Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

On George Will and rich men

George Will's column this morning, a paean to Las Vegas Sands owner Sheldon Adelson, brought to mind a long-forgotten episode involving Will and another controversial rich man: Conrad Black.

Will was taking $25,000 a year to be part of a "international advisory board" to Black's company Hollinger Internaitonal. Will wrote a favorable column, not unlike today's Adelson missive, about Black, without disclosing the annual payment. Here's the New York Times report, with a priceless Will quote: "My business is my business. Got it?"

The head of The Washington Post Writers Group, which syndicates Will, kinda thought maybe he should have been in the loop on the cash. But anyway.

Black was convicted of stealing from Hollinger (Will had nothing to do it of course) and sentenced to prison.

Adelson is a longtime backer of conservative causes.

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