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KPFA: They're Back - Save KPFA Bush/Cheney Law Firm Sues Again - Wants more than 25K
In their ongoing campaign to destroy KPFA, Kill KPFA has sicced Dhillon and Smith, founded by the co-chair of Lawyers for Bush/Cheney 2004 on the Pacifica Foundation again. They are demanding more than $25,000 from Pacifica listeners. Who will get laid off to pay the tab this time?
Kill KPFA (who likes to call themselves Save KPFA, but their actions point to a different result) has unleashed Harmeet Dhillon, the high-priced lawyer who co-chaired Lawyers for Bush/Cheney 2004, on the Pacifica Foundation again, adding to a blizzard of lawsuits, grievances and complaints that number more than a dozen in a 90-day period of time.
This time, papers filed in Alameda Superior Court, object to the actions of the local board down at the Los Angeles Pacifica station KPFK, which planned to redo an internal election for the station's national board representatives after more than 10 members of the board (40% of the voters) complained of a ballot that had the names of people who weren't candidates on it and other procedural problems.
The Bush-Cheney lawyers are requesting the Alameda Superior Court intervene in Pacifica's attempts to honor the complaints by correcting the problems reported and demanding more than $25,000 in damages and litigation costs from Pacifica listeners to pay for their attempt to prevent a simple redo that is scheduled for February 9th and will take about an hour.
This rightwing assault needs to be stopped.
Tell Kill KPFA to knock it off at savekpfa [at] gmail.com.
Mutual assured destruction is the tactic of lunatics. We don't need progressive luminaries who launch air-guided missiles at community media. They can take their Bush-Cheney lawyers elsewhere.
This time, papers filed in Alameda Superior Court, object to the actions of the local board down at the Los Angeles Pacifica station KPFK, which planned to redo an internal election for the station's national board representatives after more than 10 members of the board (40% of the voters) complained of a ballot that had the names of people who weren't candidates on it and other procedural problems.
The Bush-Cheney lawyers are requesting the Alameda Superior Court intervene in Pacifica's attempts to honor the complaints by correcting the problems reported and demanding more than $25,000 in damages and litigation costs from Pacifica listeners to pay for their attempt to prevent a simple redo that is scheduled for February 9th and will take about an hour.
This rightwing assault needs to be stopped.
Tell Kill KPFA to knock it off at savekpfa [at] gmail.com.
Mutual assured destruction is the tactic of lunatics. We don't need progressive luminaries who launch air-guided missiles at community media. They can take their Bush-Cheney lawyers elsewhere.
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Election shennanigans continue
As we reported last week, KPFA/Pacifica board member Tracy Rosenberg is claiming that Dan Siegel, a civil rights attorney in Oakland and a station board member affiliated with SaveKPFA, can no longer serve because he's a volunteer with new Oakland mayor Jean Quan. Siegel was also elected to Pacifica's national board, but Rosenberg and her allies are denying Siegel that seat as well.
Calling it a "coup," KPFA board member Matthew Hallinan notes, "This is a blatant attempt to do away with what's left of listener democracy and local control. They are denying due process to an elected listener rep, falsifying records, and breaking all the rules in order to shift the balance of power in their favor." Rosenberg and her allies have said they'll hold a separate, illegally constituted KPFA board meeting next week to try to accomplish their goal.
In a similar case, an Alameda County judge recently issued an injunction against Pacifica for its attempt to remove already-cast votes and "fix" the results of the staff portion of KPFA's local board election. And on Friday, the network was sued by a KPFK (Los Angeles) member who alleges the Pacifica national board is trying to fraudulently re-run a delegate election it didn't like.
Berkeley City Council to discuss KPFA
Berkeley's councilmembers are scheduled to consider a resolution on KPFA next Tuesday, February 8 at 7 pm. Want to give your opinion? You can automatically email the council via this page, or find your representative's phone number here.
Terminating the Morning Show is the likely a major cause of KPFA's sharply declining listenership, reports San Francisco Chronicle blogger Zennie Abraham in a recent column. He cites radio industry statistics that show KPFA's audience share down from 120,000 to 104,000 over the last quarter (his column, toward the end, also covers the local board issues).
Meanwhile, historian Matthew Lasar's latest column examines the role of Peter Phillips' Project Censored supporters in the replacement 8AM "Morning Mix" programming.
As we reported last week, KPFA/Pacifica board member Tracy Rosenberg is claiming that Dan Siegel, a civil rights attorney in Oakland and a station board member affiliated with SaveKPFA, can no longer serve because he's a volunteer with new Oakland mayor Jean Quan. Siegel was also elected to Pacifica's national board, but Rosenberg and her allies are denying Siegel that seat as well.
