RE: [NewPacifica] (another, smaller) Stolen Election IndyMedia (p)



Folks
  I just can't feel a dam thing about this Election Process going in Pacifica, 
because I know It's just a case of the chickens coming home to roost,
 had you all forgot that or just didn't give a dam until it hit home.>>Peace 
and Love>> Wpfw Delagate, Billy Ray


To: fulcrumsofchange@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; newpacifica@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 
freekpfk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; pacifica_now@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 
wbaielections@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: jdemaegt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 
09:17:00 -0800Subject: [NewPacifica] (another, smaller) Stolen Election 
IndyMedia (p)





 

Los Angeles Independent Media Center 


Original article is at http://la.indymedia.org/news/2007/11/209842.php Hide 
comments. 
(another, smaller) Stolen Electionby Leslie Radford, KPFK LSB candidate Sunday, 
Nov. 11, 2007 at 2:28 PM leslie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
After a struggle for democratic elections that nearly destroyed a progressive 
radio network, local elections at KPFK are besmirched by unchecked money, 
influence, and confusion.


Six years ago, listeners to a progressive radio network called Pacifica won a 
lawsuit that allowed KPFK members to elect representatives to their local 
station board, and through them, to determine who sat on the Pacifica National 
Board.  The demand for democracy was an eruption against a board of directors 
that considered selling one of the stations to finance a string of smaller 
Black stations in the South.  The settlement instituted the first 
democratically-run radio network in the U.S., another groundbreaking advance in 
the network's long history.  Such are the contradictions of democracy.  
Today, that democratic outburst has fallen victim to a single slate of 
candidates supported by "The Committee to Strengthen KPFK," a powerful amalgam 
of Local Station Board members, station staff, and new faces, and endorsed by 
attorney Carol Spooner, one of the key figures in the original effort to 
democratize Pacifica.  And they have injected the influence of a financed 
elections and Democratic Party politics into an institution that prides itself 
on being "powered by the people."  The Committee and procedural violations 
threaten to confuse and discourage candidates, and endanger the quorum 
necessary for election certification. 
Lack of oversight, improper procedures, and an insider Committee so arrogant 
that rules seem meant to be broken, are spreading a viscous taint on the 
credibility of any election outcome.  At the same time, a blackout on election 
violations is so thorough, the determination to make quorum so overpowering 
after the near-failure of previous elections, that much of the electorate is 
unaware that infractions have occurred.  Even candidates who file complaints 
receive, at most and only occasionally, an acknowledgment that their complaint 
has been received. 
Already, in the fifth week of the campaign, the Committee To Strengthen KPFK 
has wantonly violated several of the eleven simple rules laid out for fair 
elections.  The KPFK candidate webpages and broadcast archives, under the 
control of Committee member and station webmaster Ali Lexa, been used for 
numerous inequities in publishing candidate information.  And the procedures 
and timetable of election events distributed to the candidates and posted on 
the station website for voters has been altered with little or no notification 
to the voters and the candidates.  To date, no sanctions have been announced to 
repair the damage to independent candidates or to inform the voters. 
In spite of its long list of rules violations, the Committee didn't hesitate to 
inject the election with the influence of privately financed campaigning, 
purchasing a high-gloss, multi-colored mailer sent to KPFK members, at a cost 
of $6,000 to $7,000 according to Committee director and candidate Grace Aaron, 
even as the donation-based station suffers a marked downturn in contributions.  
The Committee To Strengthen KPFK has taken the first step to becoming a 
non-profit corporation itself, by affiliation with the International Humanities 
Center, which has adopted the Committee as one of its projects, providing the 
group with a tax shelter and anonymity for its donor or donors.  
The Pacifica National Board, recognizing the serious disadvantage the mailer 
poses to low- and moderate-income independent candidates, and that "spending of 
large sums of money in Pacifica campaigns runs counter to the noncommercial 
nature of the Pacifica Radio Network while underscoring the discriminatory 
nature of campaign financing so prevalent and objectionable in mainstream 
elections," moved on November 1 to begin a process to find remediation for the 
disadvantaged candidates.  The discussion of specific remedies began at the 
KPFK Local Station Board meeting on Wednesday, November 7.  Candidate Jubilee 
