With the outcome of the previous Screen Actors Guild national election and the decision to overturn them (See WIT for Jan. 28, 200), already the subject of heated debate, the start of new elections this week has aggravated the divide between the union's two warring camps. President Melissa Gilbert, victor of the overturned election, yesterday accused her opponent Valerie Harper of running a campaign based on personal attacks that have quickly deteriorated into name calling as the March 8 deadline for ballots approaches. Ms. Harper countered that the attacks are aimed at what she feels are Gilbert's unacceptable positions on central issues for the membership, and that her aggressive campaigning is a response to Gilbert's behavior in the previous election.
See "Rerun of SAG Election Takes a Nasty Turn", JAMES BATES, Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2002