Free Republic

The name Vignali receded into L.A. history after the “Pardongate” scandal of 2001, but questions remain about drug-dealing son Carlos and his real estate magnate father, Horacio, who just might be pulling the strings in the remaking of downtown L.A. --snip--- “Justice Undone: Clemency Decisions in the Clinton White House,” House Report 107-454, documents the involvement of Hugh Rodham, the brother of Hillary Rodham Clinton, in the Vignali affair. Rodham was Horacio Vignali’s chief lobbyist inside the White House and received more than $200,000 for his services. The two met through Los Angeles attorney James Casso in October 2000, according...

ARLINGTON, Va. — When it comes to movies, give me an adorable dog, a flawed father, a motherless girl-child with a heart the size of Disney World — toss in an eccentric dowager librarian and a Magical Negro (to borrow the term popularized by Spike Lee), not to mention Dave Matthews — and for two hours I'm all yours. Especially if I'm 7 years old. So goes the cast of characters in a new movie due for release Feb. 18 — "Because of Winn-Dixie" — that parents can take their children to without cringing. It's a sweet tale, full of...

Conservative billionaire Philip Anschutz wants the name "Examiner" to be his sole property in 69 U.S. cities and he's spending his bucks to make sure it will be. Anschutz owns the free daily "The San Francisco Examiner." His move to trademark the name for additional markets has some wondering if there may be plans afoot to expand the free paper. According to the Denver Post, Anchsutz has has filed 127 U.S. applications to trademark general circulation newspapers with "The Examiner" name in 69 cities, including Denver. His paper said Anschutz's Clarity Media Group has spent tens of thousands of dollars...

DENVER (AP) A media company owned by billionaire investor Philip Anschutz said Wednesday it will launch a free, six-day-a-week newspaper in the Washington, D.C., area on Feb. 1. The Washington Examiner, a tabloid, will replace three suburban newspapers that Anschutz's Clarity Media Group, bought from Journal Newspapers Inc. last year for an undisclosed sum. The Examiner will be published Sunday through Friday and will tailor some news and opinion pages for residents in the District, suburban Maryland, and northern Virginia. The company said home delivery will also be available in parts of Washington, a rarity for a free newspaper in...

The new billionaire owner of the San Francisco Examiner hasn't given a substantive interview since 1974 and thoroughly protects his privacy. But it's clear that Philip Anschutz is a dealmaker of the first order. A Kansas native who has lived in Denver for the past 42 years, the 64- year-old Anschutz is the chairman and owner of Anschutz Co., a highly diversified firm that owns or has investments in about 100 companies in energy, pipelines, railroads, agriculture, real estate, film production, movie theaters, telecommunications, sports, media and entertainment. Most notably, Anschutz is the founder and largest shareholder of Qwest Communications...

Denver billionaire backs films with moral message By Steve Rabey Special to The GazetteBiblical epics such as "The Ten Commandments" used to be top box-office hits. But in recent years, films about the Bible have been harder to find at the multiplex.Religious themes? Boring.Rebuilding a Baptist church? Quaint but dull.Miracle healings? Get real.Yet those are the key components of a new major motion picture, "Joshua." The movie opened Friday in Colorado Springs and other selected cities.The film and the company behind it have a strong Colorado tie: Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz is bankrolling new entertainment businesses he hopes will bring...