Liverpool FC owners Gillett and Hicks branded "asset strippers" in Parliament

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

Montreal news stations as well.

[Unrighteous]

Attaboy Ste!

[pablo]

tell me some thing i didnt no nice to see a red speaking up in public and it getting press !!!!!!!!!!!! .

[sr.red79]

I've emailed the BBC link to a number of Texas newspapers and radio stations. Some of the stuff they're reporting is a bit pedestrian to say the least. Hopefully, 'nasty Brit politician picking on local businessman' might be newsworthy and raise the profile a little.

good thinking mate well done

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

sorry if this has been posted before but this is the first time I've seen it. It really is ridiculously sad:

 

Thomas O. Hicks | UT Watch on the Web

 

Tom Hicks is a Dallas billionaire and investment banker who began raiding the University's public funds after the University refused to invest in his dental company in the early 90's. Hicks first appeared on the public scene when he donated $17,500 to Ann Richards, Texas governor at the time. He was subsequently appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Richards in 1994.

 

After Ann Richards was defeated in 1994 by George W. Bush, Hicks shifted his heavy donations to Bush. Hicks gave $146,000 to Bush in both of his gubernatorial campaigns. In return for the gratitude, Bush approved legislation to form UTIMCO in 1995. Hicks had used a full-court press strategy, spending between $50,000 to $110,0001 in lobbying and using with the powerful lobbying team Vinson and Elkins, who represents several Texas business interests, to achieve this dream.

 

Conveniently for both men, Bush appointed Hicks as the first chair to UTIMCO, which began the tradition of tit-for-tat management and good-ol' boy favoritism that has defined the relationship between UTIMCO and Texas politics since. In 1998, Hicks would make Bush a multi-millionaire by purchasing the Texas Rangers. In addition, Hicks' company, Hicks, Muse, Tate, & Furst, Inc., is now Bush's number 4 career patron. The company is still donating to the GOP; Rick Perry has received $283,481 from Hicks Muse, with another $176,500 coming from Charles Tate [Hicks, Muse, Tate, & Furst, Inc.]. Hicks's brother Steven has also thrown in $138,516.

 

For several years, UTIMCO acted in secrecy under the protection of the Texas Attorney General, which facilitated the process of questionable investments in return for political favors. UTIMCO invested some $525 million in assets run by Hicks associates and other major GOP donors. After the Houston Chronicle exposed such insider dealings in a 1999 article, Tom Hicks resigned from the board.

 

Investments made by UTIMCO under the watch of Tom Hicks include the following, as reported by the Multinational Monitor, Texas for Public Justice, and Bushwatch.net:

 

The Carlyle Group: the Group's partners include Bush Sr. and ex-Secretary of State James Baker III.

Maverick Capital Fund: Major project of the Wyly brothers.

Bass Brothers Enterprises: The Bass family donated $210,000 to Bush's campaign through PAC's, with $273,000 from themselves, and they invested $25 million in Bush's Harken Oil venture.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts: This corporate buyout firm would soon join Hicks Muse in a $1.5 billion takeover of Regal Cinemas.

Evercore Partners: Evercore and Hicks joined forces for a $900 million television buyout.

American Security Partners: Landed a contract with UTIMCO months after selling several radio stations to Tom Hicks.

Wand Partners and Inverness Management: Firms run by friends of Tom Hicks, such as former frat brother Bruce Schnitzer.

Another notable company not covered by the Multinational Monitor was an investment in Capstar Broadcasting, run by R. Steven Hicks- Tom's brother. The brothers have had strong interests in national communications companies, and some deals that have been proposed (some sought after by trustbusters) have reached the billions. Clear Channel Communications/AMFM (owned by Hicks Muse with Tom Hicks as the vice-chair) is the largest chain of radio stations in the U.S. Hicks Muse also owns the second largest chain in the U.S., Chancellor Media.

 

Hicks is also known as the power behind the revitalization of Dr. Pepper and he gained 1,477 percent when he sold to Cadbury Schweppes in 1995.2

 

 

See the Austin Chronicle on Hicks' buyout of Stratus

 

Hicks and Ross Perot, Jr.

Together Hicks and Ross Perot, Jr. (chairman, CEO and director of Perot Systems Corp. and son of the former presidential candidate) created the most expensive hockey and basketball arena in U.S. history. The American Airlines Center cost $420 million; $125 million of that came from Dallas's taxpayers. This was soon after the Ballpark in Arlington was constructed and partially funded from tax-payer dollars. As an added incentive for constructing new arenas, franchise owners received $10 million bonuses. Hicks did see some money of this money from building the American Airlines Center for his Dallas Starts although he did not receive it from the newly constructed ballpark that houses his Texas Rangers (it was built before he made the purchase). Hicks also has interests in minor league baseball; he just built a new stadium in Frisco, and three entrepreneurs have filed a lawsuit against him for "freezing them" out of their interests in bringing a minor league team to Frisco.

