‘This Is a Painful Forfeiture’

The following statement was issued Thursday by Michael Greene, president and chief executive of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the nonprofit organization that hosts the Grammy Awards .

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Every CEO must be diligent in refusing to discuss personnel issues in a public forum. It is never advisable, but the events of the past six weeks necessitate my providing some clarity and facts regarding the most recent actions of the academy in this area. There were serious charges leveled against me by an employee recently, and I cooperated with the academy’s chairman in immediately mounting an investigation of the allegations with three different law firms participating. At the end of this investigation, it was concluded by all three firms that the charges were absolutely without merit.

Nevertheless, even with a mountain of evidence, the process of disposing of the issue had to run its course. When an amicable resolution seemed beyond the pale, I dismissed myself and my staff from the process entirely in order for us all to focus on the great work we do. The lawyers were instructed by our volunteer leadership, who participated in the process, to keep the best interests of the organization always the priority, while focusing on resolving the matter expeditiously.

I deeply appreciate and respect the desire of our chairman and legal counsels to spare the organization the grief and distraction of a long, drawn-outlegal action that, regardless of the outcome, would end up crippling the productivity and morale of the organization. This is critical now because for the next five months, our entire focus should and must be on the upcoming Grammy Awards, the opening of our MusiCares Senior living facility, Grammy in the Schools, the next Latin Grammys and a hundred other great initiatives.

As a result, our leadership has convinced me that it is in everyone’s best interest for me to give up my right to litigate for defamation and to forgo my ability to vindicate myself, as well as the organization, through due process.

Obviously, this is a painful forfeiture. But for more than 12 years now we have been building the academy, and it is not in my nature to do anything that would tear it down. Furthermore, there will be an independent investigation regarding rumors described in The Times’ article to ensure that the recording academy is the model of a harassment-free workplace.

Be confident that we will continue to be vigilant and strong as we advance the academy’s spectacular agenda of representing our creative and technical music community and improving the cultural condition of our country.