• Members of National Alliance concerned about future viability
By Pete Papaherakles
The National Alliance (NA), once the best-financed and best-organized white nationalist organization of its kind in the United States, is now on the verge of extinction as NA headquarters in West Virginia are up for sale. Founded by Dr. William Pierce in 1974, NA membership in 2002, the year of Pierce’s untimely death, was estimated at 2,500, with an income of $1 million annually. By 2012 that number declined to less than 100, and today it is doubtful that even a handful of members remains.
The blame for the demise of NA has been placed on Erich Gliebe, who became chairman in 2002 after Pierce’s death. Unlike Pierce, a physicist whose many books, lectures and lifelong dedication to the cause has inspired thousands, if not millions, Gliebe has been referred to by fellow members as uncharismatic, incompetent, a poor leader —and even a thief.
In an August 12 interview with AMERICAN FREE PRESS, Jim Ring, the No. 2 man in NA who resigned last October, explained: “I resigned because I realized that Erich Gliebe is not only incompetent but he is also dishonest. He has put up for sale most of NA’s headquarters, the proceeds of which will go to him personally.”
Ring added that “unit coordinators like me and other leaders started resigning after the 2012 National Alliance Leadership Conference in October 2012 and most other members resigned after the reactivating of my website in January of this year.”
Gliebe reportedly stopped paying property taxes on some of NA’s headquarters property in 2012.
“The sad result is the demise and loss of NA’s headquarters that thousands of ex-members put their own sweat and hard-earned money into creating for what now appears to be all for naught,” said Ring.
Asking price for 289 acres and the Pierce Memorial Hall is nearly $700,000.
“With the sale of this acreage Gliebe will certainly sell off the remaining property shortly after and move the inventory to his suburban Cleveland home,” explained Ring. “Erich’s annual salary from NA has gone from $65,000 in 2004 to $22,000 in 2012. But for the past few years Erich has held another full time job in Cleveland. He has also been pocketing donations and sales of whatever he could liquidate.”
Resistance Records, once a thriving music company acquired and built up by Pierce, had recording deals on both sides of the Atlantic and produced most of NA’s income.
“Gliebe drove the company out of business through mismanagement [and] shady deals,” said Ring. “The previous board appointed by Dr. Pierce had accused him of embezzlement. Erich even sold Dr. Pierce’s gun collection for personal gain, as well as having sold a sizable amount of timber from the property to a logging company for $38,000, keeping much of that money for himself. “
Of particular significance is a bequest worth anywhere from $160,000 to $1 million left to NA by Robert McCorkill, a Canadian chemist and NA member who died in 2004. It included a collection of ancient Greek and Roman coins.
An injunction currently tying up this money in court could be lifted when the matter goes to trial on September 10, at which point NA may receive the bequest. Gliebe would have control over that money once the court rules.
Even Pierce’s own brother, Sanders Pierce, resigned from NA on April 2013. “I feel it necessary to explain my resignation from the organization my brother built in protest to Erich remaining as chairman,” he said, citing Gliebe’s “severe neglect” of NA business. “I simply feel he should turn over the chairmanship to someone who will devote full time to NA.”
Although Gliebe may have acted in an incompetent and unethical manner, it is unclear to what extent his actions have been illegal.
NA’s board of directors consists of Gliebe, Jayne Cartwright and Ryan Miziarka.
All three are equally culpable for what is happening with NA. Not only can Gliebe not do anything without the approval of the other two, but Ms. Cartwright and Miziarka can actually have Gliebe removed as chairman if they choose.
A March 30 post on www.natallnews.net stated that even after receiving dozens of letters of concern from NA members across the country both Cartwright and Miziarka have remained silent.
When Sanders Pierce finally placed a call to Miziarka, the board member told him that he does not pay attention to the goings-on within the organization and therefore could offer no comment on the situation.
Pete Papaherakles is a writer and political cartoonist for AFP and is also AFP’s outreach director. Pete is interested in getting AFP writers and editors on the podium at patriotic events. Call him at 202-544-5977 if you know of an event you think AFP should attend.
