KLAN John Paul Rogers

NEW CITY COMMISSIONER IN LAKE WALES

Rogers' Klan Past Raises Some Eyebrows

He refuses to discuss it, and there has been no uproar on possible racial divide.

FILE PHOTO | THE LEDGER

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JOHN PAUL ROGERS, right, in an undated photo, meets with other leaders of the United Klans of America.

By BILL BAIR
The Ledger

Published: Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 7:34 a.m.
Last Modified: Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 7:47 a.m.

( page 2 of 5 )

LAKE WALES | John Paul Rogers, who will be sworn in as a city commissioner May 6, won't talk about a past that includes hoods, robes and burning crosses.

QUOTES

"One-on-one, people say ‘How did we let this happen?"
-City Commissioner Kathy Manry

"We were caught asleep at the switch on this thing."
-Clinton Horne, Civic Leader

"I treated everybody fair' on the city's zoning appeals board. 'I'll do the same thing on the City Commission. I don't let my personal views interfere with the basics."
-John Paul Rogers, City Commissioner

"He tried to do justice for Lake Wales – for all the people. The fair play and attitude he brought to the board was really positive."
-Jerome Mack retired principal

"As a raving optimist, I would say the fact that he had substantial support from the black community is encouraging."
-Robin Gibson, Lake Wales lawyer

Related Links:

• Ex-Klans Leader Sworn In as City Commissioner
• Rogers Silent on Subject

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Rogers

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Rogers

The election of the former Florida Grand Dragon of the United Klans of America has not caused a major uproar in the city, but there have been rumblings.

'One-on-one, people say, ‘How did we let this happen?' ' City Commissioner Kathy Manry said. 'I've had a lot of reaction from people who have expressed major surprise at it.'

Like others, Manry said she is 'withholding judgment' on Rogers.

'I will be interested to see John Paul's reaction to our issues,' she said of the problems facing Lake Wales.

Some of the city's black leaders have the same reaction. While saying they are nervous about his past, they say they are waiting to see what happens in the future.

Clinton Horne, a black civic leader, said many black residents were 'snookered' into voting for Rogers during the April 1 city election.

'We were caught asleep at the switch on this thing,' he said.

Rogers said he wants to be judged on his recent actions, not his distant past.

'I'm not going to go rehash all that stuff and get into race baiting,' he said of his Klan background.

Rogers refused this week to answer any questions from The Ledger about his past activities in the Klan.

(See The Ledger's questions, below)

Rogers, 66, joined the Klan in 1963 or 1964, he told Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents seeking historical information on the Klan in 2005.

For many years, he headed the United Klans of America in Florida.

That ended in 1988, when the United Klans group went bankrupt after the Southern Poverty Law Center in Alabama won a $7 million judgment from the Klan for the family of a man who had been lynched several years earlier.

All the United Klan's assets were seized.

'I retired,' Rogers said.

Rogers said he served six years on the city's Zoning Board of Appeals.

'I treated everybody fair,' he said. 'I'll do the same thing on the City Commission. I don't let my personal views interfere with the basics.'

Many observers say it was the black vote that gave Rogers the win in this year's four-way race.

Several years ago, Rogers served as the campaign manager for black civic activist Booker Young in Young's unsuccessful attempt to win a commission seat.

This year, Young campaigned for Rogers, with the pair going door-to-door in the Northwest Area, which is predominantly black.

Young could not be reached for comment this week.

In the past, he has said he is aware of Rogers' Klan background, but he said Rogers has changed, will do a good job for the city and will treat everyone fairly.

Rogers said he and Young encouraged residents to vote by absentee ballots and helped explain how to obtain the ballots.

That effort obviously paid off.

Rogers was in third place after votes were counted from City Hall, which was the only polling place.

But he collected 282 absentee votes — far more than any other candidate — and that put him over the top.

He ended up with a total of 461 votes, which was 34.56 percent of the 1,334 votes cast.

Although no candidate received 50 percent of the vote, no runoff was required as a result of a referendum approved last year.