Shine told the local board, ""I am here to represent workers.  I'm a roofer and 
a union activist.  I couldn't get $7,000 for a flyer for this campaign.  I 
couldn't raise $300."  In order to implement the remedies, the board discussed 
the possibility of a further election delay, to December 21.  
 Aaron formed the Committee to spearhead a campaign to remove progressive, 
lesbian, and African general manager Eva Georgia in light of a sexual 
harassment suit filed against her and the network.  In July, the Committee 
presented a petition calling for her removal to the Pacifica National Board, 
the culmination of a five-year campaign to oust Georgia with a plethora of 
accusations that began even before a staffer denied her the keys to her office 
when Georgia officially took over leadership of the station.  The Committee 
invited local media to the board meeting held in Los Angeles, and the event was 
reported in the LA Times, Throughout the summer, the press was fed accusations, 
and articles without context appeared in the LA Weekly (twice), where reporters 
salivated over the charges of Black lesbian sexual misconduct.  Meanwhile, the 
PNB, the CEO, and the CFO stood behind Georgia with unreported public 
statements of support.  The lawsuit is still pending, and Pacifica insiders 
seem confident that Georgia will be vindicated in court. 
Aaron chaired the LSB in 2006 until her term ended and she was voted out.  
During her tenure, she forced the local board into numerous closed sessions to 
present sundry charges against Georgia.  One, an expense report purported to 
show Georgia's misuse of station funds but discredited by the Pacifica CFO, 
Lonny Hicks, was circulated widely among station staff despite its 
confidentiality. 
Aaron, along with Committee members and the slate's other two returning 
candidates, Lamont Yeakey and Donna Warren, during earlier elections were 
members of a slate known as Progressives for Independent, Responsible Community 
Radio.  PIRCR and slates at other stations in the network were organized by 
Spooner from Pacifica members who had opposed ensuring elected representation 
for underrepresented communities in the new Pacifica Bylaws. 
The Committee To Strengthen KPFK and Spooner, after roundly condemning Georgia 
for bringing a lawsuit down on the network, are contemplating their own lawsuit 
against Pacifica for refusing to include their partisan mailer with the ballot 
mailing, according to Committee member Ian Masters in his November 4 broadcast 
(since edited out of the archived version of the broadcast). 
 Slate members Ricco Ross, Linda Sutton, Dan Wang, and Ahjamu Makalani, 
according to their election materials, are all active in the Progressive 
Democrats, a caucus of the Democratic Party, raising alarm bells about 
mainstream party funding and takeover of the "fiercely independent" radio 
station.  Makalani, who has moved from the Peace and Freedom Party and the 
Green Party to vice chair of the Progressive Democrats,  explained that they 
were supporting  John Edwards in the national elections because, "Kucinich 
wasn't a viable candidate."  
Other Committee candidates include Aaron, Summer Reese, Donna Warren, Lamont 
Yeakey, Lich Doan, Sarkis Ghazarian, Sergio Monteiro, and Shel Plotkin. Popular 
radio show hosts Shawn Casey O'Brien, Don Bustany, and Eben Rey are running 
with on the Committee ticket for staff seats on the local board. 
Meanwhile, candidates without insider connections, largely newcomers to KPFK's 
election process, are left to slug their way through the morass of confusion, 
violations, and unannounced changes, in what is turning out to be something 
akin to a no rules wrestling match. 
The elections are supposed to operate under the terms the new Pacifica Bylaws 
and the summaries provided to candidates in the 2007 Fair Campaign Provisions 
for Listener Candidates and for Programmers, Staff and Management , with the 
enforcement of the National Election Supervisor, Casey Peters, and Local 
Elections Supervisor, Liliana Sanchez.  
The Violations 
Apparent violations by the Committee to date include: 


Committee candidate Donna Warren was on the KPFK Evening News of October 2, a 
week after candidates were prohibited from appearing on air. 


The Committee To Strengthen KPFK was provided with access to a mailing house 
and the use of the KPFK membership list held by that mailing house, while many 
other candidates were unaware that such a service was available and nearly all 
are unable to afford those services.  That list was used to send a mailer 
endorsing those candidates to the voters, unduly affecting the outcome of the 
election. 


The Committee To Strengthen KPFK used a website for four weeks that had “KPFK” 
in its URL, in direct violation of a prohibition against using the station call 
letters in an election-related URL. 







Ian Masters, program host and signatory to The Committee To Strengthen KPFK, in 
his broadcast of October 14 concluded that some candidates did not adhere to 
the mission of the Foundation, a clear disparagement of the candidates and 
violation of the rules for programmers. 