Calling it a "coup," KPFA board member Matthew Hallinan notes, "This is a blatant attempt to do away with what's left of listener democracy and local control. They are denying due process to an elected listener rep, falsifying records, and breaking all the rules in order to shift the balance of power in their favor." Rosenberg and her allies have said they'll hold a separate, illegally constituted KPFA board meeting next week to try to accomplish their goal.
In a similar case, an Alameda County judge recently issued an injunction against Pacifica for its attempt to remove already-cast votes and "fix" the results of the staff portion of KPFA's local board election. And on Friday, the network was sued by a KPFK (Los Angeles) member who alleges the Pacifica national board is trying to fraudulently re-run a delegate election it didn't like.
Berkeley City Council to discuss KPFA
Berkeley's councilmembers are scheduled to consider a resolution on KPFA next Tuesday, February 8 at 7 pm. Want to give your opinion? You can automatically email the council via this page, or find your representative's phone number here.
Terminating the Morning Show is the likely a major cause of KPFA's sharply declining listenership, reports San Francisco Chronicle blogger Zennie Abraham in a recent column. He cites radio industry statistics that show KPFA's audience share down from 120,000 to 104,000 over the last quarter (his column, toward the end, also covers the local board issues).
Meanwhile, historian Matthew Lasar's latest column examines the role of Peter Phillips' Project Censored supporters in the replacement 8AM "Morning Mix" programming.
The drivel from millionaire Matthew Hallinan about lack of democracy is an insult to anyone's intelligence. To know the anti-democratic actions of the entire Thug Hallinan gang, all you have to do is read Daniel Borgstrom's site at:
http://danielborgstrom.blogspot.com/
More on the Repubilcan Party law firm of Dhillon & Smith hired by Brian Edwards-Tiekert, Mitch Jeseritch and Lewis Sawyer (or perhaps the Republican Party hired them) to complain about the KPFA staff LSB election involving some 200 people that could easily be redone quickly if necessary without any lawsuit may be found at
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/02/18665482.php?show_comments=1#18665499
To all of the former Communist Party members and friends who are proud members of the Thug Hallinan Gang, some of whom were (s)elected to the Local Station Board and all of whom are proud Democrats, mostly members of the Wellstone Democratic Club (very anti-communist by definition): We, the listeners to KFPA are outraged at your vicious attacks on KPFA and Pacifica, your promotion of the Republican Party plant Brian Edwards-Tiekert, and your alliance with (and perhaps direction by) Larry Bensky, former editor the CIA front, Paris Review (see below). The Thug Hallinan Gang is clearly engaged in the destruction of Pacifica as part of a reactionary political agenda AND ARE CLEARLY PROUD OF IT AS THE ABOVE INSULTING COMMENT DEMONSTRATES, AGAIN. The question we all have is when did you start doing the bidding of the capitalist class?
Larry Bensky's background:
1. His attacks to callers on air:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/09/25/18659813.php
2. Supporters of Pat Scott Gang and union busters American Consulting:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/09/21/18659436.php
3. More horrors of supporting Concerned Listeners gang:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/10/22/18626386.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/15/18472757.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/29/18324348.php
4. His opposition to Peace & Freedom and Green Parties:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/04/27/18495315.php
5. His use of name lists in violation of Pacifica election rules:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/11/21/18462672.php
6. His opposition to the 9/11 Truth Movement
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/11/10/18459899.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/09/15/18311830.php
7. His anti-labor outlook on labor programming:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/04/14/18154241.php
8. His contempt for free speech:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2004/11/13/17051361.php
9. His attack on William Blum's book exposing the CIA and a reminder that Bensky was editor of the CIA front, the Paris Review, at
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2005/06/27/17498851.php
10. His ridicule of the fact of history that Nazis influenced the anti-Communist witchhunts of the 1940s-1950s as of course they were first and foremost anti-communist:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2004/04/05/16762211.php
http://danielborgstrom.blogspot.com/
More on the Repubilcan Party law firm of Dhillon & Smith hired by Brian Edwards-Tiekert, Mitch Jeseritch and Lewis Sawyer (or perhaps the Republican Party hired them) to complain about the KPFA staff LSB election involving some 200 people that could easily be redone quickly if necessary without any lawsuit may be found at
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/12/02/18665482.php?show_comments=1#18665499
To all of the former Communist Party members and friends who are proud members of the Thug Hallinan Gang, some of whom were (s)elected to the Local Station Board and all of whom are proud Democrats, mostly members of the Wellstone Democratic Club (very anti-communist by definition): We, the listeners to KFPA are outraged at your vicious attacks on KPFA and Pacifica, your promotion of the Republican Party plant Brian Edwards-Tiekert, and your alliance with (and perhaps direction by) Larry Bensky, former editor the CIA front, Paris Review (see below). The Thug Hallinan Gang is clearly engaged in the destruction of Pacifica as part of a reactionary political agenda AND ARE CLEARLY PROUD OF IT AS THE ABOVE INSULTING COMMENT DEMONSTRATES, AGAIN. The question we all have is when did you start doing the bidding of the capitalist class?
