ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. —
The national NAACP president has suspended St. Louis County branch president John Gaskin III, citing in part Gaskin's recent endorsement of proposed Title IX changes and the Better Together city-county merger plan as reasons.
The suspension is immediate, pending further action from the NAACP Board of Directors.
NAACP National President Derrick Johnson handed down the suspension in a letter sent to Gaskin on Thursday.
"(You) have publicly spoken out in support of proposed state legislation that would make it more difficult for survivors of sexual assault at Missouri's state universities to come forward with their claims and have them adjudicated," Johnson said to Gaskin in the letter. He went on to say that Gaskin violated the NAACP's bylaws by making the endorsement without approval from the NAACP Branch's Executive Committee.
Johnson also alleged that Gaskin's endorsement of the Better Together merger plan was a conflict of interest given Gaskin's admission that he is a paid consultant for Unite STL, the campaign committee pushing the merger.
"Given the importance of these issues to the NAACP and the communities we represent, I have concluded that the conduct described above is inimical to the best interests of the Association and presents a danger of irreparable harm to the Association and the St. Louis County Branch," Johnson said. "Moreover, I have concluded that immediate action is necessary to mitigate that harm."
Gaskin has 20 days to appeal the suspension. In the meantime, he has been given seven days to turn over all NAACP records and property.
First Vice President John Bowman will act as president during Gaskin’s suspension.
Gaskin also sits on the NAACP National Board of Directors— it would be a separate process to remove him from that board.