Masters during his broadcast of November 4 called some candidates “psychotic,” 
while he deemed The Campaign To Strengthen KPFK "sane" and "reasonable,", 
alleged that “pinche ethno-fascists” were disrupting the elections with "lots 
of race-baiting."  (The archived version of this broadcast was edited to remove 
the offending remarks.) 


Jon Weiner, program host and signatory to The Committee To Strengthen KPFK, 
includes a hyperlink on his show’s webpage from the KPFK website to his 
personal website , where he endorses the Committee slate.  Campaign rules 
prohibit using the station website to link to any endorsement. 





Lich Doan is running as a listener candidate although he was regularly 
announced as assistant producer for Background Briefing from June 1 to August 
31, and he continues to be announced as the assistant producer for that show, 
giving him regular on-air name recognition and disadvantaging candidates 
without similar access to the airwaves.  Candidates are disqualified for 
listener seats after 30 hours of work for the station in the three months prior 
to the start of the campaign. 




Ajhamu Makalini, a write-in candidate according to The Campaign To Strengthen 
KPFK, did not have the requisite fifteen signatures for his nomination form but 
has been allowed to participate in the on-air and in-person forums. 
KPFK website and archives inequities: 


Candidate Lich Doan’s statement included two references to his endorsement by 
Mr. Masters for the first month it was posted, an unfair advantage to 
candidates who did not use staff services to promote their candidacies.  Staff 
services are forbidden to candidates. 

Candidates Bayard Condon and Jubilee Shine have their names inaccurately posted 
on the website, and Joaquin Cienfuego’s name is misspelled on the ballot, so 
that their names on the website do not match their names as listed on the 
ballot. 


Candidates Bayard Condon, Reza Pour, Schyna Pour, and Alise Sochaczewski’s 
answers to the candidate’s questionnaire have not been posted on the station 
website, while other candidates’ answers have been available for weeks. 

The English on-air candidate forums for November 1 was not posted to the 
archives of station broadcasts until November 5 and the Spanish forum of the 
same date is still not available, although the forums for October 30 and 31 
were available immediately after broadcast. 

The English-language forum of October 29 as originally posted edited out the 
responses of candidate Leslie Radford, and, when that was brought the attention 
of the Local Election Supervisor, the forum was hyperlinked to a non-existent 
file. 

Candidate Lawrence Reyes’ email address and telephone number, included in his 
candidate statement, were not included in the station website posting of his 
statement, and candidate Radford’s website was not included in the station 
posting of her statement, and these inequities continued for weeks into the 
campaign.  Other candidates’ statements that included email contacts and 
website addresses, notably addresses to the Committee's website, were posted 
properly. 

The number of viewings of each candidate statement is revealed on the list of 
candidates on the KPFK and Pacifica Foundation website , producing a bandwagon 
effect for some candidates, and this number can be artificially increased by 
repeatedly reloading the statement webpage. Procedural infractions: 


The deadline to submit ballots was moved to November 26, but not all voters 
have been notified of the extension, so that some voters inevitably returned 
their ballots on the date indicated on the ballot without access to all 
information about the candidates or remedies of grievances that may occur after 
the original ballot deadline. The extension of the deadline also shortens the 
time to extend the election to assure a quorum, endangering the elections 
altogether. 

Unannounced changes to the published timetable, including more than a week’s 
delay in mailing the ballots, delaying the on-air candidates’ forums, delaying 
broadcast of the candidates’ on-air announcements, and extending the return 
date for ballots, have caused some candidates hardship in planning an election 
campaign.   

No announcements have been made to the candidates of election events, changes 
to the election materials and election deadlines, any sanctions resulting from 
election violations, or the Pacifica National Board motion regarding elections 
passed and referred to committee, so that candidates are reliant on word of 
mouth to participate fully in the election process.  Links from Pacifica's 
homepage to Election News in English and Election News in Spanish lead to 
Washington, DC candidate statement. 

No time has been provided for a question-and-answer call-in period between 
candidates and station listeners as required by the Bylaws. 

Until November 5, no carts were aired regarding any election events, election 
materials, election deadlines, or any sanctions resulting from election 
violations, so that voters are denied timely election information and reminders 
on the airwaves, endangering informed voting and making a quorum. 

On-air announcements recorded by candidates did not begin to air until November 
5, although the election timeline requires that broadcast begin immediately 
after the fund drive which ended on October 20. 

English-language forums will be rebroadcast while Spanish-language broadcasts 
will not, and neither candidate statements nor ballots are available in 
languages other than English. 

