In what is an absolute must-read, lead story and brutal exposé in Tuesday’s NY Times, “Scrutiny for Casino Mogul’s Frontman in China,” we’re learning even greater details—which bring forth even more questions—concerning the already highly-questionable business dealings of Las Vegas Sands Corporation CEO Sheldon Adelson’s “’chief Beijing representative,’ a mysterious businessman named Yang Saixin.”
…Mr. Yang arranged meetings for Mr. Adelson with senior Chinese officials; acted as a frontman on several ambitious projects for Mr. Adelson’s company, the Las Vegas Sands Corporation; and intervened on the Sands’s behalf with Chinese regulators…
…
…Mr. Yang joined the Sands in 2007 as the company worked to protect its interests in Macau, where its gambling revenues were mushrooming, and pressed ahead with plans for a resort in mainland China. Boasting of ties to the People’s Liberation Army and China’s security apparatus, Mr. Yang was hired for his guanxi, that mixture of relationships and favors that is critical to opening doors in China, according to former executives…
The NY Times’ article tells us that,
“…today, Mr. Yang, along with tens of millions of dollars in payments the Sands made through him in China, is a focus of a wide-ranging federal investigation into potential bribery of foreign officials and other matters in China and Macau, according to people with direct knowledge of the inquiries…”
We’re also informed that no less than half of all of Adelson’s (Sands’) cash is coming from Macau these days, where he now owns and operates four properties.
Times’ reporters Michael Leo, Neil Gough and Edward Wong, along with support from Louise Story, bring to light numerous unpublicized facts about the case(s); but, I’m not going to ruin this story by attempting to retell it myself. Again, to read about it, simply click HERE.
Speaking of “today,” and another one of his investments of “tens of millions of dollars,” tonight, right about now in fact, as we learn near the beginning of today’s NYT story, Mr. Adelson will be participating at a closed fundraising “finance event" for another one of his more recent “investments,” this year’s GOP presidential ticket.
Yes, “that crazy Jewish billionaire,” as George W. Bush referred to him just a few years ago, is having his ring (and god only knows what other appendages) kissed by none other than the newest addition to the GOP national ticket, Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan, in full view of scores (if not hundreds) of other high-rolling GOPers at his flagship property in Las Vegas, the Venetian hotel.
Meanwhile…
…Mr. Yang, along with tens of millions of dollars in payments the Sands made through him in China, is a focus of a wide-ranging federal investigation into potential bribery of foreign officials and other matters in China and Macau, according to people with direct knowledge of the inquiries.
The investigations are unfolding as Mr. Adelson has become an increasing presence in this year’s presidential election, contributing at least $35 million to Republican groups. On Tuesday, Mitt Romney’s running mate, Representative Paul D. Ryan, is to appear at a fund-raiser at the Sands’s Venetian casino in Las Vegas; Mr. Adelson is likely to attend, a person close to him said.
In the political arena, Mr. Adelson is perhaps best known as a hawkish defender of Israel. But whatever the outcome of the inquiries involving his businesses in China, an examination of those activities suggests a keen interest in Washington’s China policy and highlights the degree to which politics and profits are often intertwined for Mr. Adelson…
Kossacks
Hunter and
TeamSarah4Choice both published posts on the Venetian
fundraising “finance event,” late Tuesday afternoon. See: “
Romney campaign bans press from Vegas fundraising event,” and “
Booo! Paul Ryan Bars Media From Covering ‘Finance Event,’” respectively.
Around a week ago we learned, in conjunction with Tuesday’s NY Times’ exposé, that none other than Sheldon Adelson “…the billionaire casino owner who has emerged as one of the country’s biggest Republican donors, filed a $60 million libel lawsuit in federal court on Wednesday against a Democratic group that Mr. Adelson said had falsely accused him of condoning prostitution in his Macau casino properties.”
Not too long ago, there was a time in this country when it was taboo for U.S. candidates for national office, regardless of their party affiliation, to be closely and openly affiliated—never mind openly accepting tens of millions of dollars of their campaign contributions--with top campaign finance sources that were directly on the business end of federal and international investigations and potential charges concerning violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), false or otherwise, relating to the bribery of top foreign government officials.
Not too long ago, there was a time in this country when it was taboo for U.S. candidates for national office, regardless of their party affiliation, to be closely and openly affiliated—never mind openly accepting tens of millions of dollars of their campaign contributions--with top campaign finance sources that were, for all intents and purposes, inciting potential nuclear wars in foreign lands; to the point of controlling the largest media outlets in those foreign countries (see: “Sheldon Adelson Is The Rupert Murdoch of Israel”); not to mention being the largest contributor to the leading political party in a foreign government that was at the forefront of inciting those types of military travesties transgressions.
TONIGHT, obviously, we are being brutally reminded of just how far down those slippery slopes and/or just how quickly down those rabbit holes we’ve gone…as a nation.
There’s an old punchline (updated for 2012, it would no longer be gender specific, but for historical purposes I’m keeping it as is) to an old joke that was attributed to many famous individuals – from W.C. Fields to Winston Churchill, and quite a few others in-between -- back in the first half of the 20th century, and it ended something like this…
She: What kind of woman do you think I am?
He: We’ve already established that. Now we’re just haggling over the price.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, we’re reminded that -- while Sheldon Adelson might be incensed, to the point where he’s filed a $60 million dollar lawsuit, because he feels that Democrats
“had falsely accused him of condoning prostitution in his Macau casino properties,” --
even Paul Ryan KNOWS that Nevada is the only state in our country where prostitution IS legal.