ABC-CNN Talks Could Leave CBS the Odd Network Out
Within the next few weeks, executives of ABC News and CNN expect to renew discussions about forming a joint news operation, executives with knowledge of the talks said on Friday.
Although both sides say the odds that an agreement will be reached are no higher than 50-50, executives from the two organizations said their desire to merge has only grown since news of the talks broke last month. Given CNN's vast, international reach and ABC's broadcast network and big-name stars, they realize, the end result would be a news organization of unrivaled size.
TWO men who bought an $8 million Tribeca penthouse from scandal-plagued ImClone founder Sam Waksal say they're going to sue him if he doesn't compensate them for the lavish pad's shoddy construction.
Ed Bazinet, the mega-rich, Minnesota-based founder of Department 56, a publicly-traded giftware company, and his partner Wouter Deruiter bought the 10,000 square-foot unfinished quadruplex space atop the old Munitions Building at 60 Warren St. a year ago. The building is just one of a number of old Tribeca properties that Waksal, his brother Harlan, his daughter Elana, and son-in-law Jarett Posner have bought and converted into luxury apartments through a company called BDB Development.
The "ImClone Clan," as they're known, built the four-story penthouse despite fierce protest from preservationists. For a time it was known as the most controversial building in Tribeca because of the addition. [snip]
Elana Waksal and her husband first moved to the building so that she could run for City Councilwoman Kathryn Freed's seat, but lost the election despite spending big bucks and getting a gushing endorsement from Hillary Clinton. Posner is the grandson of the late corporate raider Victor Posner, who along with Jarrett's father, Steven, was accused of cooking up a fraudulent takeover scheme with Ivan Boesky and Mike Milken.
Mr. Ashcroft, time to dig deeper into hilly's financial records.