Sheldon Adelson’s Paper Runs Praise-Singing Jerusalem Piece — By His Wife
Sheldon and Miriam Adelson Image by Getty Images
By Aiden Pink May 14, 2018
The Las Vegas newspaper owned by Sheldon Adelson ran a rare front-page opinion piece in its Monday edition, written by Adelson’s wife.
The opinion piece, entitled “A great day for Israel — and for America,” praised the Trump administration’s move of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. It was written by Dr. Miriam Adelson, who was born in Israel, and was simultaneously published the two newspapers owned by the couple: the Las Vegas Review-Journal and the Israeli newspaper Yisrael Hayom, which is the country’s top-selling news publication.
“The embassy opening is a crowning moment for U.S. foreign policy and for our president, Donald Trump,” she wrote. “Just over a year into his first term, he has re-enshrined the United States as the standard-bearer of moral clarity and courage in a world that too often feels adrift.”
The Adelsons donated more than $77 million to conservative “super PACs” and other political causes during the 2016 elections, including $20 million directly to a pro-Trump group, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. They added an additional $5 million to pay for Trump’s inauguration.
Sheldon Adelson, one of the top donors to conservative and pro-Israel causes, has long advocated for moving the embassy and even reportedly offered to help pay for it.
After a mystery company purchased the Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2015, journalists at the paper discovered that it was owned and controlled by Adelson. Many reporters and editors subsequently left after complaining that ownership was interfering with editorial decision-making and using the paper to advance Adelson’s political interests.
Yisrael Hayom, the Adelson-owned Israeli paper, has long been known for its fealty to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Adelson has strongly supported for years.
Contact Aiden Pink at pink@forward.com or on Twitter, @aidenpink
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