As Americans prepare to exercise their democratic right in November, an almost unnoticed lawsuit might provide revealing information about the candidates and the people who fund their political campaigns. I’m talking about billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson’s defamation claim against the National Jewish Democratic Council and its top officials.
Adelson is seeking $60 million as compensation because the council said he approved prostitution in resorts owned by a Chinese branch of his gambling empire.
Apparently, the council isn’t denying the accusation; its defense, according to AP, is that the information was available in the mainstream press.
I must have missed those reports, but I did come across other internet accounts of highly questionable behavior by Adelson employees in Macao.
For whatever reason, the “mainstream media” don’t have much to say about Mr. Adelson. Perhaps the media fear they, too, could be the target of lawsuits by a man with limitless resources.
But (unless there’s an out-of-court settlement) Adelson’s lawsuit against the Jewish Democratic Council could tell us something about his secret world. To prove the council’s allegations false, he might have to give the court a glimpse of what he’s really up to.
With Adelson and his ilk basically funding the Republican Party’s 2012 election campaign, I wonder why the usually nosy press isn’t more curious about their activities. It would be illuminating to know who they are and what they do. We might be able to figure out what they want for the huge sums of money they donate to the candidates.
But the hands-off approach seems to fit a pattern in today’s media.
True, reporters are handicapped because the Supreme Court has shielded the identity of SuperPAC contributors, but they could do more than they’re doing to clue us in. Much more.
You might think they would dig up more information about Congressman Darrell Issa, for example. You know, that oh-so-self-righteous head of the committee that conducted the recent witch hunt targeting Attorney General Eric Holder. You might also recall that Issa called President Obama “the most corrupt president in history” and the media reported the charge with a straight face.
What the mainstream media tends to leave out is Issa’s own past. Here’s one version, as described on a site called Hub Pages – definitely not among the mainstream media:
Just who is Darrell Issa and what is his past? First, Issa’s history with auto theft charges: In 1971, Issa reportedly took a Dodge sedan from an Army post where he was stationed near Pittsburgh. There were no charges filed in that case, but the story was leaked to the press by a retired Army sergeant, who says he threatened Issa and then was able to retrieve the car. As a college student in 1972, Issa and his brother were arrested by law enforcement in Cleveland, suspected of stealing a red Maserati from an auto dealership. The witnesses recognized Darrell and his brother, William as they pushed the Maserati down the street. The third incident took place in San Jose, California. In 1980, Issa, then 27 years old, and his brother William, 29, were again arrested and this time indicted on felony auto theft charges. William Issa, using his brother’s second driver’s license, sold younger Darrell’s cherry red Mercedes to a dealer for $16,000.00. Three hours after William received and cashed the check, Darrell reported the car stolen. The police also charged Darrell because his answers to questions were inconsistent. Why did he have two driver’s licenses? Initially, Issa denied having two driver’s licenses, but then changed his story. Simple, responded Issa. He did not like the way his picture came out in the first one. As to whether Darrell knew the identity of the man pictured in the composite drawing of the suspect (his brother), Issa stated he did not know who the man was, but would like to send the picture to his mother to see if she knew who it was. According to detectives, the composite was so detailed that it was clearly a composite of William. That answer and answers to other questions created so much doubt in the minds of the police officers involved, they arrested and charged both brothers, even though Darrell reportedly offered to pay the auto dealer more than the $16,000.00 that William was paid.
Of course, I don’t know how true the Hub Pages version is. But I found similar stuff on several other web sites, and Wikipedia reports that “in September 2011, the liberal group American Family Voices filed a complaint with the Office of Congressional Ethics against Issa, alleging he had repeatedly used his public office for personal financial gain.”
Surely, the mainstream media should fill in some of this background when they regurgitate Issa’s absurd accusations against the president and the attorney general? Surely, the public deserves to know just who is making the accusations? Surely, it would help determine the credibility of the charges?
Apparently, Issa is just one of many members of Congress who have a questionable past. I’ve read on the internet that the people who run this country include jailbirds and con artists, spouse abusers and thugs.
And the money that keeps them in office comes from who knows where.
How credible are those reports? It’s hard to say.
The mainstream media are silent on the subject.
Click here for a glimpse of Adelson’s empire.
