IMPORTANT: Deadline Nears on Proposed By-Laws, Help Needed From California Legislature!
THIS Thursday, February 8, is the announced deadline for comments from listeners on the proposed new Pacifica by-laws. Mary Frances Berry's designated legal representative, John Murdock, of the union-busting Epstein, Becker, and Green law firm, has said he will only take comments sent through board members (though comments should be e-mailed to him anyway at jmurdock@ebglaw.com; phoned to him at 202/861-0900; or faxed to him at 202/296-2882.)
Please visit our web page at http://www.savepacifica.net and see an analysis of the proposed by-laws, or follow the link to the by-laws themselves.
PLEASE SEND YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THESE DRASTIC, SELF-SERVING BY-LAWS CHANGES
TO THE PACIFICA BOARD MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY [see automatic
web-letter or individual
instructions]
ALSO, WE NEED THE BACKING OF THE CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE AND ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
OFFICE IF WE ARE TO STOP THIS OUTRAGEOUS HI-JACKING OF PACIFICA!
Write and call...TODAY...the following state legislators, and urge that they
ask the Attorney General to stop the passage of these by-laws, which would effectively
destroy a historic and vital California non-profit corporation, the Pacifica
Foundation!
-------------Legislative Audit Committee:
Santa Cruz/Monterey Assemblyman Fred Keeley is now chair of the Legislative
Audit Committee. (Former chair Scott Wildman led the 1999 investigation
that allowed the Attorney General to file a lawsuit on behalf of Pacifica listeners).
PLEASE CALL AND OR WRITE HIM TODAY and urge that he re-open that investigation
and STOP THE BY-LAW CHANGES!
Fred.Keeley@assembly.ca.gov
(916) 319-2027
[sample letter to Keeley]
Berkeley Assemblywoman Dion Aroner led the legislature's efforts in 1999 to
make a strong statement opposing Pacifica's efforts to shut down KPFA. She supported
Assemblyman Wildman's Audit Committee hearing in 1999. PLEASE CALL AND WRITE
HER TODAY to urge that she do the same IMMEDIATELY and STOP THE BY-LAWS CHANGES!
Dion.Aroner@assembly.ca.gov
(916) 319-2014 or local #: (510) 540-3660.
Berkeley/Oakland/Alameda State Senator Don Perata represents the KPFA area,
and also supported Assemblyman Wildman's Audit Committee hearing in 1999. PLEASE
CALL AND WRITE HIM TODAY to ask him to get involved in stopping these by-laws
changes!
Senator.Perata@sen.ca.gov
(916) 445-6577 or local #: (510) 286-1333
[also include these legislators]
Thank you!
P.S. Picketing continues this week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Epstein Becker and Green's San Francisco office, 2 Embarcadero Center.
Date: Tue, 6 Feb 2001 16:08:26 EST
Subject: Pacifica Foundation
To: Fred.Keeley@assembly.ca.gov
Dear Assemblymember Fred Keeley,
I am writing to you as a resident and voter in Santa
Cruz County and a concerned long-time listener and sponsor of radio station
KPFA. As you know, in his former capacity as chair of the Legislative Audit
Committee, Assemblymember Scott Wildman led an investigation into the attempted
1999 power grab at KPFA by the board of its parent non-profit, the Pacifica
Foundation. The Pacifica Foundation is chartered in the state of California
as a public benefit non-profit corporation. That is why the Attorney General
and the state legislature took a very real interest in the struggle following
the crackdown at KPFA in 1999. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee held a
hearing and later issued a report detailing extensive malfeasance on the part
of Pacifica management. The Attorney General reviewed the Listeners' Lawsuit
(aka the Spooner Lawsuit) and granted his permission to proceed (a legally required
step).
We urgently need the assistance of the Joint
Legislative Audit Committee again at this crucial juncture in order to prevent
Pacifica from reincorporating in another state and/or selling off one or more
of the stations.
Now that you have taken over as chair of that
committee, I urge you to reopen the investigation of Pacifica in light of recent
developments. Pacifica Board members plan to detour KPFA from its stated mission
by passing new by-laws which would further monopolize power in the Board's hands.
In addition to mounting a legislative investigation,
I ask that you also encourage the Attorney General to step in to stop the passage
of these by-laws, which would effectively destroy a piece of a our state's history
and disenfranchise the very community which founded and has always supported
Pacifica as a California non-profit corporation.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
(Name)
Ben Lomond, CA
(phone #)
2/6/01
Why the Legislative Audit Committee?
The Pacifica Foundation is chartered in the state of California as a public
benefit non-profit corporation. That is why the Attorney General and the state
legislature took a very real interest in the struggle following the crackdown
at KPFA in 1999. The Joint Legislative Audit Committee held a hearing and later
issued a report detailing extensive malfeasance on the part of Pacifica management.
The AG reviewed the Listeners' Lawsuit (aka the Spooner Lawsuit) and granted
his permission to proceed (a legally required step).
We urgently need their assistance again at this crucial juncture in order to
prevent Pacifica from reincorporating in another state and/or selling off one
or more of the stations. Please read on for further info on how you can help!
Even if your particular legislator is not listed, he/she should still be contacted
and asked to request the Attorney General to intervene.
You can also contact the Attorney General's office directly; the phone # for
his office in Sacramento is (916) 455-9555
Craig Gingold Midpines CA, 2/6/01
2/6/01
Please include the following legislators who are on the state Legislativel
Audit
Committee and also represent the KFCF listening area (note a correction to
Dean Florez's address if I sent this to you earlier today). Thanks.
-Deb
Fresno, CA,
Assembymember Dean Florez
30th District
In Fresno:
(559) 445-5364
(559) 445-5406 Fax
2550 Mariposa Mall Ste. 3017
Fresno, Calif. 93721
In Sacramento:
(916) 319-2030
(916) 319-2130 Fax
State Capitol, Rm 5135
Sacramento, CA 95814
Senator Chuck Poochigian (R)
14th District
In Fresno:
(559) 253-7122
(559) 253-7127 Fax
4974 E. Clinton Way, Ste. 104
Fresno, CA 93727
In Sacramento:
(916) 445-9600
(916) 327-3523 Fax
State Capitol, Rm. 2054
Sacramento, CA 95814