 

Currently, Hicks and Perot, Jr. are working together in another business venture that coincides with this new arena. Hicks's company, Hicks, Muse, Tate, & Furst, Inc., and Perot's company, Hillwood Development Corporation, have joined forces to develop the land around the arena. In the private sector, Hicks frequently combines his corporate dealings with his personal relationships. As chairman of UTIMCO, Hicks continued this practice, leading to numerous conflicts of interest. For example, UTIMCO has $988,080 invested in Perot Systems Corporation as of March 2002 and $109,309 in Electronic Data Systems Corporation (which Perot Sr. founded) as of June 2003.

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

sorry if this has been posted before but this is the first time I've seen it. It really is ridiculously sad:

 

Thomas O. Hicks | UT Watch on the Web

 

Tom Hicks is a Dallas billionaire and investment banker who began raiding the University's public funds after the University refused to invest in his dental company in the early 90's. Hicks first appeared on the public scene when he donated $17,500 to Ann Richards, Texas governor at the time. He was subsequently appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Richards in 1994.

 

After Ann Richards was defeated in 1994 by George W. Bush, Hicks shifted his heavy donations to Bush. Hicks gave $146,000 to Bush in both of his gubernatorial campaigns. In return for the gratitude, Bush approved legislation to form UTIMCO in 1995. Hicks had used a full-court press strategy, spending between $50,000 to $110,0001 in lobbying and using with the powerful lobbying team Vinson and Elkins, who represents several Texas business interests, to achieve this dream.

 

Conveniently for both men, Bush appointed Hicks as the first chair to UTIMCO, which began the tradition of tit-for-tat management and good-ol' boy favoritism that has defined the relationship between UTIMCO and Texas politics since. In 1998, Hicks would make Bush a multi-millionaire by purchasing the Texas Rangers. In addition, Hicks' company, Hicks, Muse, Tate, & Furst, Inc., is now Bush's number 4 career patron. The company is still donating to the GOP; Rick Perry has received $283,481 from Hicks Muse, with another $176,500 coming from Charles Tate [Hicks, Muse, Tate, & Furst, Inc.]. Hicks's brother Steven has also thrown in $138,516.

 

For several years, UTIMCO acted in secrecy under the protection of the Texas Attorney General, which facilitated the process of questionable investments in return for political favors. UTIMCO invested some $525 million in assets run by Hicks associates and other major GOP donors. After the Houston Chronicle exposed such insider dealings in a 1999 article, Tom Hicks resigned from the board.

 

Investments made by UTIMCO under the watch of Tom Hicks include the following, as reported by the Multinational Monitor, Texas for Public Justice, and Bushwatch.net:

 

The Carlyle Group: the Group's partners include Bush Sr. and ex-Secretary of State James Baker III.

Maverick Capital Fund: Major project of the Wyly brothers.

Bass Brothers Enterprises: The Bass family donated $210,000 to Bush's campaign through PAC's, with $273,000 from themselves, and they invested $25 million in Bush's Harken Oil venture.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts: This corporate buyout firm would soon join Hicks Muse in a $1.5 billion takeover of Regal Cinemas.

Evercore Partners: Evercore and Hicks joined forces for a $900 million television buyout.

American Security Partners: Landed a contract with UTIMCO months after selling several radio stations to Tom Hicks.

Wand Partners and Inverness Management: Firms run by friends of Tom Hicks, such as former frat brother Bruce Schnitzer.

Another notable company not covered by the Multinational Monitor was an investment in Capstar Broadcasting, run by R. Steven Hicks- Tom's brother. The brothers have had strong interests in national communications companies, and some deals that have been proposed (some sought after by trustbusters) have reached the billions. Clear Channel Communications/AMFM (owned by Hicks Muse with Tom Hicks as the vice-chair) is the largest chain of radio stations in the U.S. Hicks Muse also owns the second largest chain in the U.S., Chancellor Media.

 

Hicks is also known as the power behind the revitalization of Dr. Pepper and he gained 1,477 percent when he sold to Cadbury Schweppes in 1995.2

 

 

See the Austin Chronicle on Hicks' buyout of Stratus

 

Hicks and Ross Perot, Jr.

