And then there’s that lovely added component of RICO – asset forfeiture. Jeff Bezos could buy the National Enquirer (and all its assets) at the government sale and KILL IT. Oh, the irony.
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AMI:
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Yup - I think this is how it goes down. Bezos invites himself to a meeting with Pecker and Co. at AMI headquarters in NYC. They sit down in Pecker’s office and Bezos says, “I have an offer you can’t refuse - get out of this building in 24 hours and take all your rats with you and I will let you keep your house and a couple coats. AMI as a ‘thing’ is dead to me and it is officially dead to the publishing world, forever”.
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Well, I would think it is possible for the DoJ/Mueller to make the argument.
EVEN IF the Natl Enquirer/AMI have a legal argument, IF the Feds come after them it will be an expensive court battle.
I remember Booth on Bones pulling some guy in ‘even if his lawyer gets him out at least we’ll ruin his day.’ AT LEAST ‘in my opinion’ I want AMI to have some substantial court costs.
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Definitely feels like there is a lot more to this. I can see AMI being an enforcer for more than just Trump. Bracket that with what we know already, it is an easy jump.
I have no idea if I would like Bezos as a person or an employer, but I can say he has me in complete awe in what he did. Wealthy as hell or not, he took it straight on. The story immediately went from tittering over his junk to AMI as a criminal concern. Well played.
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It wasn’t US Intelligence.
It was Saudi Intelligence.
AMI (and Pecker in particular) have long-standing financial relationships with the Saudis, and Prince Bin Salman in particular.
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It may not be the ‘legal’ definition of extortion (Josh Marshall has an Edblog which shows how HARD it is to define extortion and/or blackmail) but Bezos is right.
Do this or we’ll do THAT is the classic definition of blackmail. A ‘clean’ bill of health would count for a lot to AMI. Too bad they will never get it now.
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What a wordsmith that guy Frum is!
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OTOH, Bezos could keep it alive, change up the content. Wouldn’t you enjoy standing in the checkout line and seeing the tabloid with headlines blaring about 45* having given birth to an alien baby, REAL EVIDENCE of 45* and Putin having done the nasty, THE TRUTH about Mrs. 45* having an affair with the coffee boy, TRUMP NEAR DEATH FROM TERTIARY SYPHILIS–heck, just let your imagination run wild. That’s what D. Pecker does.
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I remember being especially aggrieved by the Hillary is Dying stories.
OF COURSE with the worst pictures of her photoshopped to look even worse.
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Well, all except for the “being stupid enough to send dick pics to his mistress” part.
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Full disclosure, I’m an Amazon prime member. I’m very uncomfortable with the power that Amazon wields, and I’m frightened by the idea that the hyper-wealthy could potentially bring down a news organization. That said, I am deeply grateful that Bezos had the courage to step up in this situation. His insane wealth and ubiquity will provide a huge umbrella to protect the hundreds, probably thousands of people who have been blackmailed by this sleazebag org. Taking TNI down would be delicious icing on the Trump-in-prison cake.
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And if he could ever get it in front of a jury, AMI would be toast. Like porn, people know extortion when they see it.
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From a “documentary” I watched on extortion:
“When the Piranhas…began to operate what they called ‘The Operation’. They would select a victim and then threaten to beat him up if he paid the so-called protection money. Four months later they started another operation which they called ‘The Other Operation’. In this racket they selected another victim and threatened not to beat him up if he didn’t pay them. One month later they hit upon ‘The Other Other Operation’. In this the victim was threatened that if he didn’t pay them, they would beat him up. This for the Piranha brothers was the turning point.”
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Definition of stupidity
Arrogant pricks vs dude with unlimited money
He could probably buy AMI and shut it down but he want’s to see them twist in the wind. As the MeToo movement , it just took one to unleash all those afraid to speak
There will be a Tsunami of extortion and blackmail coming forth
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Yes! And see, pictures of 45* could be photoShopped, too. Not to mention the goldmine of photos of dear Rudy!
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Sorry News and Organization should not be used in the same sentence with the National Enquirer
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While I agree wholeheartedly with your comment, I also remember people saying the same thing when they took down Gawker. The slope can quickly get very slippery.
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Inquiring minds do want to know.
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