Topic
That's what people tend to be called when they remain convicted of fraud and have served time.
Lusting for 'awesome and infinite' deals with Thomson, Rogers, Shaw.
Hey, we thought you were 'friends'!
What prompted Conrad to sue Tom Bower? "Lies."
Having recently been released from a Florida prison and somehow been admitted back into Canada despite having renounced his citizenship a dozen years ago, Conrad Black is on a campaign to rehabilitate his image. The litigious Lord Black of Crossharbour has loudly proclaimed the "legal and moral propriety" of the business dealings that landed him behind bars for the past few years.
"A Canadian court would not have returned any convictions on the basis of the facts," Black swore last month in a Federal Court affidavit. "I was treated inappropriately and unfairly." Black is a bona fide historian, with a clutch of weighty biographies to his name, including two of himself. His attempt to rewrite history by whitewashing his own misdeeds will turn more on the public's gullibility and short memory than on his self-serving eloquence and the pleadings of his acolytes in the press.
At stake is Black's prestigious Order of Canada, which was bestowed in 1990, well before he reached his full fame as an international media mogul. Infamy, actually. If you doubt that, check out how he is regarded in Australia, where he cut a swath two decades ago. His back room political dealings Down Under sparked outrage and prompted a Senate inquiry that saw Black beat a hasty retreat from the country.
Black went on to build the third-largest newspaper company in the world by the time he completed his tortuous takeover of Canada's Southam newspapers (my former employer) in 1996. His empire also included the Daily Telegraph in London, the Post in Jerusalem and the Sun-Times in Chicago. Oh, and if you're curious how Black is remembered at the latter publication, check this out.
It all came crashing down, of course, when shareholders of his company Hollinger International started asking questions in 2003 about the lavish sums Black and his right-hand rodent David Radler were paying themselves in "management fees." An investigation showed that was just the tip of the iceberg, counting more than $400 million it claimed Black and others had appropriated for their own use from 1997 to 2003, or more than 95 per cent of Hollinger International's adjusted net income during that period. Its 500-page report detailed what it called a "self-righteous and aggressive looting" of the company by its controlling shareholders and described Hollinger's management by Black and Radler as a "corporate kleptocracy."
Included in the questionable dealings the report chronicled was $8 million of company money spent to buy some personal papers of Franklin Delano Roosevelt while Black was writing a biography of the former U.S. president. It also found Black ordered $40,000 of company money spent on a lavish birthday party for his wife Barbara Amiel, and used the company jet to take her on a holiday to Bora Bora in the South Pacific.
Black's cronies
Most contentious, however, were the millions of dollars in tax-free "non-compete" payments Black and others received after selling Hollinger newspapers in dismantling his empire. Such payments are standard practice when selling a business, but shareholders argued they should have gone to Hollinger rather than to Black and others personally.
Black loudly dismissed the claims as overblown, claimed the payments were authorized, and characterized the dissident shareholders as "corporate governance terrorists." He had long flouted such notions as appointing independent directors, instead installing political cronies like former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on Hollinger's board. Most egregious of all, he appointed Richard Perle, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense under Ronald Reagan, as the third member of Hollinger International's executive committee, along with himself and Radler. Perle admitted to investigators that he signed documents he "generally did not even read." Instead, Perle apparently spent most of his time working on one of Black's pet projects, the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, as head of the Pentagon's volunteer Defense Policy Board.
In the end, as Black rightly points out, he was acquitted of most of the 13 charges against him after Radler turned state's evidence and testified against him. Black was charged with six counts of fraud in relation to the non-compete payments, and was convicted by the jury on three of them. He was acquitted on five other fraud counts, including one relating to the Bora Bora holiday, and on one count of racketeering.
Black was also convicted on one count of obstruction of justice for removing 13 boxes of documents from his Toronto office in contravention of a court order, for which he was sentenced in late 2007 to six and half years in prison. (Who knows what those documents might have shown?) He was also sentenced to five years on the fraud counts, to be served at the same time as the sentence for obstruction. Black won a partial victory on appeal in 2010, when two of his fraud convictions were overturned and his sentence was reduced to three and a half years. But he's still a convicted felon, and a crook by any name.
