Just yesterday, we published a post titled, Largest Newspaper in Nevada Was Just Purchased Anonymously for $140 Million, which speculated that multi-billioniare, oligarch Sheldon Adelson was behind the purchase. We now have confirmation that it was indeed him.
From Fortune:
For nearly a week, the media and political worlds have been wondering who paid $140 million to purchase Nevada’s largest daily newspaper, The Las Vegas Review-Journal. The primary buyer had taken great pains to remain anonymous, but Fortune has learned from multiple sources familiar with the situation that it is Sheldon Adelson, chairman and CEO of casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp.
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.
Schroeder yesterday declined to identify the primary buyer, or to explain how he became involved with the Review-Journal purchase. Adelson has not responded to repeated requests for comment over the past several days.
What remains unclear is why Adelson has refused to come forward. Clearly this isn’t a vanity play, and it’s also hard to imagine it as a financial investment (particularly given the steep price tag). What that leaves is political influence, particularly in a swing state like Nevada. That said, however, it would seem difficult to direct editorial coverage when the actual editorial writers are in the dark as to who signs their paychecks.
This is a very important development, because Adelson has previously admitted that he doesn’t like journalism, and is clearly only interested in buying newspapers to advance his own demented political agenda. Never forget the following excerpt from the post, Inside the Mind of an Oligarch – Sheldon Adelson Proclaims “I Don’t Like Journalism”:
Billionaire casino mogul and conservative donor Sheldon Adelson said Sunday that the Palestinians are a made-up nation which exists solely to attempt to destroy Israel.
At the conference, which also featured top Democratic funder Haim Saban, Adelson also said Israel would not be able to survive as a democracy: “So Israel won’t be a democratic state, so what?” he asked Saban, adding that democracy, after all, is not mentioned in the Torah,and recommended that the country build a “big wall” to protect itself, saying, “I would put up a big wall around my property.”
Saban and Adelson should buy The New York Times together in an effort to bring more “balance” to the newspaper’s coverage of Israel and the Middle East, Adelson suggested to wild applause. Adelson already owns Israel Hayom, a free Israeli newspaper widely seen as reflecting the positions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is considered close to Adelson, and, more recently, news website NRG and religious newspaper Makor Rishon.
“I don’t like journalism,” Adelson said, highlighting what he said was the media’s insistence on focusing on the empty half of the glass.
Class act all the way. Just another day in the American Oligarchy.
For related articles, see:
Sheldon Adelson – The Dangerous American Oligarch Behind Benjamin Netanyahu
Inside the Mind of an Oligarch – Sheldon Adelson Proclaims “I Don’t Like Journalism”
Neo-Con Republicans Make Pilgrimage to Vegas to Kiss the Ring of Oligarch Sheldon Adelson
Charting the American Oligarchy – How 0.01% of the Population Contributes 42% of All Campaign Cash
New Report from Princeton and Northwestern Proves It: The U.S. is an Oligarchy
In Liberty,
Michael Krieger
Donate bitcoins: 35DBUbbAQHTqbDaAc5mAaN6BqwA2AxuE7G
Follow me on Twitter.
what a jerky jerk. mike you the man! happy hanukka.
Mike his comments on Palestine and the Israel state are reasonable. And his actions are totally consistent with American capitalism and the 1st amendment.
No one said what he was doing was unconstitutional.
Calling out a devious oligarch and highlighting his machinations is not the same as saying he doesn’t have a constitutional right to do what he is doing.
I know you didnt say its illegal. But you view his behavior with alarm or contempt. Whereas he is undertaking praise worth behavior. The real problem is people who spread propaganda from within the state like Islam lover Obama.
And as to this, “The Israeli government is as much in bed with Arab oil money as the U.S. government is. ” I’m not sure what you are referring to? Care to elaborate?
The United States, the Gulf Arabs and Israel pursue the same regional goals.
Also, Israel could use some good press. American Jews in general have turned their back on Israel. Don’t forget Jews are competing with Muslim oil money around the world who love to play the victim and do propaganda. It’s a losing battle and Adelson is on the right side even if you have a knee-jerk reaction “oh no a ruling class person!”
The Israeli government is as much in bed with Arab oil money as the U.S. government is. All the same power structure.
“The Israeli government is as much in bed with Arab oil money as the U.S. government is. All the same power structure.”
and
“The United States, the Gulf Arabs and Israel pursue the same regional goals.”
are two very different statements. the second is true, for now, because we are all up against the russia/iran/syria axis. although israel and russia may actually be friendly. whereas the us and russia are enemies. but it definitely wasn’t true four decades ago when the gulf arabs launched a war on israel.
its kind of weird to say the israeli government is “in bed with Arab oil money” when israel and saudi arabia dont even have diplomatic relations. and saudi arabia doesnt sell oil to israel. so it would appear you are just slandering israel.
They don’t have “official” relations with Israel for obvious reasons, but if you think they aren’t working behind the scenes toward the same regional ends, you are the most naive person I know.
One example:
Israel and Saudi Arabia are secretly working together on plans for a possible attack against Iran in case the Geneva talks fail to roll back its nuclear program, British paper The Sunday Times reported.
According to the diplomatic source quoted by the Times, Saudi Arabia has agreed to let Israel use its air space, and assist an Israeli attack by cooperating on the use of drones, rescue helicopters and tanker planes.
Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency is reportedly working with Saudi officials to make arrangements following the signing of a nuclear deal in Geneva.
“Once the Geneva agreement is signed, the military option will be back on the table. The Saudis are furious and are willing to give Israel all the help it needs,” the Times quoted the source as saying.
read more: http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.558512
mike did you even read what i wrote? i explicitly said i agree that saudi arabia pursue similar regional goals. your dislike of western power, america and israel, appears to be blinding you!
Oh good, I’m glad we agree that Israel works with the world’s leading terrorist state and the perpetrator of 9/11. Glad we got that cleared up.
As far as my “dislike of Western power,” more accurately, I dislike concentrated power. I particularly dislike concentrated power in the hands of government, especially when that government happens to be the one in which I am a citizen and that power is used to build an empire that benefits the few at the expense of the many. Yes, I dislike that very much.