In-person candidate forums have been announced on the air only a handful of 
times, the announcements occurred only a day or two prior to the forum, and the 
address of the first in-person candidate forum was not posted on the station 
website until some hours before the forum, while announcements directed voters 
to that website for the address of the forum. 

The Local Election Supervisor appointed candidate Grace Aaron to convene the 
first in-person candidate forum and refused to intervene when that forum became 
contentious.  The Local Election Supervisor did not attend the second candidate 
forum, leaving the host to moderate the event.  In both cases, the lack of 
leadership diminished candidates’ communication with voters. 

radiojustice.net
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Democrat takeover of KPFKby anonymous Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 12:31 AM 


Leslie Radford has expertly encapsulated the multifaceted paralysis of 
governance at KPKF and the takeover by monied interests of the Democrat party 
that has squashed democracy, instituted self-censorship of programming content 
and corporatized listener representation/ownership at the radio station. 
Volunteerism (the life-blood of listener-sponsored radio) has succumbed to a 
slick, glossy politicized professionalism exercised by Democrat Party hacks.

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Democrat Party takeover of KPFKby Anonymous Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 12:31 AM 


Leslie Radford has expertly encapsulated the multifaceted paralysis of 
governance at KPKF and the takeover by monied interests of the Democrat party 
that has squashed democracy, instituted self-censorship of programming content 
and corporatized listener representation/ownership at the radio station. 
Volunteerism (the life-blood of listener-sponsored radio) has succumbed to a 
slick, glossy politicized professionalism exercised by Democrat Party hacks,

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PDA? Jeeez. Even Air America is more progressive.by mous Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 
at 1:17 AM 


The station needs a diversity of ideas.

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" Democracy" at KPFKby Tejano Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 1:49 AM 


We know, in watching "free" elections under US capitalism, that there is no 
such thing. Wealth/ class, race, and gender play tremendous roles in limiting 
the available choices of candidates, and the media are all too happy to tell us 
who is a "credible" candidate. We see much the same thing in the KPFK 
elections. Those who have long controlled the station in their own interests- 
so-called "progressive democrats and west side liberals have tried for years 
now to maintain the death grip on privilege that they have at the station. Some 
of them fought tooth and nail to prevent affirmative action in KPFK's 
elections, in an effort to ensure their continued dominance of the station, of 
what it broadcasts, and for whom it broadcasts. The same group of readily 
identifiable power players sought to eliminate KPFK's South African lesbian 
general manager, waging a a campaign of vilification that lasted literally, for 
years, form _before_ she ever set foot in the station until very recently when, 
at last, after years of harrassment, she had had enough, and resigned. The same 
"players" sought to make sure that the poor would have no voice in KPFK's 
future, and did all in their power to defeat proposals that would allow people 
to vote - even if they can't afford to subscribe to the station - by signing up 
under a system of waivers. Apparently, they never heard of the infamous poll 
taxes in the Old South that made it effectively impossible for poor people of 
color to vote, Apparently, they didn't understand that that bastion of 
injustice, th US Supreme court itself, had outlawed the practice, and 
apparently they were too tied to their own privilege to see clearly the 
comparison between the poll tax and the subscription fee that would "allow" one 
to vote in the white dominated atmosphere of KPFK's elections. Or rather, 
perhaps they understood these matters clearly- all too clearly, and acted 
simply and consciously in their own naked self interest. Perhaps they 
understood all along that the drive to get rid of the former general manager 
began with those who had been part of the hijacking of the station and 
mainstreaming it- people loyal to the old Schubb / Cooper regime that had 
purged virtually all radical programming form the air, and had certainly banned 
all radical programmers of color, and who had gone so far as to ban the 
pronunciation of Spanish place names with anything other than their English 
pronunciation. No, these defensive an narrowly intersted people are not hard to 
identify. In past elections they called themselves PIRCR- People for 
Responsible Independent Community Radio. NOW THEY GO BY"THE COMMITTEE TO 
STRENGTHEN KPFK." AND THEY ARE TRYING TO BUY AN ELECTION AND CHEAT THEIR WAY TO 
VICTORY 

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one down . . .by Leslie Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 11:13 AM 


Jon Weiner has just informed me that he has asked the KPFK webmaster to remove 
the link from KPFK to his website where he endorses the Committee.

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Air Americaby V Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 12:26 PM 


But Air America is owned by rupert murdock.

