SAG-AFTRA National Board Adopts Independent Investigatory Report Finding Baseless all Accusations in April USAC Letter

June 25, 2017 — The SAG-AFTRA National Board of Directors today voted to release the independent investigatory report commissioned by the union to address accusations of staff wrongdoing made in press statements and written communications issued in April 2017 by a group calling itself United Screen Artists Committee.

The 22-page report by the respected accounting firm Bond Beebe was delivered to the board during its special meeting. The report refutes all allegations and exonerates all named staff and members of the false accusations in the USAC letter.

The board resolution, which passed unanimously, reads as follows:

RESOLUTION RE: CORRESPONDENCE FROM “UNITED SCREEN ARTISTS COMMITTEE”

WHEREAS, the National Board received and reviewed correspondence from the self-styled “United Screen Artists Committee” (“USAC”) at its April 2017 meeting, and

WHEREAS, outside counsel Bush Gottlieb LLP and Cohen Weiss & Simon LLP were asked to conduct a thorough and independent review of all allegations contained in that correspondence, and

WHEREAS, outside counsel retained accounting firm Bond Beebe PC to conduct a review of the relevant financial issues, and

WHEREAS, the National Board has received and thoroughly considered the report of outside counsel and accountants, which concludes that each and every material allegation contained in the USAC correspondence is either false or completely unsubstantiated;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Board that SAG-AFTRA categorically rejects the allegations and claims of the USAC letter and declines to take any of the actions requested therein, other than making records and information available for review by members as has always been SAG-AFTRA policy, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Board directs that, in light of the public nature of the allegations, the Bond Beebe report also be published on the SAG-AFTRA website to ensure transparency, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SAG-AFTRA urges USAC and its individual signatories to withdraw their potentially defamatory, unsubstantiated allegations against SAG-AFTRA executive leadership, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the National Board expresses its full confidence in and appreciation for National Executive Director David White, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Senior Advisor John McGuire, and the other individuals unjustifiably and baselessly targeted in the USAC correspondence.

Approved unanimously.

For the executive summary, click here.

To read the entire Bond Beebe report, click here.