The election committee meeting of April 18 ended strangely with WPFW local board member Eric Ramey saying a lawsuit had been filed, weeks ago, against WPFW and presumably the Pacifica Foundation. At least 4 national board members on the call indicated they knew nothing about the matter.

Update: WPFW local station board member Eric Ramey provided this as a follow-up statement in response to requests for documentation.

“I was informed earlier the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is investigating.  In addition the justice department will investigate to determine if any FCC violations have occurred. Accordingly I will invoke the 5th and remain silent”.

Update: David Levine, WPFW’s 2015 local election supervisor until the PNB cancelled the DC election,  was contacted by telephone and stated he did not sue WPFW, threaten to sue WPFW, cause papers to be served on WPFW’s general manager or trigger any investigation by CPB, FCC or DOJ.

Local station board member Eric Ramey has indicated he is unwilling to speak further on the matter and was chastised by PNB member Nancy Sorden who asked him to consult with her prior to speaking freely in Pacifica’s streamed meetings saying “we’re all on email at the same time we are on the phone”.

She added “Could you agree to staying open to hearing those reminders and cautions and if you are not sure email ahead of time
or during the meeting?”

Ramey claimed the lawsuit was filed by the former WPFW local election supervisor and that the station’s general manager had been served with paperwork.

In the past, local election workers have filed for unemployment insurance, stating they are not independent contractors but employees, but generally unemployment claim disputes are pursued via mail.

The national board should be promptly informed of any pending litigation by the interim executive director.

Here is an audio of the report to the elections committee.