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Not really......by Lord Locksley Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 12:48 PM 


........the company is owned primarily by Green Family Media, made up of New 
York real estate investor Stephen L. Green and his brother Mark J. Green, who 
closed on the purchase of the network on March 6, 2007 for US$4.25 million. The 
Greens' purchase of Air America Radio followed the company's Chapter 11 
bankruptcy filing on October 13, 2006.

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Radford is biased, corruptby for justice against disunity Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 
at 2:44 PM 


Leslie Radford is probably a pig and everyone around Pacifica (who isn't a cop 
or a moron) knows it. Five years ago, when KPFK employee Esther Manilla (a 
radical woman of color) believed that then-GM Eva Georgia sexually harassesed 
her, she was told to report the incident to a member of the LSB. The station 
board at the time (which was unelected, and controlled by supporters of the 
ex-GM), made sure the person Manilla spoke with was LSB member Radford, who 
"counselled" Manilla to shut up: "it'd be your word against the General 
Manager's, and you're only going to make a fool of yourself." That's right, it 
was old-school vile sexism - Radford's like the judge who told the rape victem 
to stuff it in order to protect the powerful. Manilla is a young woman of 
color, who is brilliant and a great radical activist - in effect, Radford ia a 
right-wing tool. Looks what's happened since: it's five years later, Georgia 
went on to be accused of sexually harassing two more women, one of whom finally 
brought a lawsuit (because she was outside the control of pigs like Radford) - 
and Pacifica is poised to lose hundreds-of-thousands, if not millions, of 
dollars. If Leslie Radford is not a pig infiltrater, she achieves the exact 
same effect, destroying one of the most important institutions of the left. 
She's a white person who fronts like she's a friend to people of color, but all 
she does is undermine solidarity with divide and conquer B S. It's sad to see 
that Radford has now infiltrated indymedia, the organization should do 
everything they can to protect themselves from her, she's probably a pig. If 
you take this post down, you'll only show that Indymedia does not support free 
speech because what I've written is the truth, plain and simple 

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the event aboveby Leslie Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 3:24 PM 


never happened.

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OK, I can't let it standby Leslie Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 3:32 PM 


What is absolutely verifiable is that I was NOT a member of the Local Advisory 
Board under Schubb. I came onto the interim LAB, after Schubb was gone and the 
lawsuit was won. This note opens with a lie that can be checked easily by 
anybody with web access. No board would send a member in to "counsel" anybody 
if it involved a lawsuit, and I never had such a conversation with Ms. Manilla, 
nor would I. But since I wasn't even on the board, the author must have someone 
else in mind. Georgia is accused of sexually harassing one woman, the only such 
charge that's been filed, as far as I know. I don't know the amount of damages 
sought, but "millions" sound utterly ludicrous to me. I didn't know the 
minutemen had such good friends in KPFK--or does the Committee To Strengthen 
KPFK have such good friends among the minutemen?

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Why is Indymedia intervening in KPFKby KPFK listener and volunteer Monday, Nov. 
12, 2007 at 3:36 PM 


Indymebia should not be trying to influence the KPFK elections. Leslie 
Radford's front page article is full of distortion and lies - and, guess what, 
she's a candidate. This is interference It is highly unethical that Los Angeles 
Indymedia has decided to influence the KPFK Local Station Elections by posting 
a rant by one the candidates on its front page. To correct the injustice, 
Indymedia should now allow all of the other candidates the same opportunity. 
Short of that, Ms Radford should be disqualified.

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Radford drank the Kool-Aidby Concerned for the K Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 3:37 
PM 


I think Leslie Radford not only drank the Kool-Aid but now she's trying to get 
everyone else to chug-a-lug as well. The outlandish actions Eva Georgia 
perpetuated on a regular basis were monumental and not just the rantings of 
rogue staff members as Radford would have you believe. AFTRA Union members 
supported a vote of "no confidence in their General Manager" and yet these 
people who claim to support letting the little guy speak, tried to get the 
information stricken from the record! Adding insult to injury - after all of 
the lawsuits and money that has been spent - Georgia got paid over $60,000 to 
go away! 
(http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2007/10/what_eva_georgia_cost_kpf.php) 
Reading this fear fueling paranoia on IndyMedia today from blindly obediant 
people who backed Georgia as if she were Jim Jones is chilling to say the 
least. Anyone who disagrees with them are immedetialy labeled right wing, 
racist or some operative within the CIA. I am very concerned for the station at 
this time and don't know how long it will last if these people take over 
completely. And I am beyond frustrated that the fine folks at IndyMedia thought 
that Radford's rantings should be posted on the main page. Don't you people 
know that she is running for the LSB? In her letter she says, "Candidates 
Bayard Condon and Jubilee Shine have their names inaccurately posted on the 
website, and Joaquin Cienfuego’s name is misspelled on the ballot, so that 
their names on the website do not match their names as listed on the ballot." 
Is she insinuating that due to a spelling error there is a conspiracy against 
these people? Maybe if you look at the full list of candidates for the LSB with 
your left eye closed you can see a clearly defined image of the messiah as 
well. Come on, wake up people. 

