David Snyder, Alleged 'Deadbeat Dad'
I've written before about the saga of David Snyder, an Indiana politician being criticized and punished for allegedly being a "deadbeat dad." The entries appear below
Before We All Go Jumping Into Bed Together... (2/28/06)
This story--Roseland Council president runs for Legislature--has been getting a lot of play on men's and fathers' websites and elists, and many are applauding. According to the article:
"Town Council president Dorothy Snyder doesn't like a bill that would have forced out officeholders who are behind in child support - including her husband - so she is running against the state lawmaker who proposed it.
"State Rep. Ryan Dvorak's bill would have required officeholders who are more than $15,000 in arrears to give up their offices. The Democrat said he still supports the measure, which was never given a committee hearing in the General Assembly.
"He said the idea was inspired by David Snyder - Dorothy Snyder's husband and a Roseland councilman - who in November owed more than $90,000 in child support, his ex-wife, Julianne Mayfield, told the South Bend Tribune...
"Dorothy Snyder has filed her candidacy for the Democratic nomination in Dvorak's northern Indiana District 8...She said she wants to run because she is troubled over treatment of noncustodial parents in Indiana.
"'My concern is about the civil rights of noncustodial parents and the destructive effect of demonizing any group of people which is not good for children of divorce, and it is not good for families in Indiana,' she said."
I love seeing a candidate run for noncustodial parents' rights. However, the men's and fathers' websites and elists promoting Dorothy Snyder have ignored the fact that her husband owes $90,000 in back child support. I beg to differ--I think it is appropriate to ask why the father is so far behind.
It would be wrong to assume--as most people, including feminists and chivalrous males will do--that David Snyder is a deadbeat who abandoned his kids. This is unfair--as I've written on numerous occasions, many so-called "deadbeat" parents are instead simply dead broke.
"However, at the same time, it would also be wrong to assume that David Snyder is simply a victim of the system. There are fathers who behave irresponsibly towards their children, and he might be one of them. I'd like a little more information before we all go jumping into bed together."
Indiana Politician Responds to Glenn over 'Deadbeat Dad' Charge (3/29/06)
A couple weeks ago I discussed Roseland Town Council President Dorothy Snyder's decision to run for the Indiana state legislature on a noncustodial parents' rights platform. She decided to run when Indiana State Rep. Ryan Dvorak proposed a bill which would require officeholders who are more than $15,000 in arrears to give up their offices. Snyder's husband, David Snyder, a local councilman, is reportedly $90,000 behind in child support.
Snyder's candidacy got a lot of play and applause on men's and fathers' websites and elists. I noted that "it would be wrong to assume...that David Snyder is a deadbeat who abandoned his kids...many so-called "deadbeat" parents are instead simply dead broke or are victims of the system." However, I also cautioned that "it would also be wrong to assume that David Snyder is simply a victim of the system. There are fathers who behave irresponsibly towards their children, and he might be one of them. I'd like a little more information before we all go jumping into bed together."
I guess one of my readers forwarded my enewsletter on to Snyder, because he contacted me a few days later. Snyder wrote:
"Your column came to my attention today, and as usual for me when I read similar writings my stomach begins to churn at the unfairness of our current laws and the living hell non-custodial parents, children, and extended families are going through due the thoughtless actions of our legislators. You fairly reserved judgment in my case as I would be wont to do until I had heard all sides."
According to Snyder, his child support arrearage (which he claims is $60,000, not $90,000 as reports indicated) was caused by a combination of factors which will sound familiar to many of the divorced dads on this e-list. These include: child support based on an income well beyond what Snyder was actually earning; unequal division of marital property; legal bills; periods of unemployment or underemployment; his ex-wife using the legal system to tie up and then destroy his business; and stiff penalties and interest on the arrearages. In the middle of all of this Snyder says he contracted cancer. He also claims that his ex-wife alienated his children and poisoned them against him.
I have no idea if all of this is true. I will say one this--I've received thousands of letters from fathers telling me the same types of stories, so Snyder's claims are certainly plausible.