Together Hicks and Ross Perot, Jr. (chairman, CEO and director of Perot Systems Corp. and son of the former presidential candidate) created the most expensive hockey and basketball arena in U.S. history. The American Airlines Center cost $420 million; $125 million of that came from Dallas's taxpayers. This was soon after the Ballpark in Arlington was constructed and partially funded from tax-payer dollars. As an added incentive for constructing new arenas, franchise owners received $10 million bonuses. Hicks did see some money of this money from building the American Airlines Center for his Dallas Starts although he did not receive it from the newly constructed ballpark that houses his Texas Rangers (it was built before he made the purchase). Hicks also has interests in minor league baseball; he just built a new stadium in Frisco, and three entrepreneurs have filed a lawsuit against him for "freezing them" out of their interests in bringing a minor league team to Frisco.

 

Currently, Hicks and Perot, Jr. are working together in another business venture that coincides with this new arena. Hicks's company, Hicks, Muse, Tate, & Furst, Inc., and Perot's company, Hillwood Development Corporation, have joined forces to develop the land around the arena. In the private sector, Hicks frequently combines his corporate dealings with his personal relationships. As chairman of UTIMCO, Hicks continued this practice, leading to numerous conflicts of interest. For example, UTIMCO has $988,080 invested in Perot Systems Corporation as of March 2002 and $109,309 in Electronic Data Systems Corporation (which Perot Sr. founded) as of June 2003.

[bonesman]

Fit and Proper ?

its more like good and proper..

[StevieH]

Liverpool Echo - Liverpool FC - News - Royal Bank of Scotland turn up the heat on Liverpool FC owners

 

THE Royal Bank of Scotland are ready to turn up the heat on George Gillett and Tom Hicks to pursue a quick sale of Liverpool Football Club.

 

Liverpool supporters bombarded RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester with an email campaign recently, aimed at getting the bank to reconsider the financing deal they have in place with the Reds’ co-owners.

 

A substantial part of Liverpool’s £237m debt is owed to the government-owned RBS and Hicks and Gillett were forced to re-negotiate an extension on the terms of the deal back in spring.

 

The RBS have made it clear they are prepared to be patient to maximise Liverpool’s hopes of obtaining a successful sale of the club but they do not want it dragging on unnecessarily – as they want to see the Reds flourishing.

 

An email to one Reds’ fan from Roger Lowry, the RBS’ head of public affairs, read: “We are confident that the Chairman and the Board will be mindful of the need to avoid any unnecessary delay in concluding a sale, as it is in no one’s interest to risk deterioration in the performance of the Club prior to it being sold.

 

“Our common goal is the long-term success of Liverpool Football Club and the Bank’s primary objective is to ensure financial stability, so that the Club can continue to perform both on and off the football pitch.

 

“There is little more I can add at this juncture, only to reiterate we are supportive of the steps that have been taken and we hope to have the opportunity to continue our financial support for the Club under its new ownership, once determined.”

[bonesman]

Liverpool Echo - Liverpool FC - News - Royal Bank of Scotland turn up the heat on Liverpool FC owners

 

THE Royal Bank of Scotland are ready to turn up the heat on George Gillett and Tom Hicks to pursue a quick sale of Liverpool Football Club.

 

Liverpool supporters bombarded RBS Chief Executive Stephen Hester with an email campaign recently, aimed at getting the bank to reconsider the financing deal they have in place with the Reds’ co-owners.

 

A substantial part of Liverpool’s £237m debt is owed to the government-owned RBS and Hicks and Gillett were forced to re-negotiate an extension on the terms of the deal back in spring.

 

The RBS have made it clear they are prepared to be patient to maximise Liverpool’s hopes of obtaining a successful sale of the club but they do not want it dragging on unnecessarily – as they want to see the Reds flourishing.

 

An email to one Reds’ fan from Roger Lowry, the RBS’ head of public affairs, read: “We are confident that the Chairman and the Board will be mindful of the need to avoid any unnecessary delay in concluding a sale, as it is in no one’s interest to risk deterioration in the performance of the Club prior to it being sold.

 

“Our common goal is the long-term success of Liverpool Football Club and the Bank’s primary objective is to ensure financial stability, so that the Club can continue to perform both on and off the football pitch.

 

“There is little more I can add at this juncture, only to reiterate we are supportive of the steps that have been taken and we hope to have the opportunity to continue our financial support for the Club under its new ownership, once determined.”

 

Weve got to show these lot were deadly serious, keep up the pressure till theyve actually gone, not just till the next rumour of a sale gets leaked!

