2 posts tagged “blogging”

A Las Vegas newspaper says it has been served a federal grand jury subpoena seeking information about readers who posted comments on the paper's Web site.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported Tuesday that its editor, Thomas Mitchell, plans to fight the request, which the newspaper received after reporting on a federal tax fraud case against business owner Robert Kahre.

The subpoena seeks the identities and personal information about people who posted comments on the story. The newspaper said prosecutors told the judge in the case that some comments hinted at acts of violence and the subpoena was issued out of concern for jurors' safety.

Mitchell said anonymous speech is "a fundamental and historic part of this country." The newspaper would consider cooperating if specific crimes or real threats were presented, he said.

The newspaper said the subpoena bears the name of U.S. Assistant District Attorney J. Gregory Damm, a lawyer on the Justice Department team that is prosecuting Kahre and others on charges including income tax evasion, fraud and criminal conspiracy.

Grand jury proceedings are secret, and the subpoena is not a public record.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney for Nevada declined to comment.

The newspaper said it received the subpoena June 2, a week after its story describing the government's case against Kahre, a Las Vegas construction company executive accused of paying contractors with gold and silver U.S. coins based on the precious metal value of the coins but using the much lower face value of the coins for tax purposes. Kahre and the other defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Gambling on an airplane? It was (out)bound to happen.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. is experimenting with outfitting private jets bringing their players from Hong Kong to The Venetian, and along the way, enabling them to start gambling right in the friendly skies.

Just so long as the plane is over international waters.

That's the tactic allowed by cruise ships, and Las Vegas Sands had no trouble pushing the idea through regulators. Players may even be happy, as they won't be subject to Nevada's state tax and there's something else to do over the long 15-some hours.

Two L-1011 Lockheed corporate jets were purchased for almost $100 million and are being equipped with a mini-casino with typical surveillance found in a grounded casino.

Tables games offered will cater to the Asian high-roller, beginning with baccarat.