The city’s top newspaper endorses Trump for President, raising numerous ethical questions.
“Although many voters are dissatisfied with their choices for president, the policy results of Donald Trump’s years in office are too strong to ignore.” – Las Vegas Review-Journal
On the morning of October 14th, Las Vegas residents learned that the Las Vegas Review-Journal was endorsing Donald J. Trump as the next president of the United States.
While some were shocked by the announcement, others fully expected it. The reason? The biased political influence of staunch Republican billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam Adelson within the newspaper.
The couple’s controversial entanglement with the Review-Journal goes back to late 2015 when Adelson’s NEW MEDIA INVESTMENT GROUP secretly purchased the paper.
A brave team of the newspaper’s reporters investigated and exposed the ownership. Their discovery became national news through The New Yorker magazine, which published this piece. The article stated, “Adelson’s background, combined with the initial attempt to keep his family’s ownership interest in the Review-Journal secret, does not augur well for the future editorial independence of the paper.”
Screenshot from The New Yorker 1/8/16
As a result of their findings, several Review-Journal employees fought against a work environment that was intent on furthering Adelson’s business and legal interests. Many willingly resigned to protect their journalistic integrity. This writer applauds their courage, which is increasingly rare in today’s chaotic media circus.
“We deal with enough credibility issues, in terms of people’s general perception of media. It’s not going to be a tenable situation when someone with that much power and influence is sitting in the shadows behind your newspaper.” – James Dehaven, former Review-Journal reporter, via The New Yorker 1/8/16
Screenshot from NPR.org
The Adelson family was intertwined with the Republican party…and later Donald Trump’s political aspirations…long before the family’s newspaper takeover:
Billionaire casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, who has died aged 87, spent hundreds of millions of dollars in later life as a Republican kingmaker—and President Donald Trump was a key beneficiary of this largesse. Adelson, who died of complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma, had an estimated worth of around $35 billion, according to Forbes.
This gave him and his wife Miriam plenty of scope to hand vast sums of money to GOP campaigns and causes through super PACs. The couple has given nearly $524 million since 2010—$424 million since the start of Trump’s election campaign in 2016. The couple also gave millions over the years to pro-Israel organizations. – NEWSWEEK 1/12/21
There’s always a price for favors and a benefit to greasing palms. In this case, Miriam was welcomed to the White House for some serious bling – a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Photo via MSNBC
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the Nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made especially meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or cultural or other significant public or private endeavors. – The White House
Once again, the R-J‘s owner was the center of ethical controversy. Many journalists found Miriam Adelson to be undeserving of the award, its ceremony drenched in favoritism:
NBC News 11/16/18
“Adelson’s medal reflects a growing pattern: one of Trump awarding a large majority of such medals and even pardons to supporters, to Republicans, and to recipients who fit his political agenda.”
Washington Post’s Aaron Blake 11/12/18
Robert Weissman, president of public interest group Public Citizen, said it was difficult to believe the decision to recognize Miriam Adelson was based on merit. “It’s emblematic of the corrupt and transactional presidency of Donald Trump, and it is a shame, but not a surprise, that he is corroding and corrupting a civic treasure, an honor like the Medal of Freedom,” Weissman said. – NBC News 11/16/18
Trump also used the controversy surrounding Adelson’s selection to disrespect military veterans while sprinkling in a dose of misogyny:
“When we gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom… It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor— it’s actually much better because everyone who gets the Congressional Medal, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets or they’re dead. She gets it and she’s a healthy beautiful woman.” – Donald J. Trump 8/15/24
“These asinine comments not only diminish the significance of our nation’s highest award for valor, but also crassly characterizes the sacrifices of those who have risked their lives above and beyond the call of duty.”
“When a candidate to serve as our military’s commander-in-chief so brazenly dismisses the valor and reverence symbolized by the Medal of Honor and those who have earned it, I must question whether they would discharge their responsibilities to our men and women in uniform with the seriousness and discernment necessary for such a powerful position.” – Veterans of Foreign Wars 8/16/24
So now we’ve established that the Las Vegas Review-Journal is guided by money, power, and a political agenda. Ethics and integrity be damned. So those unsurprised by the paper’s third endorsement of DJT were undoubtedly nonplussed by what followed the next day.
Screenshot via Politico.com
Major news outlets revealed on 10/15/24, one day after the Trump endorsement, that the billionaire widow donated an additional $95 million to a pro-Trump Super PAC in the third quarter of this year. This was verified via a filing with the Federal Election Commission. You can read the FORBES Magazine report by clicking here.
Photo by Associated Press via Casino.Org
Now that you’ve made it through a great deal of background (thank you!), let’s get to the crux of this article…whether it’s still appropriate for a major news organization to take a political side in our very turbulent election year.
While newspapers have a long-standing tradition of endorsing political candidates, we’re living in unprecedented times. Never in recent memory have Americans faced this degree of frustration, distrust, and division. And never before have so-called “news organizations” complicated the confusion by blatantly displaying bias instead of reporting facts.
The ramifications of LV R-J‘s endorsement have the potential to label fun-loving Las Vegas as a “Trump town”. The convicted felon’s name already towers over the Sin City skyline, making it difficult for some vacationers to forget harsh realities. Is that what the residents and tourists of Las Vegas want? Can the endorsement damage our image to any noticeable effect?
Regardless of your political alliances or choice for the Presidency, two important questions deserve to be asked:
- Do you feel it’s appropriate for the Las Vegas Review-Journal to endorse a 2024 Presidential candidate, no matter which candidate you personally back?
- Do you think the Review-Journal’s endorsement of Donald Trump is harmful to the Las Vegas entertainment industry.
Sin City is a vibrant entertainment community. Thousands of performers and skilled craftsmen practice their art without oppression or agenda. It’s a place where all are welcome and people can be whomever they wish. As a VEGAS 411 entertainment reporter, I support those freedoms for everyone, be they residents or visitors.
John Katsilometes staff photo via Las Vegas Review-Journal
My award-winning counterpart at the Las Vegas Review-Journal is John Katsilometes. We admittedly share a bristling relationship for various reasons. And yet, this writer was immediately concerned for John when the endorsement was announced.
I couldn’t help wondering if “Kats”, as he’s casually referred to, would follow the lead of his predecessors to protect his professional integrity. So I sent a direct email asking the above two questions, along with these:
“Do you have concerns about working for a publication that has endorsed a convicted felon and sexual predator for the nation’s highest office? Will you be making an official statement on your ethical position? Is it possible that you’ll resign?”
So far, Mr. Katsilometes has not responded. I’ll update developments with him in the next segment.
At VEGAS 411, we’re encouraged to share our opinions without influence or pressure. This site does not accept outside advertising, nor do we publish “paid content”. As Deputy Editor of VEGAS 411, I hope that all journalists, columnists, and media personalities will continue to present the truth with integrity…and not feel pressured to echo the voices of biased owners.
In Part Two, we’ll share reader reactions to the Trump/LVR-J endorsement. Here are a few:
