Well, the former Sarah Ferguson has really done it this time ... can only imagine what the Duke of Edinburgh said about the News of the World sting!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7134237.ece
and here is the original story, complete with videos!http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/822206/Duchess-of-York-Sarah-Ferguson-plots-to-sell-access-to-Prince-Andrew.html
OMG. And we were just talking about her. Oh good Lord, she's a "train-wreck".
ReplyDeleteJust another reason why I was so right 24 years ago as we stood outside BP ;-)
ReplyDeletePaul
Oh RB, I had the same thought tonight after reading the Times article ... oh, I cannot wait to see how Andrew reacts to this, because he was not involved .. and she is going to try and wheedle out of this ... I expect she will suffer the same discomfiture that happened after the John Bryan episodes.
ReplyDeleteShe seems to shoot herself in the foot time and time again. *sigh* No one to blame but herself.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a Fergie fan, but I think this is much ado about nothing.
ReplyDeleteSure, it looks bad because of her royal connections,and she should know better. But if you think about it, Andrew's role as a trade representative is designed to do exactly what she was doing: Generate business based on royal connections.
No laws broken (so far), no royals tarnished, another Sarah scandal. Andrew will bail her out and look noble, and she'll bounce to the next ill-advised venture.
Kalnel, actually that's not what the trade rep does - the duke of York sells Britain (and works with the British government.) he does not arrange meetings for money.
ReplyDeleteYes, several laws may have been broken, including tax evasion on both sides of the Atlantic, as well as New York State laws regarding wiretapping ... this may also fall under entrapment under NYS law.
I certainly take your point, Marlene, but I didn't say he arranges meetings for money; I said he's generating business (for Britain) based on royal connections. Although Fergie is doing it in a different way -- and to her own benefit, not Britain's -- that's what she was doing, too.
ReplyDeleteAs for the illegal actions, you're right, although most of those things would pertain to the reporter, not to Fergie. I'm a bit confused about the timeline/locations for these episodes, but if she received the cash in NY, she is required to report it to the IRS within 15 days, since it's a cash transaction over $10,000. (Don't know about the British rules or if her citizenship would affect the application of the U.S. tax rules.)
I had a funny thought this morning about Fergie's next move. She ought to call her lawyer and look into suing the reporter for fraud and misrepresentation. As the tape shows, she accepted the $40,000 in good faith as down payment on legitimate business services. The fact that the reporter completed the deal and agreed to the terms although he clearly has no intention of carrying it out is outright fraud.
Of course, the chances of that happening -- and this drama being played out even more -- are nil.
But, no doubt about it, very shabby behavior and poor judgment on Fergie's part.