed that you were interested in truth for Madeleine and working with us over here as part of a large team to discover the truth. It seems that maybe I was wrong about you now that you are in association with a woman who is now in association with Clarence Mitchell and Adrian Upshon, a woman who has attempted to bring the Madeleine Foundation into disrepute and who as a result has now been expelled from the foundation. What exactly do you want Steve? I will give you the benefit of the doubt here (since I am aware that Debbie has been in contact with a large number of people, who then contacted us complaining about her behaviour) that you have fallen for the lies that have been dished out to you. Just one question Steve, are you with us in the search for the truth of what happened to this little girl or are you happy to discredit yourself in long term by playing silly beggars with Debbie Butler? Think about it, it’s your reputation that is on the line.Having said all this, I strongly believe that you owe Tony Bennett and the Foundation a very big and public apology – I will look forward to reading this on the site. Then perhaps we can all get on with working together.
PS. Apologies for my tone,
Best wishes
SHARON
___________________________________
Jolie Says: (on Madeleinefoundation.org)November 5th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Not knowing either Debbie or Tony, but having been in occasional communication with Tony for two years online and by e-mail with my posting name and in my real identity, as well as making donations to the Madeleine Foundation, I am upset to see what is written on this site in the last few days.I think Debbie should have asked Stevo to post a prominent notice asking members to contact her directly so that she could send important information to members about an important issue. Publicly making claims about Tony Bennett, without back-up proof (the photo of the blank checks is not enough, imo), not only harms Tony, but everyone that has been in contact with and worked with or on behalf of the Foundation. It also makes Debbie Butler look unprofessional, in my opinion, by her way of handling this.Tell me, please why anyone else, at this point, has to know the bank account is frozen? Are any one of us about to write a check from the account or ask for one from the Foundation? If it was important not to make any further donations, at this time, until an independent audit was performed, that could have been stated as well, without going into details.If there are serious issues to be addressed, address them, and then announce information when it has been proven and not suspected.If Debbie is wrong about Tony Bennett’s handling of the fund, I hope he successfully sues her.If Debbie is right, then damn it, Tony, shame on you. We counted on you to be one of the good guys.
Stevo replies:
I will attempt to answer your points.
1. For the past three weeks I’ve deferred posting anything because I’ve noticed some behind the scenes activities and even Tony ignored me. Vital and important questions simply weren’t being addressed. For instance, Tony never ever wrote to tell me that I had to take the website down after TB and DB visited Kirwans. Tony just posted a few comments in other forums about what the CR demands were. Then I read that Tony was talking about setting up a new website and he actually asked for help in setting one up (not my help – from elsewhere). This was strange because if he had really capitulated to the demands of CR then why would he set up a new website? I wrote to ask him why he couldn’t just amend content in here if he intended setting up a new website and I got no satisfactory answer.
2. The blank cheques are not the only thing. There are many other things that cannot be disclosed in a public forum. Blank cheques don’t involve amounts of money for example. They only involve intent.
3. I suggested to Debbie that she contact the members of the MF because Tony often will say he’s spoken to the members and they all agree with him. For instance he scolded me for not taking the website down (without written notification) and he said MF members agreed with him. I pointed out that I had many emails and comments from MF members saying how pleased they were that I kept the site running. One was Grenville Green. His post is still on this site where he compliments me for keeping the site up. Where are these “members” that Tony mentions all the time? There are never any names….it’s always “members agree with me”. Who agrees with him?
4. I asked Debbie about the membership and she had no clue. Once again it is something Tony keeps close to his chest – so close nobody else can see.
5. Debbie and Tony started the MF – she was chairperson and Tony was the secretary. There was no “committee” or “Board”. If there was, Debbie never knew or was involved in voting anyone in on that. The Foundation policy document states “board” not “committee”. Why then does Tony refer to the “committee”? Who are they? When were they elected and by whom?