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Memory problems Ms Radford?by for justice against disunity Monday, Nov. 12, 
2007 at 3:51 PM 


nice effort at deflection Ms Radford (or should I say officer Radford). 
Clearly, if Eva Georgia was already GM, we're not talking about the unelcted 
LAB during Schubb's reign, but rather the unelected LAB afterwards - which you 
did sit on. And, as for my source, let's just say it's first-hand. Go ahead, 
Indymedia, do some journalism, find out the truth - that way, Ms Radford will 
be exposed as the blatant liar that she is

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Just the factsby Leslie Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 4:46 PM 


First of all, I identified myself in the "author" line of the article as a 
candidate. I corrected the verifiable error in the comments above, and the 
writer concurs. The rest is fiction, but not fiction that anyone can prove or 
disprove, and I have no interest in getting into back-and-forth where I'm 
supposed to provide evidence that I *didn't* do something. That's absurd on the 
face of it. So far, no one has pointed to a factual error in the article 
itself. I will be happy to address those. But if you would like to continue to 
smear me, go ahead. This is an intelligent readership--they'll make the 
distinction between smears and attacks. I'll bet they never knew that the crap 
inside KPFK was this vicious, but here goes. Let me give them some background. 
Many of the same crew from the Committee that opposed Ms. Georgia and (I'm 
pretty sure) are slamming me here first came after me when I opposed 
ratification of Pacifica bylaws without guarantees of representation by 
oppressed groups. We lost that battle, but I stand behind it. Pacifica is a 
"minority-owned" network for purposes of Corporation for Public Broadcasting 
funding, although it's listenership is largely white. That means, to this day, 
the national board has to be a majority peoples of color according to CPB rules 
to get CPB funding. As I hear it, the Pacifica struggle began with GM Mark 
Schubb, abetted by Marc Cooper, purging mostly Black programmers from KPFK. 
Shortly afterwards, the national board floated a plan to sell the Berkeley 
station to finance a string of smaller Black Pacifica stations across the 
South. Carol Spooner led a listener revolt to demand that the listenership 
elect the local boards, which would, in turn, elect the national board--the 
"majority minority" national board. I came into KPFK after Spooner had won the 
lawsuit, as the new Bylaws were being hammered out. And that's where I "earned" 
the animosity of Spooner and her local minions, supporting representation for 
the various communities of color, gender "difference," and the 
differently-abled. You can meet one of those purged programmers, Dedon Kamathi, 
returned to the air by Eva Georgia, tonight at a candidates' forum at the Lucy 
Florence Coffee House, Gallery and Theater, 3351 West 43rd Street LA at 7:00 
p.m. And I'll be there, and I bet whoever is writing these comments will also 
be there. Let the fireworks begin (again).

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Personal Atttacksby Anon Monday, Nov. 12, 2007 at 10:44 PM 


Personal attacks are the last refuge of scoundrels. The name calling diatribes 
and efforts to create an atmosphere of scapegoating against Leslie Radford here 
are consistent with what has gone on in KPFK and Pacifica for years. Since 
PIRCR and its new front group, "The Committee to 'Strengthen' KPFK" have long 
been on record - in formal votes - as opposing affirmative action remedies to 
balance representation on local boards for disenfranchised communities, since 
they have long been on record as opposing waivers for the poor so that they can 
participate in the station's elections, and since the election violations they 
have engaged in are indisputable, they have no recourse but to attempt to 
slander Radford, and hope, as they do it, that you, the reader, are gullible 
enough to not see through the ploy. Notice the obvious. None of them deny the 
elections violations, nor the effort to turn the elections into a "he who has 
the money Rules" game _ they can't - they've been condemned by the Pacifica 
National Board for trying to buy the elections, none of them deny their 
opposition to affirmative action or fee waivers for the poor, none of them deny 
the long term effort to drive out the former GM, nor that it began before she 
even took office (Not that the former GM was saintly, by anyone's standards - I 
had marked differences with her). All they have left is to slander the one who 
has exposed what they cannot and do not deny.

