In recent days a number of things have been said regarding my conduct both personally and professionally. Many of the things said were valid, while others may have been the result of rumors. Some of the issues raised are from a long time ago and have been addressed, while others are more recent.I would like to address three different concerns: the company's failure to treat some individuals fairly, safety concerns at events, and consent concerns.There are a number of people to whom we, as a company, have financial obligations that we have not fulfilled. In some cases it was honest error on my part. We now have an excellent financial manager who is working very hard to straighten out our books. She is currently developing a program to determine who might be owed money and to work to repay those debts. Some of our debts go back many years, so it may take many years to pay them, but we are dedicated to making this right.Safety concerns regarding bans is very complex. In the complaints that have been raised, there there are some about those who should have been banned or ejected but were not, and also complaints from those who were banned or ejected who feel they should not have been.Our Consent Team has been replaced, and new policies will be announced shortly to make our process clearer and more easily navigated. Furthermore, we have hired an independent moderator who will serve when accusations are directed towards senior staff members:http://jeffmachevents.org/about-us/incident-mediation-assistance/Finally, and most importantly, there is the matter of consent. When one is in a position of authority, one can lose their sense of perspective and lose sight of things that might harm another person. It is no excuse for such errors, and sometimes it can take a public reckoning to bring home a truth that I should have been able to find on my own.In reading the accounts of the three individuals who have been brave enough to step forward, I have realized that my actions have been inadvertently harmful to many people. I would like to step back from my public role to take the chance to reexamine many parts of my life that I have taken for granted, and I hope that may return a better person and a better part of the community.I am gratified that my entire staff has remained dedicated to our events and our attendees. Tammy Shipps will be leading the company as our head of all operations, assisted by Amy Whitehouse as her administrative assistant. Our talented and experienced department heads and contractors will continue to do the great work I have come to depend on them for, and I hope that we can all focus on having a fun, safe weekend at Wicked Faire.
Hrmmm.
JME public FB post, Jan 26th 2018:
......Like most people, we were shocked by the allegations regarding Jeff Mach that have come out this week. While some of the allegations were over a decade old, some of more recent ones were still concerning. However, as people who work closely with Jeff, we do not feel he is the monster that some people are making him out to be. He is a flawed man, and perhaps a public accounting is what he needs to realize that there are some things he needs to change.Jeff is taking the time to step back and address those most important things, especially those failings that have led him to hurt people when he did not intend to. As his staff, we support him in his efforts to improve and stand by him. We look forward to, after a period of reflection for him to learn the ways that he must improve, his return to his work that has brought joy to so many.Ultimately, that is why we are all remaining with the company and continuing in our roles. For all of his flaws, Jeff Mach has built a series of events like no one else could, although many have tried. Over the decade and a half that Jeff Mach Events has operated, thousands of people have found events that gave them a joy that nothing else could. There have been mistakes and missteps, like in any enterprise, but we learn from each one, we improve, we get stronger, and we serve our community better with each passing year.We look forward to seeing you, our friends, whether you are new to us or well known, next week at Wicked Faire!~ JME Staff
M.V. public FB post, in response, Jan 27th 2018:
For everyone following the Great Tire Fire of 2018, Jeff Mach Events has announced that Jeff Dumpster Fire Mach will not even be attending his own event, Wicked Faire. He’s choosing to hide. This is what I have to say to that:What a fucking coward. Another perfect example of how he is terrified of confrontation and cannot handle conflict. Go ahead, keep digging yourself a deeper hole, shove your head in the sand, Jeff. Go ahead. Your non-apology is a disgrace. This company is a disgrace. Taking a step back is not how you hold yourself accountable. Jeff isn’t sorry—he’s sorry he’s being called out. His “apology” is not an attempt to start fixing anything. Nowhere in these posts is an “I am sorry for my actions,” “I take full responsibility for these accusations,” “I believe the victims”... No trace of genuine remorse. We predicted your response. No more gaslighting. No more lies. No more twisting things to make yourself look like the victim. You have caused countless people irreparable hurt for YEARS. Leave the company. Stepping down is the only acceptable first step. Also, from whose anus are you pulling out the number 3? Only 3? Really? Only 3 people have come forward? How dare you. HOW DARE YOU. Significantly more than three people have been raped, assaulted, or “offered” at your events. If you’re going to go anywhere, go to rehab, you fuck, and then go to hell. You wanna fucking start? Start honestly talking about your cycles of abuse. Talk about how you’re putting on the front of a male bumbler. If Dean Winchester met you he would consider you every bit as monstrous as the things he hunts. You want people to know your name and recognize you? Congratulations, we’re going to remember you as the Harvey Weinstein of Steampunk. Oh, and Jeff, leave those kids alone.http://theweek.com/articles/737056/myth-male-bumbler
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My comment on public JM post:
All I know is that Gil Cnaan and Nikki Cohen better be the first two reimbursed.Commentary: JM had Gil blocked on FB. Nikki has had numerous conversations with Jeff about the payment owed. JM's comment? "I deeply encourage them to get in touch, because I really would like to talk and square things properly." makes it seem as if he had no knowledge.
