Above the Line interim editor Edward Douglas quit the publication on Friday by posting a screed on the site against publisher Patrick Graham, accusing him of not paying staffers.
Douglas took over Above the Line — a spinoff of Below the Line that covers “the entire media landscape with an edge,” according to the site — when former editor-in-chief Jeff Sneider left the site last October claiming Graham owed him $15,800.
In Friday’s “The Truth About Patrick Graham – Above the Line is Anything But,” Douglas railed against Graham by saying, “Guy is a crook, as corrupt as they come, and I agreed to take over Above the Line and stick around, because I thought that was the only way to get the writers — many whom I consider FRIENDS, not just colleagues — paid (they’re owed close to $30,000 and $10,000 of that amount is owed to me going back to work I did in June).”
“As of now, I’m owed $16,000,” he added, “which is about the same amount that Jeff was owed when he bailed on Above the Line.”
Graham declined to comment on the matter when reached by phone. Graham allegedly has a history of not paying writers as Variety previously covered similar accusations against the publisher at his sister site Below the Line in 2016.
Douglas also directed ire at business development exec Eric Green and Below the Line editor Jack Giroux in his post.
Giroux also stepped down from Below the Line on Friday. He posted a statement on the company’s X account, claiming Graham owes him money as well.
Greene declined to comment when reached via phone. Douglas also called out sales rep Garret Marks, whom Douglas says he helped in obtaining FYC ads for the site. Marks did not respond to comment.
Douglas added: “I even was coerced into helping get Below the Line Oscar FYC ads, because their ad sales guy Garrett Marks — from what I understand, whose main job is as a pot dealer — is just as worthless, and because Graham has burnt so many bridges around town with potential advertisers.”
Also on Friday, former writer Danielle Solzman posted a blog warning freelancers not to contribute to the site. “Patrick still owes me money for work dating back to August 2023,” she wrote.
Douglas ended his screed by saying he’s weighing legal options and ultimately called Graham a “deadbeat.”
“I’m looking into legal ramifications right now, not just to get the money I’m owed, but hopefully to get all the writers paid, but this guy Patrick Graham is easily one of the worst deadbeats on the planet,” Douglas wrote.
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