Kerkorian ruling won't close book on CL feud
Ironically, the dismissal came the same day a French parliamentarian's book "L'Argent Sale" (Dirty Money), detailing similar allegations against CL, hit the bookstores in France.
The author, Francois D'Aubert, has retained Kerkorian's press agents in Los Angeles to help promote his tome. A week before his book hit the stalls, D'Aubert was telling journalists in the U.S. and across Europe that he feared CL would try to thwart its sale. CL did not act.
CL supporters charge that D'Aubert's expression of fear that CL would thwart the book was a ploy to stimulate interest, and claim such maneuvering along with Kerkorian's PR support point to a critical issue of what they call "sleazy strategy" and incendiary timing.
Doling out a steady flow of press releases surrounding the litigation and pushing D'Aubert's book (published in French) in the press, sources say, is all part of a game plan--keep kicking up enough politically noxious dust for the government-owned CL until the culmination of the French national elections. Then watch CL's pending litigation vs. Kerkorian disappear.
Next month CL's top brass, like Socialist President Francois Mitterrand, stand a strong chance of being ejected by voters backing the conservative opposition party--of which author D'Aubert is a member.
As outlined in the Wall Street Journal last week, D'Aubert's book accuses CL's Rotterdam branch of working with Parretti and his estranged partner Florio Fiorini on an "incredible collusion" to launder money from dubious sources. It claims CL's exposure to the two is $ 2.67 billion. The book further alleges a quarter of that loanout is irretrievable and that CL allowed Parretti and Fiorini to get away with what they did because of their strong and possibly corrupt political ties to the Socialist parties in Spain, Italy and France, the Journal reported. But the paper went on to state the book "isn't watertight" and relies heavily on newspaper articles for "sources."
CL officials said they hadn't read the book Friday.
L.A. Superior Court Judge Richard Hubbell dismissed Kerkorian's countersuit against CL for failing to "state a legally viable claim."
Hubbell gave Kerkorian 20 days to resubmit a viable legal claim. But Kerkorian's attorney Patricia Glaser said an amended version will be filed tomorrow or Wednesday, noting charges would include fraud and racketeering.
When that happens, CL's Attorney C. Randolph Fishburn said he will probably file a motion to dismiss.
