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	"provider_name": "Action Network",
	"provider_url": "https://actionnetwork.org",
	
	"html": "<link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/letter/stop-the-pacifica-lawsuit?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-letter-area-stop-the-pacifica-lawsuit' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div>",
	"author_name": "New Day Pacifica",
	"author_url": "https://actionnetwork.org/groups/new-day-pacifica-2",
	"title": "Stop the Pacifica Lawsuit!",
	"thumbnail_url": "https://actionnetwork.org//images/generic_facebook.jpg",
	"description": "Tell the Pacifica National Board (PNB) TODAY to stop wasting our listener donations on expensive lawsuits. Please send them an email TODAY, in time for the next PNB meeting this Thursday, May 21. Go to actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-the-pacifica-lawsuit to send an e-mail - it only takes a couple of minutes. You&#x27;ll be able to add a personal message to the sample email, if you wish, about: • why you donate to Pacifica. • Why you care about the survival of Pacifica. • Be passionate, but also high road. Sincerely, Donald Goldmacher, KPFA-Berkeley Local Station Board Evelia Jones, KPFK-Los Angeles Local Station Board Kiyana Williams, KPFK-Los Angeles Local Station Board Susan da Silva, KPFA-Berkeley Local Station Board Teresa Allen, KPFT-Houston Local Station Board Go to actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-the-pacifica-lawsuit to send an e-mail - it would mean a lot. More Details: The last big lawsuit cost Pacifica $3.2 million dollars (2018). To pay the settlement, Pacifica had to take out a loan using Pacifica’s three remaining buildings as collateral (we own the buildings at KPFA-Berkeley, KPFK-LA and KPFT-Houston; we rent at WBAI-NYC and WPFW-DC). If the $3.2 million dollars is not paid back by April 2021 (yes, that’s 11 months from now), we lose our three buildings. If Pacifica loses these last assets, it affects all five stations because Pacifica will no longer have a financial cushion available to help protect our five stations from the next challenge. The Pacifica National Board (PNB) still doesn’t have a plan on how to pay back the $3.2 million dollar loan from the last big lawsuit, or even the quarterly interest payments on that loan, so that our buildings will be protected. Instead, the PNB is considering filing yet another expensive lawsuit on a different subject, this time against John Vernile (former executive director of Pacifica), Bill Crosier (former PNB member from KPFT-Houston), and another former PNB member from KPFT-Houston, who were involved with the WBAI layoffs last October.* Think of that. Pacifica wants to sue a former staffer and two listener-volunteers. Why? To get the assets those people don’t have? To try to take their homes if they own one? For more information about WBAI’s precarious finances, see excerpts below of a Los Angeles Times article from February 7, 2020.* Lawsuits should only be used when absolutely necessary. John Vernile and the PNB members were acting in good faith to do what they believed was necessary to stabilize Pacifica&#x27;s finances, and do have a good case. When Pacifica loses the lawsuit, Pacifica is out not only all of our legal fees, but we may have to pay the defense’s legal expenses as well. The PNB voted May 7 to get the Pacifica attorney to “explore the feasibility” of a lawsuit, and “report back to the PNB within a week as to the plans for the litigation including an estimate of initial costs.” Next PNB meeting is Thursday, May 21. All of the money Pacifica spends comes from us, the listeners who donate. We support Pacifica financially so Pacifica can produce programs that we can’t hear anywhere else and to support the broader progressive community. We must focus on repaying the $3.2 million loan rather than gambling on an expensive lawsuit that will lose money. Win or lose, this lawsuit will cost at least $100,000 dollars, money which Pacifica will have to start shelling out immediately. In addition, if Pacifica thinks that it has been difficult to find competent radio professionals to work for us since it is well known that we have incredibly rapid turnover in our Executive Director position, think how difficult it will become to find someone when potential applicants know that they might not only be fired but also sued by Pacifica if they misstep in some way while doing the best job they can? * from Los Angeles Times, 2/7/2020, “The Crisis at Iconic Public Radio Station KPFK Gets Deeper”: &quot;The chief drain on Pacifica&#x27;s resources has been WBAI...The New York station ha(s) been derelict in its financial support of the network&#x27;s overhead and ha(s) been unable to meet its payroll, forcing the other four stations to make up the difference and drain their own coffers to keep WBAI operating... In October, Vernile attempted to stem the outflow of funds to WBAI by laying off virtually its entire staff, canceling its local programming and substituting feeds from Pacifica&#x27;s national programs. But those steps were blocked by a state judge. Vernile was subsequently overruled by the board and left his post.&quot; Go to actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-the-pacifica-lawsuit to send an e-mail - it&#x27;s very easy. You can reach us at PacificaOrganizing@gmail.com",
	"url": "https://actionnetwork.org/letters/stop-the-pacifica-lawsuit"
}