Surfing his own shift
Maybe we're stuck with him as a Canadian, but to allow him to continue to enjoy the country's second highest honor (after the Order of Merit) is an insult to the others who hold it.
The only way his campaign for absolution can succeed is through a disinformation campaign in a media he helped shift from largely liberal to mostly conservative. His takeover of Southam and founding in 1998 of the neo-conservative National Post helped alter Canada's political zeitgeist. It took a few years, but the electorate eventually went along with the change in perspective, electing Conservative governments since 2006 and handing Stephen Harper a majority at the last vote. Black's acolytes are pushing hard for his exoneration in the eyes of Canadians, but they can't change the facts. He's a crook. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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Hakuin
41 weeks ago
now where have I seen that before...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejvyDn1TPr8
Kreditanstalt
41 weeks ago
Shoddy journalism... How can
Shoddy journalism...
How can any of us determine for ourselves whether Black is indeed a "crook"? We can't go through thousands of pages of evidence ourselves...we simply don't have enough time remaining in our lives in which to do so! Nor do we readers have time to even conduct a search for other pro- and anti-Black rants...
This article practically BEGS for readers to subscribe to its views unquestioningly. If the writer so trusts and believes the judgements of courts, why rehash information already gone over many, many times?
His political agenda is showing, too. "New Star Books"? "Asper Nation: Canada's Most Dangerous Media Company"? "Owner Quebecor crushed labour ruthlessly"?
What's the point of condemning Black merely by linkage to the Conservatives? This is just one opinion, from one writer, to the exclusion of any counterpoint. We poor readers simply don't have any opportunity to do the research and legwork needed to get to an objective assessment on our own.
And there are other "crooks", created at different times and in different places, often deemed so in hindsight. (Roosevelt? The socialist? A-bomb originator? Thief of the public's gold? Packed the Supreme Court?)
A true determination of Black deserves at least a BOOK...
puppyg
41 weeks ago
No more, please...
I wish for various news outlets to stop publishing Conrad Black's obnoxious commentaries. He is not a noble dignitary. He is not a sage literary lion. He is an unethical and unwelcome relic of a past era.
rangerkim
41 weeks ago
... like a duck
what? ... and you're going to write it? ... looks to me like you've already made book on this guy
To paraphrase my favorite revolutionary, "We don't need to read no stinking thousand pages!" A 1000 pages is not needed to explain Black's behaviour, but it is needed for obscuring the truth and disseminating propaganda.
This case is pretty straightforward; if it walks like a duck; if it quacks like a duck, then it likely is some kinda duck.
Fiat lux
41 weeks ago
I would bet odds that, under
I would bet odds that, under Harper's orders, as a good and true, real "conservative", Black will retain his Order of Canada and get his citizenship back, so he can "create" more wealth.
Ed Deak.
wvdk
41 weeks ago
The Empire's new penal colony
"How can any of us determine for ourselves whether Black is indeed a "crook"?"
A competent, thorough justice system already did that. Good enough for me. Black could write a 3 volume autobiography detailing how wonderful he is. His wife can pen laudatory columns for Maclean's. It won't change the fact that he is, as Mulcair said, a British convicted criminal. At one time British criminals were sent to Australia, but Black burned his bridges there. Apparently Canada is the new repository for British criminals.
Jeffrey J.
41 weeks ago
Well Said Mr. Edge
A hard hitting, truthful summary of the sordid manipulations of Conrad Black. Thank you Marc Edge. We Tyee readers are privileged to be reading the work of Mr. Edge, whose well written books on Canada's media empires are the best in their class.
As to Conrad Black, where to begin? His aggressive, bullying, mean spirited history of misconduct and fraud perfectly symbolize the rise of neocon extremism. Itself, perfectly symbolized by Stephen Harper, perhaps the most anti-democratic PM in Canada's history.
Sadly, we will have to put up with their presence until we learn how to send them packing. The sooner the better.
An excellent essay.
boondoggle
41 weeks ago
Just another [EDITED...]