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

sent to various people and groups of SC (for what it's worth)

 

Dear Standard Chartered,

 

I wanted to contact you to tell you about something that means a great deal to many people around the world.

 

As I am sure you are aware, there has been a very prominent and negative profile in the media for Liverpool Football Club over the last 3 or 4 years. The ownership of the club has been instrumental in causing the financial and team performance problems that have beset us. This is more than well documented in the media, not just in the UK but around the world. We now find ourselves at a stage where it may be possible to encourage the two owners to leave the club, not just with a quick profit in their hands, but with some semblance of a chance for it to recover and eventually be competitive and successful once again. I am sure that your organisation did not sign a sponsorship deal to be associated with a dried out, asset stripped, husk of a football club.

 

I am aware of the high standards and ambitions that your company aspires to, and your organisation has mission statements of:

 

1. "Leading by example to be the right partner for its stakeholders, the Group is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term that is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity".

 

2. "We've built our business by building relationships. And by focusing on our clients' needs, we've served our own. So our strategy is simple: focus on what's important, not what's merely profitable. And nothing is more important than our people, and the people we work for. We've taken this approach around the world, for businesses as diverse as the markets in which we operate. Because it's not just a question of what we do, but who we're doing it for. We're here for people".

 

This is what is most heart-breaking and frustrating about your partnership with our club: we finally have a sponsor who espouses the values we as LFC fans hold dear, yet you are currently working with two owners who are the antithesis of this. They will not sell the club at a reasonable market price because we the fans complain, or because you, the major sponsorship partner, ask them to. They may however, bow to pressure if Standard Chartered, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, the UK and world media, and lastly the world-wide supporters of the club stand together.

 

I and many others would implore you to consider taking this action. If you transfer your organisation's values to its dealings with Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett, then you will have friends for life amongst Liverpool's world-wide fan base. I hope that you can support our mission to restore a great football club to a state of good health once again.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

 

kind regards

[bonesman]

sent to various people and groups of SC (for what it's worth)

 

Dear Standard Chartered,

 

I wanted to contact you to tell you about something that means a great deal to many people around the world.

 

As I am sure you are aware, there has been a very prominent and negative profile in the media for Liverpool Football Club over the last 3 or 4 years. The ownership of the club has been instrumental in causing the financial and team performance problems that have beset us. This is more than well documented in the media, not just in the UK but around the world. We now find ourselves at a stage where it may be possible to encourage the two owners to leave the club, not just with a quick profit in their hands, but with some semblance of a chance for it to recover and eventually be competitive and successful once again. I am sure that your organisation did not sign a sponsorship deal to be associated with a dried out, asset stripped, husk of a football club.

 

I am aware of the high standards and ambitions that your company aspires to, and your organisation has mission statements of:

 

1. "Leading by example to be the right partner for its stakeholders, the Group is committed to building a sustainable business over the long term that is trusted worldwide for upholding high standards of corporate governance, social responsibility, environmental protection and employee diversity".

 

2. "We've built our business by building relationships. And by focusing on our clients' needs, we've served our own. So our strategy is simple: focus on what's important, not what's merely profitable. And nothing is more important than our people, and the people we work for. We've taken this approach around the world, for businesses as diverse as the markets in which we operate. Because it's not just a question of what we do, but who we're doing it for. We're here for people".

 

This is what is most heart-breaking and frustrating about your partnership with our club: we finally have a sponsor who espouses the values we as LFC fans hold dear, yet you are currently working with two owners who are the antithesis of this. They will not sell the club at a reasonable market price because we the fans complain, or because you, the major sponsorship partner, ask them to. They may however, bow to pressure if Standard Chartered, The Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, the UK and world media, and lastly the world-wide supporters of the club stand together.

 

I and many others would implore you to consider taking this action. If you transfer your organisation's values to its dealings with Mr Hicks and Mr Gillett, then you will have friends for life amongst Liverpool's world-wide fan base. I hope that you can support our mission to restore a great football club to a state of good health once again.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

 

kind regards

 

Well written that bazza, top letter, good work getting it of to s c ..

[andrew78]

Well written that bazza, top letter, good work getting it of to s c ..

 

Brilliant why not addidas and the other sponsors,i think this could work excellent job

[Jarvinja Ilnow]

Ok first response -

 

I am out of the office, returing on Thursday, 24 June. For urgent matters please contact jennifer.storemski@sc.com.

please feel free to email Yuki and Jennifer. Yuki is a nice name isn't it?