Read my earlier post – Yes, Adelson Bought Nevada Politics – Press i.e.

Nevada reporters blow the whistle on billionaire owner Sheldon Adelson

Note to billionaires: buying a newspaper doesn’t mean buying the souls of its journalists.

The staff of one prominent Nevada paper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal , has been vexed by its new owner, Sheldon Adelson. At first, Adelson bought the paper but refused to disclose his identity, leading the staff to tweet out the Society of Professional Journalists ethics code about “transparency.” Adelson’s motives for the acquisition — and the secrecy — remained obscure until the journalists started digging.

    Adelson, a major Republican Party donor who hosted Tuesday night’s debate at his Venetian property, had been widely rumored to be the buyer–including by employees at the Review-Journal itself, which this morning ran a front-page story that detailed Adelson’s ties to Michael Schroeder, a regional Connecticut newspaper publisher who was the only person listed on regulatory filings related to the sale. [Owner of Connecticut newspapers incl. the New Britain Herald – Oui]

Their continued investigation into the motives behind the paper’s mysterious sale to a billionaire casino magnate has led them to a clue that was in their notes all along: their own assignments.

In the month before the publication’s new owner was revealed to be Sands Corp. CEO and Republican megadonor Sheldon Adelson this week, three of its reporters were handed a cryptic task. Over the protests of editors, they were told by their publisher to drop everything and spend two weeks watching the every move of three county judges.

No explanation was given, and there was no expectation that the notes they jotted down on whether the judges appeared competent and professional would ever be published.

Now the identity of the paper’s owner has raised some suspicious new questions about the assignment: As it happens, one of those judges was presiding over a long-running lawsuit against Adelson, the Review-Journal reported in a comprehensive story on Friday.

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The Nevada Newspaper Mystery -- A Business Perspective | Jewish Business News | (Photu: New York Times)

What’s more is that shortly after the notes were taken, a 1,900-word article blasting the judge’s courtroom manner inexplicably appeared in a tiny Connecticut newspaper, the New Britain Herald/Bristol Press.

That newspaper was owned by the manager of Adelson’s newly incorporated media company. The byline listed on the story, “Edward Clarkin,” [see link – I did find him as a reporter – Oui] could not be matched with an actual reporter anywhere in the country.

The sensational court case in question involves the former head of Sands’ operations in Macau, China, who alleges that he was fired for trying to break ties with Chinese organized crime triads. Adelson also stands accused of willfully ignoring the prostitution, drug dealing and other criminal activities at the casino.

While on the stand, Adelson was often combative with the judge, sometimes stubbornly refusing to answer questions.

Lyric of a Dutch song before the Great Depression of the 1930s: “When you are born as a dime, you can never become a quarter.”

Als je voor ‘n dubbeltje geboren bent, bereik je nooit een kwartje.
[Source: famous Dutch artist, cabaret performer Louis Davids in 1920 – died before the outbreak of WWII in 1939]

This lyric is well intented for oligarchs like Sheldon Adelson, born poor who became filthy rich, becoming a powerful molluch,
corrupt the press and politics … everything he touches to retain his wealth and position, while critics will be damned.

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