Opinion ID: 785703
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Was Ford Driving LIMO?

Text: 34 Ford argues that to the extent LIMO may have influenced Limousine & Chauffeured Magazine or Limousine Digest to exclude non-QVM coachbuilders, Ford played no role in LIMO's actions. Ford relies on the testimony of Marsha Tortora to support its position. Tortora admitted that the main focus of every LIMO meeting was on how to keep non-QVM coachbuilders from advertising and attending trade shows, but she said that most of those discussions were held in executive sessions that Ford, as a non-voting member, was not allowed to attend. Tortora acknowledged that some of the discussions took place in open session, but stated that Ford was very hands off in those conversations most of the time. 10 According to Tortora, [i]n open discussion, ... Ford didn't tell [coachbuilders] not to participate in the shows, they said they won't participate in the shows that had non-QVM's in it. (Tr. 372.) 35 Craftsmen maintains that Ford was well aware of LIMO's goals, inasmuch as it attended LIMO meetings, heard its discussions about boycotting non-QVM dealers, and lobbied to keep non-QVM members from joining LIMO. Craftsmen notes that although Tortora testified that Ford was ordinarily very hands off during the open session discussions about advertising, she also testified that it was no secret that Ford did not want QVM members to advertise in magazines that promoted non-QVM products. (Tr. 375-76). In fact, she stated that [Ford] told [her] outright and in writing that [she] couldn't participate or sell or have any business with anybody who was non-QVM. (Tr. 376.)