Today's (Dec. 8) Wall Street Journal says that "according to people familiar with the situation," scandal-plagued golfer Tiger Woods has hired Los Angeles law firm Lavely & Singer for damage control. The firm, Woods, and one of his alleged paramours declined to comment to the Journal. Earlier this year, the Reader asked Platinum Equity, owner of the Union-Tribune, to comment on civil lawsuits which charged that Platinum fostered a "sexually charged atmosphere," and executives had improper relationships with female employees. The suits were dismissed, but neither side would say why. There had been settlement discussions in one suit. The Reader received a threatening letter from Martin Singer of the Lavely & Singer firm, warning of "potentially astronomical damages" if the Reader went ahead with the story of the suits, which were a matter of public record. Singer also claimed that his warning letter was "not for publication or other use." The Reader printed the story, which was balanced, and Singer's letter in its entirety. Other publications have also printed Singer's threatening letters, often made on behalf of Hollywood personalities.
Today's (Dec. 8) Wall Street Journal says that "according to people familiar with the situation," scandal-plagued golfer Tiger Woods has hired Los Angeles law firm Lavely & Singer for damage control. The firm, Woods, and one of his alleged paramours declined to comment to the Journal. Earlier this year, the Reader asked Platinum Equity, owner of the Union-Tribune, to comment on civil lawsuits which charged that Platinum fostered a "sexually charged atmosphere," and executives had improper relationships with female employees. The suits were dismissed, but neither side would say why. There had been settlement discussions in one suit. The Reader received a threatening letter from Martin Singer of the Lavely & Singer firm, warning of "potentially astronomical damages" if the Reader went ahead with the story of the suits, which were a matter of public record. Singer also claimed that his warning letter was "not for publication or other use." The Reader printed the story, which was balanced, and Singer's letter in its entirety. Other publications have also printed Singer's threatening letters, often made on behalf of Hollywood personalities.