Jailed Media Baron Conrad Black Hoping For Bush Pardon

Conrad Black is pinning his hopes on clemency from U.S. President George W. Bush as a last-ditch effort to get out of jail early, and he wants his former publishing company to foot the legal bill.

Lawyers for the deposed press baron, who is serving a 61/2-year prison sentence in Florida for fraud and obstruction of justice, recently submitted legal bills to Sun-Times Media Group, Inc., some of which referred to work done in pursuit of a clemency plea, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The sources said the company is balking at shouldering the payments, even though it has been forced by the courts to pay $117-million (U.S.) on the defence of Lord Black and other former company officials.

"We try to draw the line at outrageous things, and this is sort of one of them," said one person close to the company, once a sprawling Chicago-based newspaper empire known as Hollinger International Inc.

Read the entire article here.

Comments

[KarateKid]

This just shows that he has not learned his lesson. Let him sweep the floor and make more license plates until he completes his sentence.

[DuPageDem]

If Conrad gets out, I will pay him a personal visit to recoup the salary I got screwed out of while he was stealing millions from Hollinger.

[larry278]

I trust that W will honor the requests of our friends in the UK & Canada & wll not pardon Lord Black.

[CeeCee]

Thank you. I hope so too. Canada does not want him getting off, this phoney "Lord" who gave up his Canadian citizenship to buy the title, then when he got into trouble, tried to get his citizenship back. I'm very proud that the Canadian Government said: No.

[larry278]

Canadians are known to be quiet & proud. Lord Black is not quiet. He was proud of his title. I do not think that Lord Black really wants to become a humble Canadian again. Even if he loses his title, he is a British subject; many in the UK take pride in that. It ought to be more than enough for Conrad Black.

[dana94591]

Oh, sh---!

[LeeCalif]

Geez ! I guess the question is............

Will those not pardoned by Bush, please stand up?!

[snruB]

Conrad Black is awesome!

[mirage2008]

/facepalm

Just GTFO.



NOW

[CeeCee]

yeah, an awesome thief. You forgot to finish your sentence.

[gerontion72]

Let him rot.

[Huffpoor]

Could there be a bigger load of BS than having Hollinger foot the Black bill? Hollinger's only pseudo-viable asset, the Sun Times, can barely pay their own staff, is constantly fighting down angry mobs of shareholders and, with this week's resignation of the Chairman [of the Board] and several board members, is on the brink of collapse. Casualties shouldn't be forced to bail out their aggressors.

[DuPageDem]

Correction, the Sun-Times doesn't pay their staff -- their suburban flags are milked for the revenue that covers payroll.

[CeeCee]

That's standard Conrad Black practice. I remember decades ago that the saying was: If Conrad Black buys the company, you can kiss it goodbye because he always bankrupts them.