THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, OCTObER 20, 2023 Page 9 RESNEK | FROM PAGE 1 tion. Despite Resnek’s recent intentions, Philbin or the newspaper have yet to follow through on any attempt at an apology. Atty. Robbins asked Philbin, given the fact that Resnek, under oath, apologized to the mayor for writing falsehoods, should the newspaper retract them, or inform their readers that the articles they published were admittedly false; Philbin replied, “No, I did not.” Philbin also testified under oath about if his newspaper had ever set procedures or constituted a policy to ensure that the newspaper only publishes accurate articles; Philbin said he did not, and that he didn’t recall. “Have you taken any steps at all to ensure that articles published by your paper be accurate?” asked Atty. Robbins. “I have not,” said Philbin. “I believe that Mr. Resnek, as the reporter and editor, would do so.” When asked if the newspaper had taken any steps since the lawsuit was filed against them in 2021 to ensure that they do not publish false articles again, Philbin stated that he may have had a conversation with Resnek about it but couldn’t remember the exact date. Philbin was asked if he was aware that the insurance company that held the libel and slander policy for his newspaper might not cover his current legal expenses; Philbin said he was concerned and may have had conversations about the situation with Resnek. Philbin was presented with an exhibit of a Jan. 15, 2023, email conversation between Resnek and his friend, Russel Pergament, a local publisher, including of the long defunct Metro newspaper, where Resnek asked Pergament for advice regarding the Utica Insurance Company refusing to renew the newspaper’s policy. “As of this week, we are publishing without insurance, which I hate to say, is a very bad place to be in today’s litigious world,” stated Resnek to his pal. “For my partner, it is as you suggested a move toward extinction. He RE-ELECT JASON MARCUS For Ward 2 School Committee Because Experience Counts! (Paid Political Adv.) does not want to go on without insurance.” Philbin admitted that he had talked about the issue, admitting that he felt it wasn’t a good idea to continue publishing without insurance. When asked why Resnek told Pergament that he and Philbin were partners, Philbin said that Resnek used that word “pretty loosely” – and that he believes he uses that word with a lot of people, falsely claiming he’s part owner. “Were you and he partners in running the Leader Herald?” asked the attorney. “No,” said Philbin. The legitimacy of the newspaper company, Dorchester Publications, LLC and its ownership appeared front and center when Philbin was asked if he was aware of any articles of organization, operating or management agreement, documents that spell out management responsibilities; the name of the manager or even the identity of the ownership. Philbin stated he did not. “Are there any documents of any kind that identify the purpose of Dorchester Publications?” asked Atty. Robbins. “I don’t know,” said Philbin. The witness continued answering that he didn’t know of any documents which proved that he owned Dorchester Publications, documentation identifying an owner, officers in the company or any documents reflecting the company’s agreement to borrow money. Philbin admitted that there possibly were signatories for several bank accounts for Dorchester Publications, which may or may not have included former Operations Manager Elena Vega and former employee Nicole Porcella, but he confirmed that Resnek had access since 2017. Philbin stated that there were never any written agreements between Dorchester Publications and the newspaper’s employees, including Resnek, Mary Schovanec or Lorenzo Recupero. Asked about the newspaper office on Church Street, Philbin admitted that Dorchester Publications is a “tenant at will” with the owners of the building, who happen to be himself and his brother, Andrew Philbin, Jr., an Everett firefighter and rooming house owner. Philbin said he couldn’t identify any written lease between the Dorchester Publications and the entity which rents property. The questioning returned to the newspaper articles, this time an exhibit of an Oct. 11, 2023, “Eye on Everett” article where Resnek writes at the beginning of his “Blue Suit” article a disclaimer reminding readers that it’s all fiction, writing, “It is all made up. Everything I tell the Blue Suit and everything the Blue Suit tells me is all made up. We don’t use tape recorders. We don’t conduct interviews. We don’t take notes for these columns. In other words, these columns are a fiction, a spin.” Philbin was asked when he instructed Resnek to start publishing the disclaimer in his column; he replied that he didn’t and wasn’t aware when Resnek started. Asked if he remembered Resnek saying that his articles were fiction and all “made up” prior to the lawsuit, Philbin said he did. Atty. Robbins then produced exhibits of emails dated Sept. 29, 2020, between Resnek, Joseph Prezioso and Lorenzo Recupero from James Mahoney, the former newspaper designer, of the Everett Leader Herald Oct. 1, 2020, edition where Resnek states in his Blue Suit article, “’Then the mayor comes back with his lackeys claiming I write articles without sourcing them. That’s a joke,’ I said. ‘EveryRESNEK | SEE PAGE 10 Is the election about sign popularity, or is it about qualifications, skill and experience of the individual? As a current 30-year businessman, I have the qualifications, skill and experience that can make the proper decisions for the city to benefit us all with no allegiance attached. Joe Pierotti, Jr. Councillor-at-Large Let’s Turn This Around Now Like There’s No Tomorrow! (Paid Pol. Adv.) VOTE
10 Publizr Home