Larry Bensky's background:
1. His attacks to callers on air:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/09/25/18659813.php
2. Supporters of Pat Scott Gang and union busters American Consulting:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/09/21/18659436.php
3. More horrors of supporting Concerned Listeners gang:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/10/22/18626386.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/01/15/18472757.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/10/29/18324348.php
4. His opposition to Peace & Freedom and Green Parties:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/04/27/18495315.php
5. His use of name lists in violation of Pacifica election rules:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/11/21/18462672.php
6. His opposition to the 9/11 Truth Movement
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/11/10/18459899.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/09/15/18311830.php
7. His anti-labor outlook on labor programming:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/04/14/18154241.php
8. His contempt for free speech:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2004/11/13/17051361.php
9. His attack on William Blum's book exposing the CIA and a reminder that Bensky was editor of the CIA front, the Paris Review, at
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2005/06/27/17498851.php
10. His ridicule of the fact of history that Nazis influenced the anti-Communist witchhunts of the 1940s-1950s as of course they were first and foremost anti-communist:
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2004/04/05/16762211.php
For more information:
http://danielborgstrom.blogspot.com/
"Fairness Doctrine"? Continuing with the hard right rhetoric, aren't you?
Siegel has said in newspapers across the Bay Area that he will be the mayor of Oakland's advisor on policing, the budget, pot farms and a host of other matters.
You don't need to a journalism PHD to understand that someone advising a big-city mayor on how to move forward her agenda cannot be on the board of directors of a local journalism outlet that covers municipal matters. It's called conflict of interest 101.
Siegel has said in newspapers across the Bay Area that he will be the mayor of Oakland's advisor on policing, the budget, pot farms and a host of other matters.
You don't need to a journalism PHD to understand that someone advising a big-city mayor on how to move forward her agenda cannot be on the board of directors of a local journalism outlet that covers municipal matters. It's called conflict of interest 101.
Apparently the "Save KPFA" crew believe there are different rules for different people.
They are defending "conflict of interest" Siegel and his right to be on the KPFA board and Pacifica Board
when the Pacifica bylaws prevent elected board members from being government advisors or on "kitchen" cabinets.
These duplicitous operators and so called "professional" broadcasters show their contempt for
democratic rules and procedures to prevent nepotism and cronyism. One of the reasons for the rule is to
prevent political operatives like Siegel from using their position such as "Quans's unpaid advisor" to influence programming
and news about Quan and her administration on KPFA and Pacifica. Any serious journalist who has been trained professionally would know
that you would not want to have even the appearance of a conflict of interest but in the case of the KPFA entrenched
staffers this is of not concern since they want to protect their cabal.
They have operated the station as their own personal vehicle for their pals and the people they are "advising".
This is the same Siegel who while he was the interim executive director placed a statement on the Pacifica website
attacking one of the candidates and slates that he was opposing politically. This is also not allowed under the bylaws but he
believes he is about the rules. He also fired the Casey Peters who would not go along with certifying a rigged election by the
"CL-Save KPFA" crew. He apparently has a long history of conflicts of interest which he apparently sees as business as usual.
Dan Siegel's Many Roles-Unpaid Advisor To Oakland Mayor Quan
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/04/BARL1HIJ8N.DTL
Oakland court clears lawyers to handle gang case
Demian Bulwa,Matthai Kuruvila, Chronicle Staff Writers
Friday, February 4, 2011
Darryl Bush / The Chronicle
Attorney Dan Siegel is an unpaid adviser to Oakland's mayor.
View Larger Image
MORE CRIME NEWS
Gilroy cops arrest pair for Chico murder 02.06.11
Two shootings, one death, Friday in Oakland 02.05.11
Couple weaves tale to cover up domestic shooting 02.05.11
(02-03) 18:07 PST OAKLAND -- A team of lawyers with ties to Oakland City Hall can represent young men accused in a city lawsuit of being gang members, a judge said Thursday.
