February 27, 2008

Freedom’s Watch Backer to Take Stand in Israeli Lawsuit

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Casino mogul and Freedom’s Watch backer Sheldon Adelson, who’s being sued in Israel, takes the stand tomorrow, Ha’aretz‘s Yossi Melman reports. Among the allegations in this case and related law suits, Melman reports: Adelson helped the Chinese government derail Congressional human rights legislation that would have called for Beijing not to get the 2008 Olympic games. In exchange, the law suits allege, Adelson received Beijing’s nod to open a casino in Chinese-controlled Macau. Various businessmen along the way claim that Adelson cut them out of the deals. Melman:

… Besides Moshe Hananel’s suit, there are another four against Adelson for hundreds of millions of dollars that were submitted to American courts about the concession granted to companies he owns for the operation of a hotel and casino in Macau. The suits were filed a few years ago by Chinese and American businessmen and by a New York investment house and a Taiwan bank. All parties claim Adelson promised to compensate them for assistance they had given him to gain the Macau franchise. …

“Adelson, his assistants and companies deny the claims,” the paper reports.

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We just wrapped up a shorter-than-normal, urgent-as-ever fundraising drive and we came up about $45,000 short of our $300,000 goal.

That means we're going to have upwards of $350,000, maybe more, to raise in online donations between now and June 30, when our fiscal year ends and we have to get to break-even. And even though there's zero cushion to miss the mark, we won't be all that in your face about our fundraising again until June.

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