6. Debbie has put her hand in her own pocket more than enough times. I have told her she has been silly for subsidising it out of her pocket when clearly there must be income from the books and donations. Debbie is a single parent mother. Tony has a far higher financial standing than Debbie but she is the one doing all the subsidising. Why?Nobody and certainly not Debbie has accused Tony of Fraud. She has found evidence of fraud in the Foundation funds that Tony administers. That statement is 100% true. If Tony or anyone else wants to turn it into an implication of something more serious they are wrong. Debbie has acted entirely appropriately. The bank and police have both told her so. Why should anyone have a problem with that?If there is no fraud or there have been mistakes then they need to be rectified and operating procedures need to be adhered to. I’m sorry but asking a fellow director/proprietor/partner etc. to sign blank cheques is absolutely barmy. Considering she says she’s never done it before only adds more mystery to being asked to do so.And why did David Kirwan say to Debbie on the phone that he hadn’t asked for more money despite Tony Bennett telling Debbie that he had – around the same time those 4 blank cheques were written?Oh and to answer your question why was the bank account frozen….that’s simple. If there was any risk of money being taken out of the company inappropriately then freezing it is the best solution. How else could you prevent money being taken out?And anyway – what exactly does the Foundation have to pay for? Like Debbie says….what are these bills? There is no official office, vehicles, etc. so what is so urgent that it needs 4 cheques. Look at the numbers on the cheques. They are in the low 20s. That’s not many cheques for over a year’s trading is it? So why 4 all of a sudden to be required in the space of 2 weeks prior to Tony’s holiday
Stevo =================
Debbie Butler said: (on madeleinefoundation.org)
6th November 2009
I have told Carter Ruck that I wish to keep this website with anything containing libel removed. I do not see why this site should close and if they wish to take me to court they can, so I merely rang them to tell them that. I am not a liar and I am not “gloating”. Can we move on now?
Stevo said:
Debbie, I misunderstood you. People naturally wonder why you rang them. Why did you need to call them and tell them of your intents? I find that strange too. I don’t think by calling them people are branding you a liar. It’s just puzzling why you call them when you don’t need to.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
The Madeleine Foundation
66 Chippingfield Tel: 01279 635789
HARLOW, EssexCM17 0DJ
e-mail: ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Dear Debbie
Expulsion from membership of The Madeleine Foundation
It is with great regret that the undermentioned members of The Madeleine Foundation Committee have unanimously resolved to expel you from membership of The Madeleine Foundation for conduct which has brought or tended to bring The Madeleine Foundation into disrepute, please see Paragraph 6 of our Constitution. The particulars of how you have brought the Foundation into disrepute are shown on the attached sheet.You have the right of appeal against our decision and you should submit your decision to Tony. This decision does not in any way mean that we do not recognise the huge contribution you have made within The Madeleine Foundation towards truth and justice for Madeleine, and which all of us have deeply appreciated. But your conduct especially since 26 October regrettably gave us no alternative.
Signed: Sharon Lawrence
Grenville Green
Helene Davies-Green
Tony Bennett
_____________________________________
Deborah Butler posted an email that she received from Carina
04 November at 8:22 pm
Dear Debbie,
Hallo. It's me (NAME REMOVED) here. I hope you can remember me. We met at the Harlow meeting, and spoke together towards the end of the meeting. Debbie, I'm really sorry I haven't been in touch with you before today. You will have needed every bit of support you could get these past two months, and I'm so sorry that I didn't even drop you a line. I really should have written to you before now, to let you know how much I support you. I didn't, but I haven't forgotten you, and I know you are a wonderful, genuine, decent, honest, kind and strong person, who I am very proud to have met.I wanted to let you know a couple of things today. The Harlow meeting was on the Saturday, and the next evening, Tony Bennett had invited (NAME REMOVED) and me round to his house. Everything went pleasantly, and Greta cooked us a really good meal. Towards the end of the evening, however, I thought I'd mention to them, just how much Grenville Green and his wife had disgusted and insulted me at the meeting the previous day. Helen Green had literally exploded at me with rage, after I had extremely quietly dared to say that I agree with the idea of a united Europe. She immediately blew her top at me, and I more or less fell into a state of shock. I still wanted to say goodbye to Grenville though, before they left, so I went over to him to shake his hand. I asked him to give my love to Derby from me, to which he replied, "The question is, is Derby missing you?" That knocked me out a bit more again, because up till then, I had really thought Grenville was a nice person, and hadn't expected anything like that. By the time you and I had got talking, I was just about in a daze, wondering what in the world had just hit me in the face!
