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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat We Know About Sean Hannity's Shell Companies and Why It Matters
Fox News anchor Sean Hannity had a bad week.
Last Monday, a lawyer representing Donald Trumps personal attorney, Michael Cohen, said that Hannity was one of Cohens three clients. Cohen is under investigation in relation to a payment he reportedly made to adult film star Stormy Daniels on behalf of then-candidate Trump. Hannity denied (kind of) that hed retained Cohens services, but that hasnt stopped people from taking a closer look at his financial dealings, which have proven to be more extensive and complicated than previously known. Heres what we know so far.
1. He is linked to at least 20 shell companies
According to documents reviewed by The Guardian, Hannity bought real estate through more than 20 shell companies registered in Georgia. A shell company is a vehicle used to hold assets and can help beneficiaries remain anonymous. They are not in themselves illegal, though they are sometimes used to conduct illegal activities such as tax evasion. There is no indication that Hannity is engaged in any illegal practices, but he is the hidden owner behind at least some of the 20 companies through which he has bought property. In his case, it appears the shell companies were used to limit his liabilities in the real estate deals in question. In the last 10 years, the companies have spent $90 million on 870 homes in seven U.S. states.
2. He bought foreclosed properties
Despite his criticism of President Obama over the U.S. foreclosure rate, Hannity was an apparent beneficiary of the high number of foreclosures that accompanied and followed the great recession. In 2013 he purchased homes at a discount after their previous owners lost them to foreclosure. The Guardian reports he bought dozens of homes this way.
3. He used HUD programs
Hannity used mortgages funded through the Department for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to buy two of the most valuable properties in his portfolio. The $17.9 million in loans was first guaranteed under the Obama administration. Ben Carsons HUD recently increased the loans by $5 million. Hannity failed to disclose his dealings with HUD when he had Ben Carson on his show last year. During that appearance, Hannity told Carson hed done a good job.
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/what-we-know-about-sean-hannitys-shell-companies-and-why-it-matters/ar-AAwdKrt?ocid=spartandhp
matt819
(10,749 posts)he paid only 10 dollars for legal advice.
Maybe the advice was two words: shell companies.
Squinch
(51,007 posts)that takes him off the air, and I'm sure it's out there, but I don't think this is it.
certainot
(9,090 posts)especially since rove lost the white house and central control of them. rove would have insisted they NOT be getting freelance money.
what about them selling 'climategate' in 2009 from a kremlin email hack. putin would love that and so would the kochs. and then selling debt default in 2011, which i doubt the kochs would want.
If Russians/Trump wanted to coordinate they would study talk radio. Trump did that in 2014. (said sam nunberg to gabriel sherman - new york magazine 4/3/16) and said it informed their primaries strategy and may have been used to coordinate with their kremlin trolling ops.
journos need to be looking for evidence limbaugh hannity have been getting russian trump money. limbaugh attacked rubio and bush as establishment pro 'illegal immigrant' stooges.
trump guy sam nunberg said he studied talk radio for trump in 2014
jounalists/investigators need to dig into the possibility that limbaugh and hannity were being compensated for their support and coordination with trump and the russina trolling, especially in the primaries vs establishment gop candidates while trying to appear objective. these guys may have been getting side money for close to a decade.