DCG posted: " THR.com: Current TV co-founders Al Gore and Joel Hyratt
have launched a fraud and breach-of-contract lawsuit claiming that Al
Jazeera is withholding money from its $500 million purchase of the cable
news network. The complaint was filed under seal " Respond to this post
by replying above this line
New post on *Fellowship of the Minds*
<http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/author/dcgere/> Al Gore Sues Al Jazeera
for Withholding Money From Sale of Current TV
<http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2014/08/16/al-gore-sues-al-jazeera-for-withholding-money-from-sale-of-current-tv/>
by
DCG <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/author/dcgere/>
[image: al gore]
<http://fellowshipofminds.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/al-gore.jpg>
THR.com
<http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/al-gore-sues-al-jazeera-725762>:
Current TV co-founders Al Gore and Joel Hyratt have launched a *fraud* and
breach-of-contract lawsuit claiming that* Al Jazeera is withholding money
from its $500 million purchase of the cable news network*.
The complaint was filed under seal in the Delaware Court of Chancery, but
information provided reveals that *the plaintiffs are seeking $65 million
held in escrow*.
Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore is being represented by David Boies, the
attorney who memorably represented him in the 2000 battle over a Florida
election recount.
"Al Jazeera America wants to give itself a discount on the purchase price
that was agreed to nearly two years ago," said Boies in a statement. "We
are asking the Court to order Al Jazeera America to stop wrongfully
withholding the escrow funds that belong to Current's former shareholders."
According to Boies, the plaintiff is also filing the case under seal with
some objection.
"We do not believe that our complaint should be sealed," he says. "However,
despite being a news organization, Al Jazeera America has said that the
full complaint should be kept from the public file. We have therefore filed
the complaint under seal until the Court can resolve this issue. We expect
that the Court will reject Al Jazeera America's argument."
An Al Jazeera spokesperson says in a statement, "Our outside counsel is
reviewing the complaint. We think it relates to a commercial dispute
between former shareholders of Current Media and Al Jazeera America. We may
have further comment once they’ve fully reviewed everything."
The announcement that Current TV would be sold
<http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/al-gores-current-tv-sold-407573> to
Al Jazeera came in January 2013. It was believed at the time that the
Qatari royal family, which owns Al Jazeera, was most interested in
attaining Current's favorable distribution deals with cable and satellite
TV providers. However, since the deal was made, Al Jazeera America has
faced litigation from AT&T and DirecTV. In both cases, Al Jazeera has
fought hard to keep details of the lawsuits under wraps.
Al Jazeera America also was dropped by Time Warner Cable for a time, but
eventually returned to that service.
When launching, Al Jazeera America went on an aggressive hiring spree.
However, *its ambitions have been dampened by weak ratings, sometimes
falling below Current's*. Nevertheless, the cable news network has made
waves, most recently in Ferguson, Missouri, where it called for an
investigation
<http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/al-jazeera-america-calls-investigation-725519>
into media mistreatment after seeing its reporters in the vicinity of tear
gas. The network called that an "egregious assault on freedom of the press."
When Gore sold
<http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2013/01/09/employees-of-al-gore-discover-hes-a-bullsht-hypocrite/>Current
to Al Jazeera, the *climate change activist faced tough questions
<http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jon-stewart-grills-al-gore-417114>
from the likes of Comedy Central host Jon Stewart for choosing to sell to
an oil-rich Middle Eastern nation*. "I'm proud of the transaction," Gore
responded. "It's going to really be a positive addition to the U.S. media
landscape."
After the sale, Gore was sued
<http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/al-gore-sued-current-tv-426420>
for not compensating a media consultant who allegedly came up with the idea
for the distribution of an American version of Al Jazeera. The complaint
alleged that the former veep was originally opposed to the deal but had a
"change of heart."
The defendants beat the lawsuit, although not before having to give
depositions in the case.
At the time the Current-Al Jazeera transaction was announced, word was
circulated that Gore would continue to play an advisory role. But during a
deposition, Hyatt testified, "We had indicated our willingness to serve on
an advisory board, if they wanted us, but they never went ahead and
constituted an advisory board, and we never served on one."
Hyatt also said that secrecy was a paramount consideration for Al Jazeera
("they made it quite clear the importance of confidentiality"), and that
the deal was closed on Jan. 2, 2013, "because that's when Al Jazeera wired
the money to the escrow fund," he said.
The former Current executive was also asked, "Are there any obligations
left to — on behalf of either yourself or Mr. Gore to fulfill in the courts
with the — that deals with Al Jazeera?" He answered, "There are no
obligations."
Someone on Twitter suggested they pay off Gore with carbon credits -
brilliant!
DCG
*DCG <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/author/dcgere/>* | August 16, 2014
at 3:15 am | Tags: Al Gore <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=al-gore>, Al
Jazeera <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=al-jazeera>, manbearpig
<http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?tag=manbearpig> | Categories:
Liberals/Democrats/Left <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=115894710>,
Media <http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/?cat=292> | URL:
http://wp.me/pKuKY-rxq
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