City Attorney John Russo is seeking a civil gang injunction against 40 men, saying they are Norteño members who terrorize the Fruitvale neighborhood by dealing drugs and battling rivals. He wants to put the men under a curfew and bar them from hanging out together inside a 2-square-mile zone. Violations could mean as much as six months in jail.
Russo's office sought to remove defense lawyers from the firm Siegel and Yee, because Oakland City Councilwoman Jane Brunner works there and because the head of the firm, Dan Siegel, is an unpaid adviser to Mayor Jean Quan.
The dispute has widened a rift between two of the city's most powerful officials, Russo and Quan, even though the city attorney represents the mayor's legal interests.
At a hearing in Alameda County Superior Court, Judge Robert Freedman said the lawyers seeking to represent the alleged gang members had placed a "firewall" between their work and the city's actions. He noted that Brunner had promised to recuse herself from any decision related to the proposed injunction.
The ruling buoyed the 14 defendants who sat in the first two rows of Freedman's courtroom in Oakland - two of whom used canes to walk because of gunshot wounds. Many say they are not gang members, having put past troubles behind them, and would be unfairly punished by the injunction.
Now, the team of attorneys - who include Siegel's son and employee, Michael Siegel - will seek to represent all the men covered by the proposed injunction, including several who are behind bars.
Defendants covered by injunctions in other cities around the state have often struggled to hire lawyers. Criminal defendants have a right to an attorney, even if they can't afford one, but there is no such provision in civil court.
"I was pretty excited about that," defendant Michael Muscadine, 24, said of the ruling. The attorneys "stepped up from day one. If they weren't here, I don't know where I would have turned to."
The city is scheduled to ask for a preliminary injunction at a hearing Feb. 16, although that date is also in contention. Michael Siegel said his team needed more time to prepare, but Deputy City Attorney Rocio Fierro said Fruitvale residents should not have to wait for protection.
"We want the people of Oakland to have their day in court," Fierro said.
The legal battle, along with the case itself, has stirred up strong emotions.
Some activists at Thursday's hearing said the injunction unfairly singles out Latino men who grew up in difficult circumstances.
Fierro suggested that the activists were standing up for the men's "criminal interests."
Complicating matters, attorneys for the city told the judge that the City Council had the authority to force Russo to drop the lawsuit. It's not clear how the council would vote on that question.
At City Hall on Thursday, Quan said she was frustrated that the council had not weighed in on the Fruitvale injunction or a previous one that a judge approved in the northern part of the city. She said such a court order may be effective in the short term, but asked, "Does it make sense to have the entire Fruitvale district off-limits?"
Quan said she would sit down next week with Police Chief Anthony Batts - or his successor, if he leaves - to discuss whether the injunctions are a valuable tool for officers.
E-mail the writers at dbulwa [at] schronicle.com and mkuruvila [at] sfchronicle.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/03/BARL1HIJ8N.DTL#ixzz1DCsVPShF
They are defending "conflict of interest" Siegel and his right to be on the KPFA board and Pacifica Board
when the Pacifica bylaws prevent elected board members from being government advisors or on "kitchen" cabinets.
These duplicitous operators and so called "professional" broadcasters show their contempt for
democratic rules and procedures to prevent nepotism and cronyism. One of the reasons for the rule is to
prevent political operatives like Siegel from using their position such as "Quans's unpaid advisor" to influence programming
and news about Quan and her administration on KPFA and Pacifica. Any serious journalist who has been trained professionally would know
that you would not want to have even the appearance of a conflict of interest but in the case of the KPFA entrenched
staffers this is of not concern since they want to protect their cabal.
They have operated the station as their own personal vehicle for their pals and the people they are "advising".
This is the same Siegel who while he was the interim executive director placed a statement on the Pacifica website
attacking one of the candidates and slates that he was opposing politically. This is also not allowed under the bylaws but he
believes he is about the rules. He also fired the Casey Peters who would not go along with certifying a rigged election by the
"CL-Save KPFA" crew. He apparently has a long history of conflicts of interest which he apparently sees as business as usual.
Dan Siegel's Many Roles-Unpaid Advisor To Oakland Mayor Quan
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/04/BARL1HIJ8N.DTL
Oakland court clears lawyers to handle gang case
Demian Bulwa,Matthai Kuruvila, Chronicle Staff Writers
Friday, February 4, 2011
Darryl Bush / The Chronicle
Attorney Dan Siegel is an unpaid adviser to Oakland's mayor.
View Larger Image
MORE CRIME NEWS
Gilroy cops arrest pair for Chico murder 02.06.11
Two shootings, one death, Friday in Oakland 02.05.11
Couple weaves tale to cover up domestic shooting 02.05.11
(02-03) 18:07 PST OAKLAND -- A team of lawyers with ties to Oakland City Hall can represent young men accused in a city lawsuit of being gang members, a judge said Thursday.
