http://www.progressiveportal.org/letters/pacifica/

€ Write to Proposed New Pacifica Board Members
€ Urge Them Not to Take a Seat on the Pacifica Board
€ Let Them Know What's Going On at the Network

Go to http://www.progressiveportal.org/letters/pacifica/

Last week, the shrinking, illegitimate majority on the Pacifica Board of Directors made another desperate attempt to forestall the inevitable restoration of the network to listeners, staff and community. Their lead attorney, Daly Temchine, of the anti-union law firm of Epstein, Becker & Green, sent a letter to the California judge overseeing the lawsuits by dissident board members, listeners and Local Advisory Board members. He asked the judge for permission to call an emergency Board meeting on Tuesday, July 17th.

The purpose of the conference call meeting is to allow the present Board majority to unilaterally pack the board with several new members to regain a working majority. This move would permit two or more of the current, embattled Board majority members to resign. Temchine credited the pressure campaign underway nationally with prompting the impending resignations, while grossly misrepresenting the campaign to the judge as "unrelenting harassment." That is the present Pacifica leadership's interpretation for mass nonviolent, Constitutionally-protected protest.

"As a consequence of this campaign more directors have been forced to consider resignation. The status quo will be altered and needs to be restored," Temchine said. He also said that the five proposed new members are former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, Democratic Party stalwart Susan Estrich, Dick Gregory, James Ferguson, and George Barnstone of Houston.

Plaintiffs in the three lawsuits against Pacifica are arguing against the move. Judge Sabraw of Alameda Superior Court is slated to rule Tuesday, July 17.

We need to properly inform the proposed new board members about the situation at Pacifica. Please send letters immediately to Dick Gregory, Susan Estrich, and George Barnstone asking them to withdraw their names. Go to http://www.progressiveportal.org/letters/pacifica/

progressiveportal.org is the site that the NAHB general counsel vainly tried to stifle. But in an email inadvertently sent to the activist webmaster, the NAHB powerlawyer admitted they had no grounds on which to sue or by which to stem the flood of criticism of their man Ken Ford. Keep free speech alive and let the proposed new board members know what you think of this latest anti-democratic action designed to keep an illegitimate clique in power.

Epstein, Becker & Green's Smear Campaign

In a draft letter to Judge Sabraw of the Alameda Superior Court that was obtained by KPFA in Berkeley, Temchine calls free speech activists "self-appointed terrorists" and "vigilantes." He charges us with "extortion" and claims that we are "totalitarian" and "fascist." He says that "one or more" Pacifica reform activists hacked into the computer of Pacifica Board member Andrea Cisco or her employer "or both" to obtain a list of her clients.

The charges are patently false, with no basis in fact. They are maliciously motivated and aimed at smearing the tens of thousands of people nationwide who have exercised their legitimate free speech rights in peacefully protesting the malfeasance of the present Pacifica leadership. Temchine is simply trying to prejudice the judge against us in order to win favorable rulings. They¹ve lost in the court of public opinion and are now desperately seeking salvation in in a court of law.

This smear tactic will not work. Our movement is peaceful, respectful, multiracial and, above all, nonviolent. The vast majority of letters that we have written to the Pacifica board members and others are heartfelt expressions of our commitment to this network and its historic mission. Many are pure poetry. The pickets and protests nationwide ­ whether in front of the anti-union firm of Epstein, Becker or the offices of the National Association of Home Builders ­ are peaceful, nonviolent and filled with our music and our dreams. Our movement has won endorsements from major public figures and entertainers, trade unions, civil rights organizations, religious groups, and journalists worldwide.

Given Epstein, Becker¹s anti-union background, and the growing desperation of the Pacifica board majority, these cheap allegations come as no surprise. We call on Daly Temchine to withdraw the allegations and issue an apology to the tens of thousands of good people across the country who are struggle for a radio network that we¹ve nurtured and built for more than fifty years.