Following “numerous separate and detailed complaints,” union president Gabrielle Carteris urged the actor to be removed from the Local Sexual Harassment Committee; finally resigned in June.
The SAG-AFTRA National Board passed a resolution Monday morning condemning local Los Angeles President Patricia Richardson for conduct “detrimental to the best interests of SAG-AFTRA members” by refusing to remove what The board described himself as a “suspected perpetrator” of the Los Angeles Local Sexual Harassment Committee.
The resolution says this committee member finally resigned on June 26, “amid growing public concerns about this matter.” A source close to the matter said Hollywood reporter that the individual in question is Corey Feldman. The actor does not appear in the resolution, but another source said two board members named him during the national board meeting, and an invitation from the panel points to Feldman as part of the committee.
Los Angeles local president SAG-AFTRA declined to remove the committee member even after “numerous separate and detailed complaints from women who had been or witnessed sexual harassment, abuse and assault,” according to the resolution of the national board, and despite a June 17 request from union president Gabrielle Carteris.
When asked for comment, Feldman responded in a statement saying, in part: “The same girls made the same claims 2 years ago and was investigated and purged by the LAPD and DA, and said I am very disappointed and” I lost full faith in SAG’s leadership that Gabrielle Carteris would abandon the precious measures she was trying to implement for the future safety and protection of our children. “
In response to Carteris’ request in June, Los Angeles local president Richardson responded in an email obtained by THR: “The charges sound serious but are unproven, unfounded, possibly have been paid.” Richardson did not respond to a request for comment. His email did not explain the reasons for calling the allegations “unfounded” or speculating that they could have been “paid”.
The SAG-AFTRA national board resolution also states that there have been “formal complaints to law enforcement, including the Los Angeles Police Department, and that investigations are currently underway.” This claim could not be independently confirmed, and the LAPD did not respond to a request for comment. Richardson’s email says “the police dismissed” the complaints, but this also could not be verified. SAG-AFTRA declined to comment.
Feldman has been outspoken about being a victim of sexual abuse, and is the subject of a recent documentary called My truth: the rape of 2 Coreys, focusing on Feldman and the late Corey Haim.
The matter comes immediately after mounting tensions between the union’s national leadership and its Los Angeles local, controlled by grieving political factions. On July 7, the Los Angeles board passed a non-binding resolution disapproving of the television / theater deal the union recently reached with major studios. Last year’s union elections, for the president, the board and other officer positions, were hotly contested, and it is hoped that they will be next year as well.
Feldman’s full statement is below:
As a victim of sexual predators and an avid spokesperson on behalf of victims everywhere, I welcome an investigation. Beyond that, I don’t mind dignifying the alleged claims of women who have been harassing and harassing me incessantly for some time, so I have contacted the police.
My team and I have been tracking his movements for a long time, and we have tapes and emails, along with witnesses who will attest that this is all part of a sting operation to discredit, defame and ignore the claims I have. been doing for decades that have not yet been investigated by LAPD or the DA of Ca.
And then we’d love to ask why no one investigated the fact that your document was hacked, stolen, hacked, and given away the loss of $ 80 million in potential sales. Why is no one investigating how his two websites were hacked and how he has had multiple attempts in his life, nor is he investigating any of the allegations of abuse he suffered as a child?
The same girls made the same claims 2 years ago and it was investigated and both LAPD and DA authorized me, and I say that I am very disappointed and have completely lost faith in SAG’s leadership that Gabrielle Carteris would abandon precious measures. trying to implement for the future the safety and protection of our children.
The resolution of the SAG-AFTRA national meeting of July 20 is as follows:
Resolution on the conduct of the local president of LA detrimental to the members of SAG-AFTRA
WHEREAS, All SAG-AFTRA officers, including local officers, are trustees who must act in the best interest of SAG-AFTRA members and refrain from taking any action that is detrimental to the best interests of the members; and
WHEREAS, as of mid-June 2020, the President of SAG-AFTRA received numerous detailed and separate complaints from women who had been or witnessed sexual harassment, abuse and assault by a member of the Los Angeles Local SAG-AFTRA who was serving on the Los Angeles Local Sexual Harassment Committee; and
WHEREAS, Several of these women have filed formal complaints with law enforcement, including the Los Angeles Police Department, and investigations are currently underway; and
WHEREAS the local Los Angeles President and other local officials were immediately informed of these allegations in order to provide them with the opportunity to remove the alleged perpetrator from the Los Angeles Local Sexual Harassment Committee during the prosecution of such allegations;
WHEREAS, In addition to concerns regarding the alleged perpetrator’s continued membership in the local Committee on Sexual Harassment, the Local President was also urged to remove the alleged author of a panel on sexual harassment that, although sponsored by a group “not Los Angeles Official “Officers and local members appeared to the public to be an official event sponsored by SAG-AFTRA; and
WHEREAS, on June 17, 2020, to protect Union members, a written communication was sent to the local Los Angeles President demanding that this member be removed from the Los Angeles Local Sexual Harassment Committee ; and
WHEREAS, on June 17, 2020, the local Los Angeles President refused to remove the alleged author of the Committee, stating in an email that the charges were “unproven”, “possibly have been paid” and, with respect to the panel about what was appearing, that “[w]We have a clinical psychologist on hand to speak privately with anyone who feels energized … ” and
WHEREAS, on June 22, 2020, in light of the local Los Angeles president’s refusal to take action regarding the alleged complainant’s continued participation in the local sexual harassment committee, a written communication was sent to the members of the Los Angeles sexual harassment committee. , emphasizing the need to “ensure that women who report vicious sexual assault and harassment allegations are not ignored or dehumanized,” denouncing the “comments blaming victims and denigrants” made by the local president of Los Angeles and others. , and reiterating the need to remove the accused member of the Los Angeles Local Sexual Harassment Committee; and
WHEREAS, The local Los Angeles President still refused to remove the committee member; and
WHEREAS, on June 26, 2020, amid growing public concerns about this matter, the alleged author resigned from the Los Angeles Local Committee on Sexual Harassment; and
WHEREAS, SAG-AFTRA has maintained an unequivocal position that publicly condemns sexual harassment, abuse and assault, and has worked hard to try to address it in our Union and our industry; and
WHEREAS, if SAG-AFTRA does not adequately respond to credible allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and assault such as those in question, it will not retain the ability to act as a respected and proactive force fighting sexual harassment, abuse and assault in our Union and our industry;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the refusal of the local Los Angeles president to remove the alleged perpetrator from the Los Angeles Local Committee on Sexual Harassment was to the detriment of the best interests of SAG-AFTRA members; and
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Los Angeles Local President has the order to cease and desist from any conduct that violates the policy of the National Board or that is detrimental to the best interests of the members of SAG-AFTRA.
