Yes, I see you added your middle ground scenario in a later post.
The instigator would not have been dealt with - he is co-owner of EW.
Of course we don't have another sponsor 'waiting in the wings' (for the predictable moments such as these) however, as others have suggested, maintaining an association such as this would do more harm than good.
I think you will find that the other establishments in our predicament will also take this viewpoint.
Some of his crap was directed at our own FFS and you would accept an apology. $ or not, that is weak.