He's just another board room [UNSUPPORTED ALLEGATION REMOVED HERE...] with the same [...HERE..] behavior as the CEO's running many of our corporations and our countries. Through their monopolization of the media these sick people have taken control of our governance and we have no one to blame but ourselves for allowing this to happen. Instead of whining like Black, we need to collectively decide what we can do to restore the democracy he and his ilk stole from us.
Murray Stone
41 weeks ago
obstruction of justice enough by itself
Who cares if the fraud counts were shaky (which I think they were)? The obstruction of justice charge is unassailable, and the conduct alleged so egregious as to be inconsistent with the continued enjoyment of civilian honours.
Fiat lux
41 weeks ago
My question is , what is a
My question is , what is a British lord doing in Canada, instead sitting in the House of Lords with a fancy cloak and funny hat on his head ?
What is keeping him away from his chosen country, fancy title and why ?
Ed Deak.
cboo44
41 weeks ago
Black IS a Convicted CROOK
And no amount of rationalizing will change that. NEITHER is he a Canadian citizen. Time for "Lord Black of Crossharbour" to head home.
As for predicting what the PM will do or pronouncements on what a PM is "thinking of doing", that's conjecture based on personal bias,as opposed to FACT.
wvdk
40 weeks ago
Place your bets here
Of course predicting what the PM will do is conjecture, and given his influence over Canada, one can't be faulted for engaging in such conjecture.
Let's see. Black's conservative leaning media empire helped the PM take power. Black could reasonably expect loyalty in return. On the other hand, supporting him would cost public support. But the next election is far away. And giving a loyal supporter the boot might erode the confidence of other loyal supporters. So hard to decide... If only Black would lay low and keep his mouth shut. He's a bit of a loose cannon. What to do....?
RickW
40 weeks ago
Kredit
As my old uncle once opined: "It isn't possible to become a millionaire in this country without being crooked and morally bankrupt." I defy onyone to prove otherwise....
hg
40 weeks ago
Criminal Record
Why is a criminal, convicted in the United States allowed to enter Canada. Can one really believe a fraudster insisting on his innocence? But then Mr. Harper does not have too much respect for the for the decision of the courts or the law. Remember the wheat board or the treatment of First Nations.
54trolls
40 weeks ago
The Advisory Council for the Order of Canada
I suggest an email to the Advisory Council expressing your views on his lordship be sent. They accept comment regarding their deliberations. You can send an email to
. here is a link to their site http://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=72
bcguy
40 weeks ago
Black hates to be ingnored so
Black hates to be ingnored so he babbles on.He bought hios title, so go to England and get out of our sight
hugo
40 weeks ago
Conrad Black
Any person of a prgressive inclination must reject the core message in Marc Edge's diatribe: that there is no such thing as rehabilitation for criminals and that they should be pilloried in perpetuity. This is a puerile, redneck attitude that should not be given space in a publication like the Tyee.
John Deverell
40 weeks ago
Conrad's influence
> Marc Edge says Conrad Black changed the zeitgeist, and this resulted
> in “the people” granting majority government to the Conservative Party.
>
> Stephen Harper’s Conservatives attracted 39 per cent popular support
> in May 2011, and were elected by many fewer voters than that. Canada’s
> absurdly undemocratic electoral system, not the people, gave Black’s
> Conservative friends their phony majority in Parliament.
>
> Let’s put the credit for that where it properly belongs.
It's no coincidence, of course, that Conrad and all other newspaper publishers and media barons oppose democratic voting reform. It would reduce their ability to manipulate the political system.
>
>
>
> John Deverell
>
> Founding Treasurer, Fair Vote Canada
Mr. PG
40 weeks ago
We are not "...stuck with him
We are not "...stuck with him as a Canadian..." because he's NOT a Canadian. He renounced his citizenship. And he shouldn't get it back. We're already seen as a Citizenship Hotel by other nations. Don't want Lord Black as a guest in the Hotel.
Fritz
40 weeks ago
I sent this message to
Jacqueline.Barton@gg.ca
'In the Tyee there is an essay on convicted criminal Conrad Black. In the comment section is a suggestion to contact you with respect to stripping him of the Order of Canada. If the title is not removed it will debase the others who hold the title as does Gordon Campbell's name to the Order of BC.
