Bill Berggren resigns from Pride Committee

In response to an article published May 23 in The Weekly Dig highlighting his past criminal record, Boston Pride Committee fundraising chair Bill Berggren resigned from the committee that same day. His resignation came in the midst of an effort by Pride board president Linda DeMarco to convene an emergency board meeting to plan a response to the article.

The Dig, quoting a 1998 report published in The Wakefield Daily Item, highlighted Berggren's past run-ins with the law, including a 1998 conviction for possession of child pornography, a 1991 guilty plea to indecent assault on a 19-year-old and a 1985 conviction for possession of pornographic material with the intent to distribute it to minors. Berggren met with DeMarco and board member Kevin Keyser May 23 at the Hyatt Regency Boston, where the committee was holding a Pride marshal training, and resigned voluntarily. DeMarco said two of the three remaining members of the board, vice-president Keri Aulita and clerk Pierce Durkin, joined the meeting by conference call. Board member Wilfred Labiosa was out of the country, and DeMarco said the board was unable to reach him.

DeMarco said Berggren resigned before the board could decide on a response to the Dig article, and the board did not ask for his resignation.

"Bill came forward and resigned on his own," she said.

Berggren told Bay Windows that he was "disappointed" by the fallout from the Dig article, but he chose to resign for the good of Boston Pride. He said the Pride Committee knew about his offenses, and he never made any effort to hide them.

"I'm a little disappointed. I've never hidden anything about my life ... I have a lot of support in the community. My phone has been ringing all day long with people telling me not to resign. But I feel at this time it's the best thing for the community," said Berggren, who in addition to his fundraising work also served as coordinator for the Boston Pride Idol competition. Berggren is associate publisher of In Newsweekly.

In his resignation letter, Berggren said that he did not want opponents of Boston Pride to seize on his personal life to attack the event.

"My resignation comes in the wake of a malicious attempt to bring my personal life into the public sphere," wrote Berggren. "This has precipitated a hasty judgment from some members of the community, and I anticipate the enemies of Pride will seize this opportunity to attack the organization. In order to protect Boston Pride from unnecessary attacks two weeks before Pride Week, I am quickly stepping aside."

DeMarco penned a response letter accepting the resignation and thanking Berggren for his work.

"We are very thankful for Bill's work in this regard," wrote DeMarco.

"Bill's work with Boston Pride and In Newsweekly is testament to his commitment to the GLBT community."