Thursday, April 11, 2019

National Enquirer For Sale (UPDATED)


credit Patrick McMullen.com

American Media Inc. (AMI), the parent company of pro-Trump tabloid rag National Enquirer, is selling the Enquirer reportedly over major investor Anthony Melchiorre's disgust at the rag's tactics. Melchiorre's hedge fund owns 80 percent of AMI. The Enquirer has also been shedding sales and revenues dramatically over the past five years, and was involved in campaign finance violations over the payment of hush money to Trump mistress Karen McDougal to protect Trump during the 2016 campaign.

AMI's CEO and Trump friend, the aptly named David "Little" Pecker, has been embroiled in a losing feud with Amazon and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos over the publishing of private e-mails between Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez. Bezos is alleging that the Enquirer used extortion tactics for the story. Interestingly, another Trump ally, Saudi Arabia, is suspected of having hacked Bezos' e-mails and provided them to the Enquirer in order to embarrass him in retaliation for the Washington Post's aggressive coverage of the Saudi's murder of Jamal Khashoggi last year. Bezos is expected to meet with Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York very shortly.

UPDATE:  Billionaire Democratic contributor and friend of the Clintons Ron Burkle is rumored to be in negotiations to buy the rag.  Wouldn't that be an *interesting* turn of events?!

(photo: Little pecker and Mario Kart toadstool)

3 comments:

donnah said...

Bezos should buy the damned rag, fire everyone, and burn the place to the ground. It would be pocket change for him!

Jimbo said...

The hedge fund guy knew he certainly wouldn't win against the world's richest guy and Li'l Pecker had been explicitly warned against screwing around but, of course, he couldn't resist. The Enquirer has always just been garbage and it won't be missed.

P.S. While Mohammed bin Bonesaw hacked Bezos' phone, he was put up to it by Trump who hates Bezos because of his ownership mof WaPo, a newspaper that drives him nuts.

Hackwhackers said...

donnnah -- Let's hope whatever bidding there drives the price waaaaaaay down.

Jimbo -- All true. We just hope Little Pecker doesn't wind up with a golden parachute once the sale goes through. Hopefully, the SDNY Feds will be able to verify bin Bone Saw's corrupt hand in this affair.