“Former Ward 4 Councilwoman Moonyene Jackson-Amis is suing Rodney James, Sabian Associates and the Dillon Bus Company in an effort to retrieve money lost on a cancelled bus trip to President Barack Obama’s inauguration in January. People who signed up for the trip are still waiting for their $65 to be returned. Jackson-Amis filed a civil contract complaint in the Talbot County District Court “”on behalf of Jane and John Doe”” asking for $1,372 plus compensatory damages. Jackson-Amis states the money will be divided up: each of the 20-plus passengers will get their $65 back; she would receive $1,000; and, passengers who helped to plan the trip would receive an additional $100. Jackson-Amis, who was chairperson of the Eastern Shore Women for Obama during the presidential campaign, arranged the trip through Rodney James, who works in the van business as president of Sabian Associates of Baltimore.

A contract was signed by Jackson-Amis and Rodney James in which James, acting as an agent of Dillon Bus Company, would pick up passengers from the old Lowe’s parking lot in Easton on January 20 and take them to the inauguration ceremonies in Washington, D.C. Jackson-Amis said she guaranteed 22 passengers at $60 a person and gave a $1,000 deposit on December 30, 2008 when the contract was signed and the remaining $372 on January 19. James reserved ten buses for inauguration day through the Dillon Bus Company. Of the ten buses James reserved, he came up with partial payments for only seven, said Ron Dillon, owner of Dillon Bus Company. While he said he lost money on the deal, Dillon said it would probably cost more money to pursue legal action and emphasized that James has no connection to his company and that he had never worked with James before. After the bus was cancelled, Jackson-Amis said she contacted James to try to get the money returned. The trial is scheduled for July 9 at the Talbot County District Court.
“