L.S. comment on public JM post:
Jeff, it is many more than 'three individuals' who have come forward. It shows a longstanding pattern of not caring about the consent and safety of people you interacted with, made worse by your abuse of your authority. IMO, this letter continues the pattern of gaslighting and CYA that marked your responses on Fetlife.As I said to you elsewhere, this is not about you, it's about the people you hurt and will continue to hurt if you don't seriously change - and that starts with a frank and honest understanding of what you've done. This isn't it.
N.T. comment on public JM post (in response to L.S.):
Fucking This! The fact that this is is going on across several social media platforms, that far more than three people have brought up consent violations, that a good number of these consent violations have been corroborated by others in attendance, that promises of pay, food, lodging, or admission were not fulfilled for performers/volunteers/staff members, and that known rapists and sexual assaulters have been repeatedly defended or at least let back in to events while Jeff's own writing on FetLife denounces that action as well as portrays him as a community leader who believes that consent is paramount is at issue here.Jeff's response is an insult to all those he has wronged over the years. There is no apology here. There is no acknowledgement of his wrong doing, just excuses.It's far too little, far too late, and there are far too many sycophants on this thread trying to silence the abused for the sake of their favorite events which is pretty deplorable.Jeff needs to be removed from his place of power because he is the convention owning analogue of Harvey Weinstein, using his position of power to abuse, gaslight, and then silence people. This non-apology is simply more proof of that for me.I've brought my kids to Jeff's family friendly cons and I've seen this Snake Eyes character around, I will never set foot in or spend another dime on JME events again.
R.S. comment on public JM post:
frankly, I stand in solidarity with Nikki Gil Hugh and David for the crap you've done to them and you most certainly owe them their due, not to mention the many other lives and livelihoods you have made miserable through your misdeeds. if you intend of actually following through with any of this I do wish you luck but at this point I find you a contemptible and despicable excuse for a carbon based life form, a shitlord of the highest order and I hope that you do the east coast fandom a favor and step aside permanently to allow more competent and less toxic people run events that bring people together instead of the chaos you've wrought. I once thought you were a odd but decent human being but I was sorely mistaken.
S.S. comment on public JM post:
...holy shit."When one is in a position of authority, one can lose their sense of perspective and lose sight of things that might harm another person."That's some huge passive voice there. Like, first you shift away from directly talking abou yourself. Instead of saying "I abused my power and authority", it's "one might lose perspective and lose sight". One, can and even "things". You don't actually cop to any of the instances of abuse of assault. More doubt with "might harm another person". More weasel words.Your actions have directly harmed people and made them unsafe. You did things that were WRONG. No "i am sorry" no admission of wrongdoing, and there's already conflicts between what you're saying and what your current staff are saying with regards to mediation.This is unacceptable.I will be attending Wicked Faire to fufill dates as a performer, to support a dear friend's year long endeavor, and to attend a friends final panel before they move. I am supporting them, not you.If you are still in charge of or profiting from Steampunk The Steampunk World's Fair I will not be attending as a guest, attendee, or performer.I thought I couldn't get more disappointed in you. I was wrong. I stand with the survivors.
Q.L. comment on public JM post:
Jeff, i am very disappointed. This isn't ownership of the problems that effect the people who went to your events for a safe space. I don't care how long ago something is. Don't dare try to brush things off by saying they happen a long time ago. My assualt happened in 2009 and nothing changed since.So you hired moderator, that's nice. Who is your consent team? I want to know how they are going to protect people having to yet again, your team's failures to ban a rapist . Snake eyes didn't fall though the cracks. He wasn't banned because of his ties to a staff member. If your consent team is made of staff, how are you and going to prevent biases from allowing a predator to be at your events that have children attending?What does stepping down mean?What changes are you making in your security staff ?At the end of the day, the people you choose to work for you, the people that represent you, choices are your choices if you choose to do nothing.You were my a friend of mind but your handing of everything has not only disappoint me, but have left scars. You will not be my broken stair any more. I do sincerely hope you make the changes that is needed to your company. People's livelihoods are on the line and innocent people are in terrible positions right now because of your and your staff (past and present) actions.And for the love of all things holy, pay your debts for the Repo man is coming
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