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The Democratic Party Spin Doctorsby Honest Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 at 4:02 PM 


Ok here comes the Spin Democratic/Repulican Party like Operations attacking the 
Truth that is undenialable that Ms. Radford inform us about. As these type of 
Arrognant Money Power Hungry slate with an Agenda that is is hidden from Public 
viewing as it is an attempt Take Over of KPFK to polish off Grassroots Voices 
with there Glossy mailer just as the Repulicrats do to ask for your vote and 
then act in there OWN Interest as the staff is doing now. The Quelling of 
Dissent and Craving out of Consent to Govern only for there own interests as 
Listener Democracy is Explioted for the Staff own ends($) as the Information 
being put out by those earning a Salary that i help paid, Paid Staff play Ring 
Around the Pony with Air time gaining a Salary and with Impunity controling the 
Information that is put out on KPFK wherther its thru Editorial Commentary by 
those whom already have shows or Station paiding Jobs and doing commentary or 
appearing as Guest on shows hence Censoring the possiblity of New fresh ideas 
and voices and De-constructing of serious National Security State issues, 
accepting the Pharmaceutical lies that so call Aids Drugs cure Aids while 
allowing this lie the Pharmaceutical Industry Laughs its way into the Bank 
without being Check or Challenged by the unPaid/Paid Programmers Censoring the 
Alternative Views of people as this Industry has engage in modern Human 
Genocide as it has done the same on 911 Truth as some of these same programmers 
and Slate of candidates condone the so call Humanirian Bombing of Bosnia during 
Clinton Sleazy and greasing Rein. So now here we come again with now a Second 
Hi-jacking attempt being wage by the so call Flashy Deep Pocket and Arrogant 
Committee To Strengthen KPFK these are Remants of the Chubb and Cooper Crowd 
whom have been Engage in a Lenghty Undermining of KPFK efforts to remain free 
and Independent and grassroots then Slandering the K-GM refer to LA Weekly as 
link to the great Fact Base Article Ms. Radford wrote. The relationship's are 
very cozy by most of the Listed Endorsers of this Arrogant Slate of mindless 
Mainstream Party Officals and the ongoing relationships with Marc Cooper and 
Chrubb for those whom had no idea these where the supporters of suppressing 
Dissent and Grassroots Democracy in Pacifica and hence making the conditions 
Possible for a Hi-jacking of our station and network. Ask yourself one question 
why will the Rich want to invest so much money to take over a Local Station 
Board knowing most of us struggle to support our station with our modest 
incomes and even the Poor contribute as much as there can or Volunteer. So my 
question to you all is Why Has The Rich and Powerful engage in an attempt to 
unduly Posion our Grassroots Election Process? Also, are we to Keep Our Station 
Power By The People or over-Power by the Rich and Well-Connected with a Clear 
Agenda to Lock Communities and new Voices out as these actors and thinkers only 
are looking out for there own interest and not of those of the Main Stake 
Holders the KPFK Listener Supporters. Honest

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The Democratic Party Spin Doctorsby Honest Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 at 4:06 PM 


