Sexual harassment charges at KPFK

GeorgiaAs Daniel Hernandez puts it in today's LA Weekly, KPFK general manager Eva Georgia — gay, black, African immigrant, disliked by many at the station — has been accused of sexually harassing news director Molly Paige, who is straight and white. Paige's lawsuit naming Georgia, Pacifica and other employees alleges a pattern of sexual and racial intimidation.

Paige says Georgia has caressed her hair inappropriately, suggested she try lesbian sex, and tried to coax her into a hotel room during a business trip, “making not so subtle remarks of a quid pro quo nature in order to force [Paige] to submit to Georgia’s sexual advances.”

When Paige complained to upper management at Pacifica headquarters in Berkeley, the suit says, Georgia retaliated, increasing her harassment. “Georgia immediately began a campaign in order to coerce and intimidate people at the station to ‘back her,’ ” the suit says.

The suit also says Paige was frequently disparaged in the station by Georgia and others for not being a person of color. She claims she was referred to as “white woman,” and was subjected to such statements as “I hate working with gringos,” “We don’t want to give Anglos credit for anything” and “Stupid white people.”

When reached by phone, Georgia said she was prepared to fight the accusations in court. “The only comment I would be comfortable making is to say that I have requested Pacifica to defend the case rather than to settle,” Georgia told the L.A. Weekly.

Meanwhile, Paige still works there, pulling together the evening news show. Pacifica offered to settle, but Paige turned it down and now the two sides are digging in. And another woman fired from KPFK told Hernandez she was sexually harassed by the boss too.

Photo: Pacifica

9:07 AM Thursday, April 19 2007 • Link
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