Anyway, Tony Bennett and Greta seemed quite sympathetic with me about that. I got the impression they had both experienced the Greens' explosive rages before. So I then dared again to mention my opinion that I do believe in a united Europe as an ideal unity, and not just one for an individual country's financial benefit. This time I experienced Tony Bennett's - if more controlled - rage! He looked as though he was really trying to control his temper. He walked out of the room, came back a few minutes later to tell me I was "completely wrong", and threw a few statistics around he had just thought up, to "prove" his point!These three people (TB, GG and wife) are members of the UKIP party, and are extremely right-wing people. I just kept thinking, my God, I've lived 37 years in Germany, and where do I go to, to meet extreme right-wing idiots for the very first time? - England, Harlow!! The evening finished, we parted, and (NAME REMOVED) and I returned home the next morning, with me still in a state of shock.A week later (NAME REMOVED) I went on holiday to Portugal for a week. We stayed in Lagos, went to PdL on one day, and we also met up with (NAMES REMOVED)!! I tried to explain my misgivings to them about Tony Bennett, but wasn't very successful, I don't think, mainly because I couldn't really explain myself very well, and also because I think everybody just thought I shouldn't let his politics bother me. But extreme right-wing, near-Nazi politics do bother me a great deal!! - Always have done and always will.Since then, I've not posted much anywhere - never did really much anyway. I've just read, and seen everything you were going through, and your courage. I finally decided to write to you today, since seeing that TB has disappointed you as well. I just wanted to say that I have not forgotten you, and that I know you are a decent, honest and caring person.
Take care, Carina.
________________________________________
Bank Account Frozen by Chairwoman Debbie Butler
By admin • Nov 5th, 2009 •
Category: Headline The Chairwoman of the Madeleine Foundation has just requested that this statement is placed on this website:
“I have found some evidence of serious fraud in connection with the Madeleine Foundation finances that were administered by secretary Tony Bennett. I have taken immediate action and yesterday I froze the company bank account. Mr. Bennett has failed to respond to important questions sent by email and he is refusing to answer the phone. Any member with any questions about this matter can contact me by phone or email. I will be more than happy to speak to them.
Chairwoman, Debbie Butler”
___________________________________
POSTED BY TONY BENNETT 5 November 2009
On madeleinefoundation.org
Steve,I cannot believe you have just posted this. The two of you - you and Debbie - seem to have gone utterly insane:
http://madeleinefoundation.org/main/2009/11/bank-account-frozen-by-chairwoman-debbie-butler/
There is absolutely nothing in what Debbie says, same as for much else that she has said in the past two weeks. In fact it is an outrageous and deliberate lie. The accounts have been scrupulously kept and Debbie has always known about all payments in and out of The Foundation, as my frequent e-mails to hear bear testimony. No cheques have been paid out since 2 October when we met Kirwans in Liverpool. Your own credibility will suffer as a result of this Steve. I cannot afford to take libel proceedings against you or issue writs, but this is almost an unpardonable offence the two of you have committed. It would be very hard for me to forgive this one. Especially as in fact the Foundation owes me money in respect of postage etc. as yet unclaimed.I must insist you remove this straightaway and apologise for posting it up.
