USCF update

by SusanPolgar on Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:44 am

I was asked by a number of people about the latest development after I made this post http://chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=673 last week. Not much has changed but here is my summary:

I expect the board to deny that they tried to destroy my personal and professional reputation, cause me to lose my job or use my children as “pawns” to get me off the board, etc. What else can they say? Unless everything is opened up, the members cannot see the clear picture.

I also expect them to say that their attorney(s) will not allow them to release all confidential information (starting with the NDAs, board correspondence, confidential BINFO and everything else relating to this matter, etc.) to the public until the Sloan lawsuit is resolved or at all. They will try to save face by picking and choosing one or two areas to allow us to open up. No thanks! Unless everything is allowed (by the board and their attorney(s) in a legally binding statement) to open up, the members cannot know what their elected officials are doing and how they are spending members’ money.

I am not going to play their games. Their mistakes caused the federation to be in this position in the first place. Here is the summary of what I stated and I am also adding a few new items:

- We asked the board not to include Bill Goichberg in the sub-committee at the last board meeting in Crossville. Things would have gone a lot smoother and faster if Bill was not in the sub-committee. The reason is clear. Since there are a lot of potential legal issues involved in a number of possible cases, we consider it a direct conflict of interest for Bill to have privileged information. He should not be privy to them. We told this to the entire board. In fact, we feel that a full investigation should have been made about this matter which affected many USCF members. The board ignored our request and went ahead to form a committee of five members (including Bill Goichberg) AFTER we left the last board meeting in Crossville. We still ask Bill Goichberg to step down from the sub-committee.

- For the best interest of the USCF due to the legal situation, we now ask Randy Bauer to step down from the sub-committee as well due to his clearly documented recent mistake which caused severe problems for multiple parties, including the USCF.

- We requested the same access to the USCF database as the contractors so that our own experts can examine the validity of the data as well as matching IPs of suspicious posters. Our repeated request was ignored. We needed to examine the evidence at that time, not 5, 6 or 7 months later when the evidence can be compromised.

- We pointed out a handful of suspicious handles and postings directly related to this case to the attorney and other board members. We asked them to investigate. This request, and others, have also been ignored or denied.

- We now request to have a thorough independent review of how this federation spends money. We need to know why we wasted money to revamp the website TWICE and how the contracts came about. Were there fair and open biddings? I never saw any advertisement in Chess Life or other publications. I would like to know who approved this and who we can hold accountable for the financial blunders.

- There should also be an investigation regarding how non-board members can obtain confidential board information to spread out false rumors for various purposes.

- We asked the board to authorize ALL (not some or what they want to pick and choose) correspondence in the confidential BINFO from August 2007 to be released to the public. This should include the correspondence of all seven board members, the ED, the attorneys, and all parties relating to this case.

- In addition, we asked the board to grant us consent and immunity to release all information and board member correspondence and NDAs related to this case. We recommend that ALL confidentiality clauses be waived in order to make the case clear and in order to expedite its conclusion. We propose to show all USCF members any evidence we have of who leaked what to whom, who made what deals under the table and for what reasons, etc. We give consent to the board and their attorneys to publish all information they have about us relating to this case. Everyone can then decide who is clean and who is not.

I was also asked about the latest conclusion from an expert regarding the Internet report. I have no idea who he is but I have no doubt in his expertise. However, I gave the USCF evidence which clearly proves that the report has the wrong conclusion. Without the evidence from both sides and without having the opportunity to examine the USCF database, I would expect people without personal agenda to withhold judgment until the USCF decides to open everything up as I requested.

Here are the real issues: We cut the budget for college chess and we cannot afford to finance the US Championship or the Olympiad teams like we used to. We cannot even afford to help our top players like Kamsky for a shot at the World Championship. What happened to the money we were supposed to save? Where did it go? Why are we still financially weak?

Fiscal responsibility is a must if this federation wants to get back on track financially. We need to get back to the basics to find out the real problems and fix them immediately. Our members deserve better. Our members are entitled to know what the board is doing with their money and what direction this federation is heading in.

As I stated last week, as far as I am concerned, this matter ends unless EVERYTHING can be opened up for all members to examine. We have wasted enough time, money and energy on this.

If Mr. Goichberg and Bauer are willing to put the best interest of the USCF first by stepping down from the sub-committee so we can expedite this matter, we are willing to sit down face to face with Mr. Hough, Berry and Channing to finalize this investigation and take care of unresolved issues. Since there are a lot of potential legal issues involved in a number of possible cases, we consider it a direct conflict of interest for Mr. Goichberg and Bauer to have access to privileged information. While the board figures out their next move, we will continue to devote our time and energy to promoting the USCF and U.S. chess. That is why we were elected.

