lorne, more proof of Dems underhanded tactics. Attempted $60M extortion of Bill O'Reilly by politically motivated employee who threatened to bring a sexual harassment charge. They're foolish. The action will merely cause O'Reilly's already #1 cable news show to expand it's viewership even further, right before the election. Here's info from Drudge Report:
<<<It is apparent that Defendants’ outrageous monetary demand is motivated by their greed and also by Morelli’s political connections. Morelli, his firm, and his wife, Arlene, are known supporters of and contributors to the Democratic Party, contributing to the campaigns of U.S. Senators John Kerry, John Edwards, Tom Daschle, and Charles Schumer, among others. He perceives Fox and O’Reilly as politically conservative and supporters of the Republican Party. If he does not receive his share of $60 million, he would like nothing more than to embarrass and tarnish the reputations of Fox and O’Reilly.
The extortion attempt is timed to cause the maximum disruption and damage to Fox and O’Reilly. Fox News coverage and O’Reilly’s program in particular have consistently drawn higher ratings during election periods, and the upcoming, tightly-contested Presidential election between Senator John Kerry and President George W. Bush has been drawing record-setting ratings for The O’Reilly Factor and Fox News Channel programming. In fact, Fox News Channel is the most highly rated cable news network in the United States and has continued to increase its lead over CNN in recent years. Its expectation has been that viewership, and thus revenues, will continue to increase, particularly as the electorate becomes even more involved with the presidential race.
By sending the September 29, 2004 demand letter and threatening to bring suit within “five business days” over alleged harassment that allegedly commenced more than two years earlier in May 2002, Mackris and Morelli have sought to extract maximum leverage against Fox and O’Reilly right before the presidential election.>>> |