By the way, I went to the bank several days ago, properly notified them there was a dispute according to established procedure, explained that a new Committee was in operation, and added that new signatories to the account would be provided after our meeting on 14 November. Debbie is lying, I'm sorry to say it but there is no other word, and I just know she has no evidence; I also know that she cannot have given you any evidence therefore you are wholly guilty of the libel as you can't have seen any evidence to substantiate your article. Nor did you check any of Debbie's increasingly wilder accusations with me before posting..It's not very often I'm dumbstruck and shaken to the core, but this is one of those occasions.It makes me wonder all the more what Debbie Butler has been talking about in the many conversations she admits to having recently with Clarence Mitchell and Adrian Upshon (aka "Deuce", aka "Modnrodder") which you also know all about.You won't destroy the Foundation and me over this. But in time your consciences will get the better of you for circulating a deliberate, calculated and wholly untrue libel.In the meantime, a 3-year-old British girl waits for the truth about her to be uncovered.
Tony Bennett
EMAILS--——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Debbie Butler accuses Tony Bennett of ‘Serious Fraud’
From: ANTHONY BENNETT ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Date: Thu, November 05, 2009 2:40 pm
To: admin@truthformadeleine.com
Cc: butler683@btinternet.com
Steve,I’ve not even read your flurry of e-mails yesterday.You are guilty of a clear libel – period.I require you to put up my response to you word for word and I will reply to each of your various e-mails within the next 72 hours, I have other things to do as well as reply to those. We are staying with my mother over the weekend so I can’t reply to all your e-mails until the weekend is over. Already the e-mails are streaming in to me saying that people have now lost trust in you as well as in Debbie.
You said: “However, I said and I repeat that I am not going to take sides on this”
ANSWER: You already have. Big time. So you are willing to publish libel without checking?
STEVO: If you want me to publish your side of it then I will do. Debbie Butler told me she is still the Chairwoman of the Madeleine Foundation, that she is perfectly ok with the website and that she wished for that story to go on there. I will post anything you like on there”
ANSWER: So please post my initial reply to you, unedited, if you have not already done so.
Tony—
EMAIL from Steve--——– Original Message ——–
On Thu, 5/11/09, admin@truthformadeleine.com
From: admin@truthformadeleine.com admin@truthformadeleine.com
Subject: RE: Debbie Butler accuses Tony Bennett of ‘Serious Fraud’
To: “ANTHONY BENNETT” ajsbennett@btinternet.com
Date: Thursday, 5 November, 2009, 2:25 PM
Tony,I said yesterday that I didn’t want to be involved in this. I also sent you several emails asking some questions which I thought you would have had the decency to have answered.Time cannot have been a factor because your answers would have required less typing than there is below. But you haven’t responded to me and I’m mystified why. I like you, we’ve got on well in the past two years and all of a sudden your behaviour has gone…well…to put it mildly, “bizarre”.However, I said and I repeat that I am not going to take sides on this. If you want me to publish your side of it then I will do. Debbie Butler told me she is still the Chairwoman of the Madeleine Foundation, that she is perfectly ok with the website and that she wished for that story to go on there. I will post anything you like on there – as I will post anything Debbie requests.Can you specify what is libelous about the short story? Your heading here is wrong. The article does not accuse you of fraud – serious or otherwise.I have no intentions whatsoever to destroy anyone. I am running a website for the Madeleine Foundation. I am getting two sides of this – please understand my position. How do I know you are any more right or wrong than she is? She claims to be the Madeleine Foundation chairperson and you say you sacked her. How do I know? Debbie is or was a director of the Madeleine Foundation. She says she was not involved in any decision to fire her. How then can the meeting to oust her have been done in accordance with any regulations, policies or procedures?
