[ga] CONFLICT OF INTEREST

["babybows.com" <webmaster@babybows.com>]

On March 22, the Top Level Domain Association was formed (www.tlda.org).

Preliminary participants in this association include six members of the
Voting Registry of the GA:

Patrick Corliss - Director
Leah Gallegos - Director
Miles Eugene Marsh - Chairman of the Board
John Palmer - Secretary
Bruce James - Initial Advisory Committee member
Prof. A. Michael Froomkin - Initial Advisory Committee member

A member of the Names Council, Milton Mueller, is similarly listed as an
Initial Advisory Committee member, and assuredly other GA members will soon
declare themselves as participants in the TLDA efforts.

The mission statement of this association represents that it is a:
 "trade association of Internet Top Level Domain (TLD) holders. This
organization represents the interests of TLD Holders and will seek to foster
cooperation among TLD holders to advance the cause of building a stable,
collision free namespace. All TLD holders are welcome to become members of
the TLDA."

While I loudly applaud the efforts of the alternate root community to seek
out efforts to eliminate collisions in their own namespace, I find myself
deeply troubled by the fact that none of these members that routinely
participate on the GA list have commented on this development in the midst
of this GA election cycle.

What has happened to the concept of openness and transparency by which we
are expected to abide?    The Bylaws of our Corporation point to the need
for full disclosure of "conflicts of interest" by members of our Board; can
we expect anything less from candidates to the highest office of the GA?

Up until a few days ago, I was fully prepared to endorse Patrick Corliss for
the Chairmanship of this Assembly.  These recent events have made me
reconsider my position.  I respect Patrick's efforts to work in his own way
towards achieving the goal of a stable Internet; I still believe that
Patrick is a pioneer and visionary with a heart of gold and a passion for
safeguarding the rights of Individuals.

But I cannot approve of his decision to both accept a position as a Director
of the TLDA, and to simultaneously run for the office of Chair of this
General Assembly.

I look forward to working with Patrick, and with the many of you that
respect the fact that the worldwide Internet community includes the
alternate root system - but I believe that in this instance, Patrick made an
error in judgement... one cannot effectively serve two such disparate
masters.

Best regards,
Danny Younger



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