RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The CEO of Urban One, the publicly traded media company with a development interest in a proposed casino in Virginia’s capital city, apologized to a leading opponent of the project Friday for antisemitic remarks made about him on one of the company’s radio stations.
The comments about Paul Goldman, a longtime Democratic Party strategist and activist who is Jewish, were made by a temporary guest host who was not an employee of The Box 99.5, Marsha Landess, regional vice president of Urban One brand Radio One, said in a statement.
“These statements were horrible and offensive,” Landess said. “Once we heard the comments and because he was alone in the studio with his producer, I personally drove to the station and immediately removed him from the show. He will not be appearing again.”
The commentary was among a series of incendiary remarks about the casino and the opposition it has faced that have aired on Urban One radio shows in recent weeks, according to an opposition group Goldman is involved with, which posted recordings. Urban One did not immediately respond to inquiries by phone and email about the other content, which Goldman’s group said featured the company’s founder and chair, Cathy Hughes.
The development came days before the end of voting on a city-wide referendum that will decide whether Urban One and development partner Churchill Downs can move forward with their proposed $562 million gambling and entertainment complex in south Richmond.
As for the remarks about Goldman, Landess said Urban One CEO Alfred Liggins had personally apologized to the activist, something Goldman confirmed in a statement of his own.
Goldman, who previously served as an adviser to former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder and as the state party’s chair, said he accepted the apology but noted it was slow to come.
Goldman said the remarks about him were made Wednesday evening and that the recording was posted late Thursday afternoon on the website of the anti-casino coalition. Liggins’ apology came Friday morning after Goldman had written to him, Goldman said.
“I know politics a little: They didn’t publicly apologize immediately because they were hoping there would be no political backlash,” Goldman said in his statement. “There was no reaction yesterday. So, no public apology. But when they saw their political gamble losing today, they started apologizing.”
The commentary drew other denunciations from both supporters and opponents of the project.
“I unequivocally condemn the antisemitic remarks made by a guest host on The Box 99.5 FM regarding Paul Goldman,” Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, a backer of the casino, said on social media. “We must call hate out in all of its forms, and his remarks are completely unacceptable. I’m pleased to hear the station has issued an apology and fired the individual.”
Victoria Cobb, president of the socially conservative Family Foundation of Virginia, is leading an anti-casino initiative and shared a statement condemning the comments.
“Nothing about the casino industry is good for Richmond,” she said by text message. “The vile remarks made by supporters of casinos are just more reason to oppose them on election day.”
Another recording posted by Goldman’s group featured a person the group identified as Hughes complaining about the $10 million a pro-casino referendum committee funded by the developers has spent.
“Such a waste. I am so mad at this opposition,” the person says. “Do you know how much good I could have done with $10 million that I had to pay the lawyers and accountants and lobbyists, and make contributions, OK, to everybody I thought could influence?”
In an interview, Goldman called the remarks “damning.”
“She’s basically complaining, ‘Hey, I was told if you bought everybody you didn’t have to worry about the people,’” he said.
Goldman said the radio recordings were made by someone else working with the anti-casino coalition who had been listening to the shows.
Neither Landess nor spokespeople for Urban One responded to questions about the additional recordings.
The referendum committee backing the casino issued a statement that addressed only the recording that dealt with Goldman, condemning the content.
“Richmond Wins Vote Yes is about bringing people together to build a better Richmond and provide meaningful economic opportunity for the city and its people,” the statement said.
This year marks the developers’ second shot at winning over Richmond voters. Two years ago, the city narrowly voted down a referendum on the matter.
The project — this time branded the Richmond Grand Resort and Casino — would be located on a former tobacco company site just off Interstate 95 in south Richmond.
Early voting has been underway since late September. Election Day is Tuesday.
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