UH Apparel Task Force chairman Steven Craig and member Richard Alderman said the task force stands by its July 2 Final Report.
UH Students Against Sweatshops member Timothy O’Brien filed lawsuit Wednesday against UH President Renu Khator and the task force over an alleged false statement in the task force’s report.
Details on the lawsuit can be found in The Daily Cougar’s Thursday article ‘Anti-sweatshop group files suit.’
O’Brien held a sparsely-attended press conference Thursday in front of M.D. Anderson Memorial Library.
‘(The task force) committed fraud by negligently and maliciously publishing untrue statements in an attempt to damage our sweat-free campus campaign.’
O’Brien said SAS thrice unsuccessfully requested, in writing, that Craig change the Final Report statement, which said UH SAS predicts ‘little impact’ from the University joining the Workers Rights Consortium or the Designated Suppliers Program.
Craig declined to comment about the alleged e-mail correspondence, but said O’Brien’s April presentation to the task force said nothing about the DSP’s effectiveness.
‘He was supportive, but did you see any facts in his presentation? Did you see anything about how the DSP would be effective?’ Craig said.
Craig said the task force’s statement is based on a Q-and-A session it held with O’Brien.
‘If he has a tape of the Q-and-A session and if I’ve misinterpreted his quotes, I’m willing to admit fault,’ Craig said. ‘If he’s not willing to present the Q-and-A session, there’s no evidence.’
Law Center associate dean Alderman said he also supports the report.
‘Everyone in the committee agreed with the language of the report,’ Alderman said.
O’Brien was unable to provide the tape for review Thursday.
O’Brien also said in the press conference they attempted to delay the lawsuit with what O’Brien called a $250 bribe or with an offer to work for Alderman for $25 an hour, after a 90-minute discussion about the statements.
Alderman said that the offer was an attempt to work with O’Brien.
‘He claimed he had to sue me by ‘today’ (March 26), or he needed an extra $250. I didn’t question why. I just said ‘is this all about $250?’ He said ‘yes.’ You’re telling me if you had $250, we could actually talk for the next few months. If he wants to sue me, he could sue me. I was trying to help him. He claimed he had no money and I was giving (it to) him to help him work through a problem,’ Alderman said.
O’Brien said after the press conference that he would pass out fliers about Alderman’s involvement in the UH Apparel Task Force at 8 a.m. Saturday in front of the UH Law Center.
The University administration does not comment on pending litigation. Foss declined comment, while task force members Jim Granato and Saleha Khumawala were unavailable for comment.
‘I think it will be quickly dismissed and there is no basis for the lawsuit, but that will be for the lawyers and the courts to decide,’ Alderman said.
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