Steve====================
Debbie Says: (on madeleinefoundation)November 5th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Mr Bennett, I would advise you to resign please as I have asked and also for you to give me an apology without further delay
Sharon Says: November 5th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Dear Steve
Please, I am asking you politely to remove this content from the webite. http://madeleinefoundation.org/main/200%20...%20ie-butler/
There is a dispute between Debbie and Tony, but you have only heard one side, I for one have heard both. I can confirm that Debbie’s allegations against Tony are wholly untrue, unfounded and libelous. In fact, what she is doing is nothing short of cruel, it is a horrible vindictive vendetta against a gentleman who has worked really hard to get the truth out about Madeleine`s disappearance, is this not what you want too? All this is simply because he would not risk his home and family for the cause, would you? Debbie felt that he should, I along with many others strongly disagree.I see absolutely no reason to suggest that there is any improper conduct on anyone’s part with regards the fund. The books are all in order and available for inspection. I do not know what grounds Debbie has for suggesting that there is any fraud, I guess none.I guarantee that Tony had offered Debbie re-imbursement of her expenses each time he saw her, but being a generous lady she declined each time. When she did request payment, she received the full amount within a few days. As for the 4 four signed cheques, this was because of an agreement between Tony and herself. Since she lived 60 miles away, she would sign a few cheques in advance for payment of bills, when they were used Tony would notify her. As it is, these cheques have not yet been used. What evidence do you have to say that anything is wrong here? Besides, why would she sign the cheques if she did not trust him? Think about it, doesn’t ring true, does it?For your information, Debbie is NOT the chair-person of the Madeleine Foundation since the committee saw fit to expel her for misconduct within the past few days, this has the backing of many of the members and supporters. The fund has not been frozen and certainly not by the ex-chairperson. As a matter of fact, Tony has been to the bank to explain the situation and to change the signatories. The committee have been informed of all events.A letter has recently been sent out to all members which included a summary of income and expenditure and a note to say that they can be subject to audit should anyone request this. I will say that we have had a very good response from the members who have been very supportive, and I am sure that they will all agree that Tony Bennett is a hardworking and very trustworthy and highly respected gentleman who has put everything into finding truth and justice for Madeleine, he has been completely honest with all of us and we have no reason whatsoever to doubt his integrity. Contrast this with the outburst from Debbie on the MM (Missingmadeleine) forum starting Oct 26th.To be quite honest with you Steve, I thought that you were very much like Tony in some ways, very professional, friendly, putting everything into the cause. Your websites are brilliant, second to none and I really believed that you were interested in truth for Madeleine and working with us over here as part of a large team to discover the truth. It seems that maybe I was wrong about you now that you are in association with a woman who is now in association with Clarence Mitchell and Adrian Upshon, a woman who has attempted to bring the Madeleine Foundation into disrepute and who as a result has now been expelled from the foundation. What exactly do you want Steve? I will give you the benefit of the doubt here (since I am aware that Debbie has been in contact with a large number of people, who then contacted us complaining about her behaviour) that you have fallen for the lies that have been dished out to you. Just one question Steve, are you with us in the search for the truth of what happened to this little girl or are you happy to discredit yourself in long term by playing silly beggars with Debbie Butler? Think about it, it’s your reputation that is on the line.Having said all this, I strongly believe that you owe Tony Bennett and the Foundation a very big and public apology – I will look forward to reading this on the site. Then perhaps we can all get on with working together.
PS. Apologies for my tone,
Best wishes
SHARON
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Jolie Says: (on Madeleinefoundation.org)November 5th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Not knowing either Debbie or Tony, but having been in occasional communication with Tony for two years online and by e-mail with my posting name and in my real identity, as well as making donations to the Madeleine Foundation, I am upset to see what is written on this site in the last few days.I think Debbie should have asked Stevo to post a prominent notice asking members to contact her directly so that she could send important information to members about an important issue. Publicly making claims about Tony Bennett, without back-up proof (the photo of the blank checks is not enough, imo), not only harms Tony, but everyone that has been in contact with and worked with or on behalf of the Foundation. It also makes Debbie Butler look unprofessional, in my opinion, by her way of handling this.Tell me, please why anyone else, at this point, has to know the bank account is frozen? Are any one of us about to write a check from the account or ask for one from the Foundation? If it was important not to make any further donations, at this time, until an independent audit was performed, that could have been stated as well, without going into details.If there are serious issues to be addressed, address them, and then announce information when it has been proven and not suspected.If Debbie is wrong about Tony Bennett’s handling of the fund, I hope he successfully sues her.If Debbie is right, then damn it, Tony, shame on you. We counted on you to be one of the good guys.