Many of us even wonder just how corrupted the system is when this non Canadian crook is allowed into the country. It tells us we have the best government corporate money can buy.'
dorothy
40 weeks ago
If only...
"that there is no such thing as rehabilitation for criminals "
Oh, sure there is, but as many successive parole boards in many different jurisdictions have pragmatically observed: The first step in rehabilitation is to accept responsibility for one's wrong-doings. It sems to me that Lord Black of Cross Harbour is struggling with that particular endeavour, filling the air with all mannner of conspiracy scenarios to explain how he got on the wrong side of it all. Not anything he did, of course. I cannot imagine the man doing any number of hours of community service or any such thing for the good of his soul. Maybe, when it comes right down to it, he's his own worst enemy...
morechatter
40 weeks ago
change of image
Not with that photo. I bet their was none so surprised than are pretentious Mr. Black when he found himself in a Florida jail. I can,t see him going back.
morechatter
40 weeks ago
to leave the past behind
Black needs to rethink being the victim, it will never fly.
Kreditanstalt
40 weeks ago
He likely IS a crook. Some
He likely IS a crook. Some court somewhere did find him so.
But I do resent this writer trying to smear Black simply on the basis that Black ran an evil Conservative newspaper or associated with neocons...
Fritz
40 weeks ago
Order of Canada + Kred's resentment
I received a response from Ms. Barton why Black's odor should be removed from the Order of Canucks.
"Thank you for your recent email concerning Mr. Conrad Black’s membership in the Order of Canada.
The information contained in your email will be brought to the attention of the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada, and your correspondence has been added to Mr. Black’s file.
Yours sincerely,
Jacqueline Barton"
+++++++++++++++
As for this Kred:
"...I do resent this writer trying to smear Black simply on the basis that Black ran an evil Conservative newspaper or associated with neocons..."
Instead of coming here and "resenting" the writers ALL the time; here are some choice sites to keep your blood pressure lower with some fine homely "CONservative" idiotology:
ALEC
the Canadian Council of Chief Executives
Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Chamber of Commerce
Codex Alimentarius
Council on Foreign Relations
Ethical Oil
Fraser Institute
Free Dominion
theFREEmanonline.org
International Finance Corporation
International Monetary Fund
Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation
National Citizens Coalition
Trilateral Commission
World Bank
World Trade Organization
Astute Citizen
40 weeks ago
Concur 100%: Conrad Black's A Crook, Can't Buy His Way Out Of It
YES, IN DEED, INDEED!
SO BYE-BYE, "LORD" BLACK OF CROSSHARBOUR:
CROSS OVER PRONTO! LET THE BRITS HAVE YOU, THO' SUSPECT THEY DON'T & WON'T WANT YOU, EITHER!
LAW-ABIDING CANADIANS SURE DON'T! & NO AMOUNT OF MONEY (ILL-GOTTEN?)CAN BUY YOUR BLACK-ENED REPUTATION'S "REHABILITATION"!
Astute Citizen
40 weeks ago
Concur 100%: Conrad Black's A Crook, Can't Buy His Way Out Of It
YES, IN DEED, INDEED!
SO BYE-BYE, "LORD" BLACK OF CROSSHARBOUR:
CROSS OVER PRONTO! LET THE BRITS HAVE YOU, THO' SUSPECT THEY DON'T & WON'T WANT YOU, EITHER!
LAW-ABIDING CANADIANS SURE DON'T! & NO AMOUNT OF MONEY (ILL-GOTTEN?)CAN BUY YOUR BLACK-ENED REPUTATION'S "REHABILITATION"!
Kootenay Coyote
40 weeks ago
Con Black
& the Harpercrites ushered that wretched old lag’s oiled way into Canada while leaving abused child Omar Khadr to rot in the torture-ridden Black Hole of Bush in Guantanamo. Can’t recognize Harper’s Canada, for sure....
greenflash
40 weeks ago
Empire's New Penal Colony
Not to defend Mr. Black, but, how many American bankers and stock brokers have served prison time for the mortgage backed securities scandal? That justice system is neither thorough nor competent. It sure appears to be corrupt though.