Ok here comes the Spin Democratic/Repulican Party like Operations attacking the 
Truth that is undenialable that Ms. Radford inform us about. As these type of 
Arrognant Money Power Hungry slate with an Agenda that is is hidden from Public 
viewing as it is an attempt Take Over of KPFK to polish off Grassroots Voices 
with there Glossy mailer just as the Repulicrats do to ask for your vote and 
then act in there OWN Interest as the staff is doing now. The Quelling of 
Dissent and Craving out of Consent to Govern only for there own interests as 
Listener Democracy is Explioted for the Staff own ends($) as the Information 
being put out by those earning a Salary that i help paid, Paid Staff play Ring 
Around the Pony with Air time gaining a Salary and with Impunity controling the 
Information that is put out on KPFK wherther its thru Editorial Commentary by 
those whom already have shows or Station paiding Jobs and doing commentary or 
appearing as Guest on shows hence Censoring the possiblity of New fresh ideas 
and voices and De-constructing of serious National Security State issues, 
accepting the Pharmaceutical lies that so call Aids Drugs cure Aids while 
allowing this lie the Pharmaceutical Industry Laughs its way into the Bank 
without being Check or Challenged by the unPaid/Paid Programmers Censoring the 
Alternative Views of people as this Industry has engage in modern Human 
Genocide as it has done the same on 911 Truth as some of these same programmers 
and Slate of candidates condone the so call Humanirian Bombing of Bosnia during 
Clinton Sleazy and greasing Rein. So now here we come again with now a Second 
Hi-jacking attempt being wage by the so call Flashy Deep Pocket and Arrogant 
Committee To Strengthen KPFK these are Remants of the Chubb and Cooper Crowd 
whom have been Engage in a Lenghty Undermining of KPFK efforts to remain free 
and Independent and grassroots then Slandering the K-GM refer to LA Weekly as 
link to the great Fact Base Article Ms. Radford wrote. The relationship's are 
very cozy by most of the Listed Endorsers of this Arrogant Slate of mindless 
Mainstream Party Officals and the ongoing relationships with Marc Cooper and 
Chrubb for those whom had no idea these where the supporters of suppressing 
Dissent and Grassroots Democracy in Pacifica and hence making the conditions 
Possible for a Hi-jacking of our station and network. Ask yourself one question 
why will the Rich want to invest so much money to take over a Local Station 
Board knowing most of us struggle to support our station with our modest 
incomes and even the Poor contribute as much as there can or Volunteer. So my 
question to you all is Why Has The Rich and Powerful engage in an attempt to 
unduly Posion our Grassroots Election Process? Also, are we to Keep Our Station 
Power By The People or over-Power by the Rich and Well-Connected with a Clear 
Agenda to Lock Communities and new Voices out as these actors and thinkers only 
are looking out for there own interest and not of those of the Main Stake 
Holders the KPFK Listener Supporters. Honest

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Can't true u anymore Leslieby Ricco Ross Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 at 6:20 PM 


My name is Ricco Ross, I am one of the candidates running for LSB and it is 
really disheartening to read all of the negatively about the station which is 
about so much more to our community . It has been informative as I didn't 
really know much of the specifics re all the in fighting and you have prompted 
a conversation that is revealing. Having said that, Leslie I don't know you 
from Adam and like wise you doesn't know me. To some how imply that because I 
am a Progressive Democrate, active and a voting member of the Democratic Party 
(which I must admit lacks a spine to say the least.) and am trying to do all 
that I can to help change the governments position of looking after the "haves" 
and forgetting the "have not's", somehow makes me an unworthy candidate is 
something I strongly take objection to. Because I am tired of complaining and 
have gotten off my back side and become an activist "...raises alarm bells 
about mainstream party funding and takeover". ? Wow, that is some leap and if 
you can make such a leap there, I now have to question any and everything you 
say. I have met the other candidates on and off my slate and in my opinion all 
of us seem to truly want the same thing. Which is the best for KPFK. Some of us 
are from different slates, back rounds and some from similar back rounds, but 
from what I have heard, we seem to have a common goal, all be it different 
views of how to achieve that goal. We all want the best for KPFK and as some of 
us will be elected, we might want to start trying to work together now, because 
there may be different slates running, but in the end there will only be one 
LSB.

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To Riccoby Leslie Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 at 10:41 PM leslie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 


Ricco, For the record, there's only one slate in these elections, the Committee 
To Strengthen KPFK. What really interests me here is that you're talking and 
listening, you're getting your feet wet at KPFK, and that you're moving into 
activism. You might talk to Rodrigo or Kimberly or Lydia or Bill--all LSB 
members who are leaving. They all believe in KPFK, at least in its potential, 
and they've all struggled to do what is best for the station. And I'd be happy 
to sit down over a cup of coffee with you if we can get our schedules together, 
and you can question me all you want--my veracity, my views of KPFK, my 
background there. Email me--my address is above. As far as knowing you, I only 
know that you're a Democrat, and that's what I commented on. I'm pretty sure 
that most KPFK listeners want to know that four members of PDA have suddenly 
appeared on the KPFK scene. Your concern with the article seems to be that I've 
linked the entry of local Democratic Party leaders along with a sudden influx 
of cash into the KPFK election to alarm bells I've heard from friends, who've 
heard them from friends, who've heard them from friends--a whole swath of 
people who are wondering what's happening. I didn't create those alarms, but 
they don't seem to be much of a leap to me. I expressed the concerns I'm 
hearing (and feeling) to Ahjamu after the Santa Monica forum, and he seemed to 
hear what I was saying. If we can talk, maybe you will grasp some of what 
raised alarm bells for me, too. --Leslie

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