City Attorney John Russo is seeking a civil gang injunction against 40 men, saying they are Norteño members who terrorize the Fruitvale neighborhood by dealing drugs and battling rivals. He wants to put the men under a curfew and bar them from hanging out together inside a 2-square-mile zone. Violations could mean as much as six months in jail.
Russo's office sought to remove defense lawyers from the firm Siegel and Yee, because Oakland City Councilwoman Jane Brunner works there and because the head of the firm, Dan Siegel, is an unpaid adviser to Mayor Jean Quan.
The dispute has widened a rift between two of the city's most powerful officials, Russo and Quan, even though the city attorney represents the mayor's legal interests.
At a hearing in Alameda County Superior Court, Judge Robert Freedman said the lawyers seeking to represent the alleged gang members had placed a "firewall" between their work and the city's actions. He noted that Brunner had promised to recuse herself from any decision related to the proposed injunction.
The ruling buoyed the 14 defendants who sat in the first two rows of Freedman's courtroom in Oakland - two of whom used canes to walk because of gunshot wounds. Many say they are not gang members, having put past troubles behind them, and would be unfairly punished by the injunction.
Now, the team of attorneys - who include Siegel's son and employee, Michael Siegel - will seek to represent all the men covered by the proposed injunction, including several who are behind bars.
Defendants covered by injunctions in other cities around the state have often struggled to hire lawyers. Criminal defendants have a right to an attorney, even if they can't afford one, but there is no such provision in civil court.
"I was pretty excited about that," defendant Michael Muscadine, 24, said of the ruling. The attorneys "stepped up from day one. If they weren't here, I don't know where I would have turned to."
The city is scheduled to ask for a preliminary injunction at a hearing Feb. 16, although that date is also in contention. Michael Siegel said his team needed more time to prepare, but Deputy City Attorney Rocio Fierro said Fruitvale residents should not have to wait for protection.
"We want the people of Oakland to have their day in court," Fierro said.
The legal battle, along with the case itself, has stirred up strong emotions.
Some activists at Thursday's hearing said the injunction unfairly singles out Latino men who grew up in difficult circumstances.
Fierro suggested that the activists were standing up for the men's "criminal interests."
Complicating matters, attorneys for the city told the judge that the City Council had the authority to force Russo to drop the lawsuit. It's not clear how the council would vote on that question.
At City Hall on Thursday, Quan said she was frustrated that the council had not weighed in on the Fruitvale injunction or a previous one that a judge approved in the northern part of the city. She said such a court order may be effective in the short term, but asked, "Does it make sense to have the entire Fruitvale district off-limits?"
Quan said she would sit down next week with Police Chief Anthony Batts - or his successor, if he leaves - to discuss whether the injunctions are a valuable tool for officers.
E-mail the writers at dbulwa [at] schronicle.com and mkuruvila [at] sfchronicle.com.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/02/03/BARL1HIJ8N.DTL#ixzz1DCsVPShF
For more information:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...
Does anyone else find it weird that Stop Thug Hallinan gang always posts in an editorial style ala The Economist? Reminds me of Goldstein from 1984 too.
and as long time observers of Indybay might know, our friend BIG DICTATER is a huge fan of Flashpoints...so, how do you square your apparent dislike of white people with your admiration for Dennis? You do know he is white, I presume. As is Nora Barrows-Friedman. In some parts of the world this sort of flaw of logic is known as hypocrisy
and this little habbit of peppering posts with 'vermin', 'lice', and such...isn't there something sinister about that...?...I can't remember the 20th century historical figure who was known for using those words, maybe it'll come to me...
At least Stop Thug Hallinan Gang goes through the the effort of preparing propaganda, but you, small spud, seem to be capable of only crude, irrelevant, and half the time misspelled posts that don't even rise to the level of smut. Thank the maker that you don't support SaveKPFA, and godspeed to ICR as they disavow any support you attempt to provide.
and this little habbit of peppering posts with 'vermin', 'lice', and such...isn't there something sinister about that...?...I can't remember the 20th century historical figure who was known for using those words, maybe it'll come to me...
At least Stop Thug Hallinan Gang goes through the the effort of preparing propaganda, but you, small spud, seem to be capable of only crude, irrelevant, and half the time misspelled posts that don't even rise to the level of smut. Thank the maker that you don't support SaveKPFA, and godspeed to ICR as they disavow any support you attempt to provide.
...is with an OR, not ER.
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