PRITCHARD WINS – DOG CLUBS LOSE

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Barbara Quast, an orally controlled diabetic with advanced circulatory problems, peripheral neuropathy, severe osteoarthritis, gout, both knees replaced, early Parkinson’s, early kidney disease, cardiomyopathy with fourth degree heart failure, and arterial fibrillation. It has been withdrawn.

The cog in the wheel of justice is Roger Pritchard’s refusal to apologize for having libeled Barbara Quast.  In contrast, AKC’s legal counsel was conciliatory, supportive of her position and willing to settle.

Links to complete coverage are provided below but the heart of the case is the malicious, libelous email (shown at left) that Roger Pritchard wrote to AKC judge/club member Dana Plonky and cc'd to Barbara Quast. 

Nancy Guttenberg, attorney for the Plaintiff, says Pritchard’s attorney refutes libel charges on the grounds that Roger’s good friend Dana Plonky never received that e-mail.  Fellow AKC judge Dana Plonky’s denial may defy belief but it is an effective legal maneuver because it can not be proven that he received Pritchard’s email, sent to him under the guise of not having Quast’s address. 

Why did Pritchard send the malicious post asking that it be forwarded to Quast when in fact, her email address has been the same for years and Roger cc’d her in the same post?  It appears as nothing more than a transparent excuse to start a rumor that Quast had been suspended by AKC. 

Quast is a Toy Fox Terrier Club member, former board member, show chair, and AKC judge.  Her email address is as easy to find as looking on the membership list or in the AKC judges’ book.  It is patently clear that Pritchard had Quast’s email address at the time he emailed Dana Plonky.  It is not known how many other people received the email or whether her knowledge as a former board member may have been of concern.

Club members are outraged that Pritchard used the Toy Fox Terrier Club insurance policy and/or club funds to defend himself.  In his November 2009 President’s Report Pritchard said “as soon as the lawsuit has been resolved, I will proceed to recover any monies the ATFTC has had to spend” which is interpreted as an acknowledgement that he knew the use of club resources for his personal defense was at the least, improper.  Pritchard, who uses "Dr." in front of his name, is surely intelligent enough to have known it was not the Club that was being sued. 

Members have asked the board whether the suit has been defended by the club’s liability insurance.  There are also questions about a line in the Treasurer’s report that indicates two payments to the insurance company, believed to be in excess of the yearly premium.  We are told by one inside source that Pritchard’s lawyers filed several briefs as billable hours continued to mount.  Members are entitled to know how their dues are spent but as has been the case under Pritchard’s presidency, no board member will respond to any request for information. 

Parent Clubs are watching this case knowing that lawsuits, properly or improperly defended by club insurance will increase premiums across the board.  Current cases of dog club embezzlement also portend added expense to all breed clubs.

Judges watch to see what AKC does about Roger's email address, RogerAKC@aol.com.  It has been called an "unfair trade practice" in that it also appears that way in the AKC Judges Directory.  We have been told of one AKC judge whose license plate reads, accurately, AKC-Judge but no one can recall anyone other than an AKC employee or Board Member ever using the privileged AKC trademark except in the ordained format, xyz@AKC.org  Does Pritchard's use of the mark when communicating with kennel clubs and show chairs give him unfair advantage in getting judging assignments for himself or his friends?  9 to 11, judges say "yes". 

Informed ATFTC members charge that Roger Pritchard hijacked their club, took over its treasury, used and approved club funds for personal gain and to silence a former board member, and insured his stranglehold by manipulating election procedure in flagrant violation of prescribed procedure and bylaws.  The Board has not denied any of those charges. Indicative of his misuse of power, Pritchard tried to have his former opponent removed from the Annual Meeting for politely asking a question.  In that, he was not successful but when the ruckus was over, he had successfully evaded the her question.

In this litigation, Pritchard has also been successful.  Under his leadership, the ATFTC had already received an official AKC reprimand but he stubbornly risked the club again by refusing something as simple as an apology to Quast.  It was a calculated risk that paid off.  Quast gave up the legal challenge rather than suffer further stress and damage to her fragile health and in realization that Roger Pritchard’s refusal to settle jeopardized the parent club. 

In having apparently subjugated and  convinced the Toy Fox Terrier Club board to use its meager assets in violation of the bylaws, the club’s non-profit state charter and future AKC show approvals are at risk.  Quast acknowledged that continued litigation against Pritchard further exposes the club she served. 

A source close to Ms. Quast said “When you’ve been a working club member for years and someone from outside the breed takes over and lays waste to the club’s constitution and by laws, you feel compelled to protect what you believed in but there comes a time when you have to ask yourself if it’s worth it.” 

Roger won.  Quast withdrew.  Did justice prevail?  You decide.

1 - AKC & TFTC Presidents Sued for $1.8 Million.

2 - Insider Details on AKC & TFTC Lawsuit

3 - Insider Copy of Complaint, Charges, Email Damages
 

http://www.thedogpress.com/ClubNews/AKC-ATFTC-Presidents-Update-10012_Andrews.asp