UCA Statement on DOC Appeal Decision Against Sherry Chen
June 19th, 2018. Washington, DC
Today is a sad day for Sherry Chen. It is a sad day for Chinese and Asian Americans. Above all, it is a sad day for American justice and fairness.
Department of Commerce (DOC) has just filed today an appeal on the Sherry Chen ruling before MSPB, a federal administrative board which has just ruled in Sherry Chen’s favor. By doing so, DOC attempts to defend its indefensible decisions of firing Sherry Chen, an award-winning federal hydrologist and naturalized Chinese American, after she was cleared of any criminal charges brought against her by the Federal government.
Defying the court ruling against the government, defying the Congressional outrage over the way DOC has handled the case, defying many troubling revelations exposed by the national media, defying the loud outcry from scientific, human rights and Asian American communities, DOC officials have chosen to continue on the wrong path they followed from the very beginning of Sherry Chen saga: they unlawfully profiled her because of her country of origin; they falsely accused her with spy-related charges and they vindictively fired her for trumped up reasons that no fair minded Americans would comprehend or agree. Just as MSPB judge stated in her long and detailed ruling: Sherry Chen is “victim of a gross injustice”.
This appeal decision is simply outrageous. It will do further harm to Sherry Chen in her sixth year Odyssean fight against government by delaying her deserved justice; it piles one mistake upon another by DOC officials; it further damages the public trust placed in our government instead of restoring it; it is a total waste of taxpayer money to save the face of a few; above all, it is a sheer mockery of American justice and fairness.
United Chinese Americans (UCA) has, from day one, come to the defense of Sherry Chen and other Chinese Americans when their civil rights are being trampled or threatened. We have rallied our communities to support Sherry Chen across the country. We have worked with the press, other Asian American organizations, and US Congress to press for the case of Sherry Chen. Today, we call on our communities to redouble its efforts to support Sherry Chen by contacting elected officials, media, and any concerned organizations to demand that DOC officials reverse this wrongful decision immediately.
The saga of Sherry Chen fighting for her justice is shaping up to be another milestone and critical moment for Chinese and Asian Americans. For its part, UCA shall continue to support and fight for Sherry Chen until the day justice prevails for Sherry Chen and for our communities.
美国华人联合会 (UCA)对美国商务部上诉MSPB裁决的声明
美国首都华盛顿 2018年6月18日
今天是陈霞芬女士悲伤的一天；今天是令华人及亚裔美国人痛心的一天。今天，对于美国正义和公平更是可悲的一天。
美国商务部（DOC）宣布，他们将对美国联邦考绩委员会（MSPB）做出的陈霞芬部分胜诉的裁决提出上诉。陈霞芬是一位屡获国家荣誉、并早已入籍美国的华裔水文专家。两年前，政府在撤销了她的从事间谍活动的刑事指控后却被美国商务部无辜解雇。4月23日，美国联邦考绩委员会（MSPB）行政法官做出了有利于陈霞芬的裁决，驳回了对商务部对她解雇的那些站不住脚的决定。
无视美国联邦政府机构的法官裁决，无视美国主流媒体的大量揭露，无视国会议员们对于商务部处理此案方式的愤怒，无视来自科技、人权和亚裔社区的大声疾呼，商务部官员选择了一条错上加错的路径。他们从一开始，就非法地因陈霞芬的原祖籍国带来的“原罪”而以不实的相关间谍罪名指控她，并在被迫撤诉后报复性地以莫须有的理由解雇了她。正如美国联邦考绩委员会（MSPB）法官在长篇缜密的裁决所指出的那样——陈霞芬是“严重的不公正的受害者”。
商务部这个上诉决定纯属荒诞。它通过上诉进一步推迟还给已经身遭诬陷和不公达六年之久的陈霞芬应有的公正；它让商务部继续执行一个又一个的错误决定；它进一步损害了政府的公信力而不是努力去恢复这种受损的公信力；它还要浪费纳税人的钱来保住几个官员的面子；最重要的是，它是对美国的正义和公平的一种悍然嘲弄。
（5月23日，陈霞芬在国会召开新闻发布会，要求美国商务部为她所遭受的不公道歉。30名美国国会议员联名致信商务部，132个华人社团联署签名声援，赵美心、孟昭文、刘云平等国会议员和多个华裔社团到场支持）
美国华人联合会（UCA）从第一天开始，就与陈霞芬及其他华人受害者站在一起，为他们被践踏、被威胁的公民权利而抗争。我们动员了全国各地的华人社区去大力支持陈霞芬；我们与美国国会、媒体和其他组织共同合作，敦促彻查案情。今天，我们呼吁我们的社区加倍努力，联系您身边的民选官员、媒体和相关组织，强烈要求商务部立即撤销这一错误的上诉决定。
陈霞芬事件正在成为华人及亚裔捍卫自身民权的又一里程碑和重大关键时刻。UCA誓将一如既往，继续支持陈霞芬，为陈霞芬和华人社区奋斗到正义得到伸张的那一天！