Stevo replies:
I will attempt to answer your points.
1. For the past three weeks I’ve deferred posting anything because I’ve noticed some behind the scenes activities and even Tony ignored me. Vital and important questions simply weren’t being addressed. For instance, Tony never ever wrote to tell me that I had to take the website down after TB and DB visited Kirwans. Tony just posted a few comments in other forums about what the CR demands were. Then I read that Tony was talking about setting up a new website and he actually asked for help in setting one up (not my help – from elsewhere). This was strange because if he had really capitulated to the demands of CR then why would he set up a new website? I wrote to ask him why he couldn’t just amend content in here if he intended setting up a new website and I got no satisfactory answer.
2. The blank cheques are not the only thing. There are many other things that cannot be disclosed in a public forum. Blank cheques don’t involve amounts of money for example. They only involve intent.
3. I suggested to Debbie that she contact the members of the MF because Tony often will say he’s spoken to the members and they all agree with him. For instance he scolded me for not taking the website down (without written notification) and he said MF members agreed with him. I pointed out that I had many emails and comments from MF members saying how pleased they were that I kept the site running. One was Grenville Green. His post is still on this site where he compliments me for keeping the site up. Where are these “members” that Tony mentions all the time? There are never any names….it’s always “members agree with me”. Who agrees with him?
4. I asked Debbie about the membership and she had no clue. Once again it is something Tony keeps close to his chest – so close nobody else can see.
5. Debbie and Tony started the MF – she was chairperson and Tony was the secretary. There was no “committee” or “Board”. If there was, Debbie never knew or was involved in voting anyone in on that. The Foundation policy document states “board” not “committee”. Why then does Tony refer to the “committee”? Who are they? When were they elected and by whom?
6. Debbie has put her hand in her own pocket more than enough times. I have told her she has been silly for subsidising it out of her pocket when clearly there must be income from the books and donations. Debbie is a single parent mother. Tony has a far higher financial standing than Debbie but she is the one doing all the subsidising. Why?Nobody and certainly not Debbie has accused Tony of Fraud. She has found evidence of fraud in the Foundation funds that Tony administers. That statement is 100% true. If Tony or anyone else wants to turn it into an implication of something more serious they are wrong. Debbie has acted entirely appropriately. The bank and police have both told her so. Why should anyone have a problem with that?If there is no fraud or there have been mistakes then they need to be rectified and operating procedures need to be adhered to. I’m sorry but asking a fellow director/proprietor/partner etc. to sign blank cheques is absolutely barmy. Considering she says she’s never done it before only adds more mystery to being asked to do so.And why did David Kirwan say to Debbie on the phone that he hadn’t asked for more money despite Tony Bennett telling Debbie that he had – around the same time those 4 blank cheques were written?Oh and to answer your question why was the bank account frozen….that’s simple. If there was any risk of money being taken out of the company inappropriately then freezing it is the best solution. How else could you prevent money being taken out?And anyway – what exactly does the Foundation have to pay for? Like Debbie says….what are these bills? There is no official office, vehicles, etc. so what is so urgent that it needs 4 cheques. Look at the numbers on the cheques. They are in the low 20s. That’s not many cheques for over a year’s trading is it? So why 4 all of a sudden to be required in the space of 2 weeks prior to Tony’s holiday
Stevo =================
Debbie Butler said: (on madeleinefoundation.org)
6th November 2009
I have told Carter Ruck that I wish to keep this website with anything containing libel removed. I do not see why this site should close and if they wish to take me to court they can, so I merely rang them to tell them that. I am not a liar and I am not “gloating”. Can we move on now?
Stevo said:
Debbie, I misunderstood you. People naturally wonder why you rang them. Why did you need to call them and tell them of your intents? I find that strange too. I don’t think by calling them people are branding you a liar. It’s just puzzling why you call them when you don’t need to.
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