Yours for the USCF,
Susan Polgar

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Here is an official statement by the USCF sub-committee and it was posted by President Goichberg on the USCF forum:

by chessoffice on Thu Jan 24, 2008 6:44 pm #88083

The following statement was approved today by a vote of 4-1, with Channing opposed.Bill Goichberg

Following is a statement by the Executive Board Subcommittee formed to address allegations made by Brian Mottershead relating to "fake Sam Sloan" and other internet postings.

On January 15, four of the five members of our committee stated that while no conclusions were reached as to the veracity of Brian Mottershead’s allegations, Paul Truong failed to admit or deny in writing whether he was involved in the “fake Sam Sloan” postings; failed to consent to the subcommittee obtaining his prior IP addresses; and generally failed to cooperate in the USCF investigation of the allegations.

As a result, the committee called on Mr. Truong to resign from the Executive Board for neglecting his fiduciary duties to USCF. Mr. Truong has neither resigned nor cooperated with the investigation since then, and our committee again requests that he voluntarily resign from the Executive Board.Susan Polgar has responded to the January 15 statement with a variety of unfortunate public charges which are both inaccurate and irrelevant to Mr. Truong’s continued failure to cooperate fully with the investigation.

Specifically, on January 17 Ms. Polgar accused "some of my fellow board members and their friends" of trying to destroy her personal and professional reputation. This charge is false. No board member has suggested that Ms. Polgar is or may be responsible for the fake internet postings in question. Further, no board member has stated or intimated that Ms. Polgar is anything but a consummate professional and a person of high moral integrity.

Additionally, no board member has in any manner tried to cause Ms. Polgar to lose her job. To the contrary, the board fully supports Ms. Polgar as an accomplished professional and leader in the chess community, who deservedly enjoys a good reputation.

Additionally, no board member has suggested in any manner that she quit the board.

The board also denies most vigorously any contention that any member of the board threatened Ms. Polgar’s family at any time.

Attorneys for the USCF have directed the organization not to release any confidential information during the pendency of the Sam Sloan litigation. And for that reason alone we cannot permit the publication of confidential exchanges as suggested by Ms. Polgar.


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by SusanPolgar on Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:45 pm

This is exactly what I expected and this was what I posted this morning at 7:44 AM:

"I expect the board to deny that they tried to destroy my personal and professional reputation, cause me to lose my job or use my children as “pawns” to get me off the board, etc. What else can they say? Unless everything is opened up, the members cannot see the clear picture.

I also expect them to say that their attorney(s) will not allow them to release all confidential information (starting with the NDAs, board correspondence, confidential BINFO and everything else relating to this matter, etc.) to the public until the Sloan lawsuit is resolved or at all. They will try to save face by picking and choosing one or two areas to allow us to open up. No thanks! Unless everything is allowed (by the board and their attorney(s) in a legally binding statement) to open up, the members cannot know what their elected officials are doing and how they are spending members’ money."

So the question is after the Sloan lawsuit is dismissed or resolved, will the board open everything up (correspondence from all seven board members, the ED and related parties including the attorneys and USCF contractors, all items in the confidential BINFO from August 2007 relating to this matter, NDAs, and all items I requested here http://chessdiscussion.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=697#p4175)?

As a federation with constant financial problems, we need to have a thorough independent review of how this federation spends money. We need to know why we wasted money to revamp the website TWICE and how the big contracts came about. Were there fair and open biddings? Did the contractors meet all deadlines and requirements? We need to know who approved this and who we can hold accountable for the financial blunders. We need to know how non-board members can obtain confidential board information to spread out false rumors for various purposes. We need to hold board members who leaked out confidential information responsible.

How about the sub-committee? Did Mr. Goichberg and Mr. Bauer officially agree to voluntarily remove themselves from this sub-committee to avoid conflict of interest and other potential legal issues so things can move forward swiftly?

Here is one of the most important questions which I think many USCF members would be interested to know: Were there phone calls to Sam Sloan to negotiate a settlement for the USCF? Who made these calls and who authorized these calls? Who gave this "agent" confidential board information for negotiation? Which board members were aware of this situation? Did the board consult their attorney(s) before these calls took place? There are many other questions which I asked and the board refused to answer.

I am very confident that once everything is opened up, all USCF members can then determine who did what and what games were played. I stand by my earlier statements about complete transparency from all seven board members, the ED, USCF contractors, attorneys and related parties. Until then, we will continue to devote our time and energy to promote the USCF and U.S. chess. That is why we were elected.

Yours for the USCF,
Susan Polgar