Massa Campaign Archive

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Sanford Dickert, the New York based political consultant, and Eric Massa, the Democratic candidate for New York’s 29th Congressional District, are pleased to have amicably resolved the litigation which arose during Eric Massa’s 2006 Congressional race in which Sanford Dickert served as Campaign Manager. Eric Massa narrowly lost that race to the incumbent, but is well underway with a reinvigorated effort to take the seat in 2008.

Sanford Dickert and Eric Massa express mutual regret that issues arose. Eric Massa has since learned that the allegations regarding Sanford Dickert were unfounded.

Eric Massa regrets and acknowledges the unrealized benefit to Democratic political campaigns as a result of Sanford Dickert’s absence from organized political activity during the pendency of this litigation.

To the extent that misunderstandings in the heat of the campaign were wrongfully interpreted or misunderstood by anyone, Eric Massa offers his regrets to Sanford Dickert and is prepared to use his good name to remediate the foregoing and any harm caused to Sanford Dickert’s good reputation.

In a demonstration of mutual support and common purpose, both men give their unqualified endorsement of each other. Sanford Dickert reaffirms his political support of Eric Massa and Eric Massa appreciates Sanford Dickert’s support and wishes Sanford Dickert well in his continuing capable national service to Democratic candidates and campaigns.

Sanford Dickert has Eric Massa’s full confidence, particularly in matters pertaining to on-line advocacy, Internet fundraising and on-line campaigning and is happy to recommend Sanford Dickert and his political and technological expertise.

Both Eric Massa and Sanford Dickert wish each other well in all of their future endeavors and look forward to the Democratic party having success in the 2008 elections and beyond.

1) What was this “employment dispute” about?

The facts were that I worked for the Massa campaign from April to June 2006; the campaign was low on funds (which was why I did not request the majority of my salary until my departure); and the campaign chose not to honor my contract terms. On Mr. Massa’s first lawyers suggestion, I took my dispute to the American Arbitration Association.

Four days before the hearings were to begin, Massa’s attorneys asked the arbitrator to resolve the dispute in my favor. Please see Massa v Dickert - Arbitration Hearing Cancelled for more specific details.

This arbitration was no different than thousands of other small business and wage disputes being negotiated across the country at this moment - important to me personally, but pretty standard stuff in the daily life of a business.

2) What is the truth as to the dispute between you and Mr. Massa?

In my opinion, Mr. Massa seemed to be willing to do anything to avoid paying my contractually agreed wages. This has always been a simple business matter to me, and that’s all I ever wanted it to be. I think its likely that Mr. Massa’s lawyers thought that I would drop the issue if they made a bunch of unsavory, false personal and business allegations about me. They were wrong.

Despite these events, I am a lifelong Democrat, and certainly did not want this simple business issue to harm the Democrats’ chances of gaining control of Congress.

3) Were any of Massa’s allegations true?

Absolutely not. Most of the allegations are carefully lawyered-up so as to imply things that are not true.

The truth is that I did ask young people - men and women - to volunteer for the campaign. That was part of my job, and is standard practice for campaigns. Some of these so called “boys” were, in fact, college students that have already filed affidavits in Steuben County completely refuting Massa’s allegations - and these affidavits were of the students’ own personal knowledge.

Mr. Massa claims he had personal knowledge, but the affidavits from the college volunteers refute that as well.

4) What is your arbitration demand?

My demand in the arbitration was to get my contract pay: about $39,000 made up of overdue salary (which I had not taken during the campaign to conserve costs), campaign expenses (personal funds for campaign office expenses), and a severance package - plus the legal fees in pursuit of my pay. All of his legal wrangling could have been avoided if he just upheld our contract.

6) Mr. Massa has stated to a reporter he believes it can be solved this can be solved amicably, what do you have to say on this?

I’ve asked from the start that this situation be resolved amicably. That’s why I began a private and quiet arbitration, as Mr. Massa’s first set of attorneys suggested.

Then, he brought the dispute into the public eye for reasons I cannot fathom, perhaps to scare me with public mud slinging. To date, Mr. Massa’s delay tactics have cost me a considerable amount of time and expense to simply receive my contractually agreed upon wages and fight Mr. Massa’s false and manufactured allegations.