{"id":2189340,"date":"2024-02-29T15:08:03","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T20:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-megadonor-tries-to-bully-npr-reporter-who-exposed-his-shady-shell-companies\/"},"modified":"2024-02-29T15:09:45","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T20:09:45","slug":"dem-megadonor-tries-to-bully-npr-reporter-who-exposed-his-shady-shell-companies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dem-megadonor-tries-to-bully-npr-reporter-who-exposed-his-shady-shell-companies\/","title":{"rendered":"Wealthy donor intimidates NPR journalist who uncovered his questionable shell companies"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdem-megadonor-tries-to-bully-npr-reporter-who-exposed-his-shady-shell-companies%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2189340&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff tracked down journalist, relayed\u2064 &#8216;personal details&#8217; about her family<\/h2>\n<figure><figcaption>Bill Clinton, Marc Benioff (Craig Barritt\/Getty Images for TIME 100\u200d Health Summit)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/blockquote>\n<div>\n<p>Salesforce CEO and Democratic megadonor\u2062 Marc Benioff went\u2064 to great lengths to uncover &#8220;personal details&#8221; about the family of\u2064 a journalist who exposed his\u2062 use of anonymous shell companies to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/activist-investors-are-seizing-companies-to-push-social-justice-measures\/\" title=\"\u2018Activist Investors\u2019 Are Seizing Companies To Push Social Justice Measures\">acquire large portions<\/a> of land\u200b in rural Hawaii, as per a report.<\/p>\n<p>Benioff, the billionaire\u200c founder of Salesforce and owner of <em>Time<\/em> magazine, has discreetly purchased nearly 40 plots of land in the small Hawaiian town of Waimea through at least six &#8220;anonymous&#8221; LLCs, according to\u2064 a report by NPR. When reporter Dara Kerr confronted Benioff about these acquisitions, he became agitated and even divulged &#8220;personal details&#8221; \u200babout Kerr&#8217;s own \u200dfamily.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;A couple of\u200d days before the interview, Benioff\u2062 texted the \u2062same NPR colleague again, asking for intel on my story. Then he called me and\u200c demanded to know \u2062the title\u200c of this piece,&#8221;\u2062 Kerr wrote in the report.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;During that\u200c call, he also\u200c mentioned he knew the exact \u2063area where \u2062I was staying,&#8221;\u200c she continued. &#8220;Unnerved,\u200c I asked how he knew, and he said, &#8216;It&#8217;s my job. You have a job and I have a job.&#8217; During the interview, \u200dhe brings up\u2063 more personal details about me and my family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>This \u200bincident is part of a larger pattern \u200cof behavior exhibited by Benioff, who has shared platforms with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and has contributed nearly $1.3 million to Democratic candidates \u200band causes since 2011, according to\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tom-malinowski-sidesteps-his-self-imposed-corporate-pac-ban\/\" title=\"Tom Malinowski Sidesteps His Self-Imposed Corporate PAC Ban\">federal campaign finance disclosures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In 2006, then-<em>Wall Street \u2063Journal<\/em> \u2062 reporter Pui-Wing Tam also investigated Benioff&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tennessee-population-grows-as-residents-flee-more-liberal-states\/\" title=\"Tennessee Population Grows as Residents Flee More Liberal States\">real estate ventures<\/a> in Hawaii. Benioff\u200d allegedly had the reporter detained when she visited one of his \u2062oceanfront properties and later \u2064boasted \u200dabout hiring a private\u200c investigator to track her.<\/p>\n<p>Despite not responding\u2062 to a\u200d request for comment, Benioff \u200breportedly contacted NPR CEO John \u2063Lansing to express his dissatisfaction with the outlet&#8217;s investigation into his land acquisitions in\u200c Hawaii, as revealed in Kerr&#8217;s report. \u2063The journalist discovered that Benioff has purchased nearly 40 \u200dparcels\u2062 of land in Hawaii using six LLCs and\u200c one nonprofit, none of which \u2064are registered under\u2063 his own name.<\/p>\n<p>These purchases have raised concerns among local residents who fear being priced out of their \u200bhomes\u200d by Benioff. In one instance,\u200b he \u200cbought the land housing a local \u200bbakery for over 50 percent above market value, leading to its closure, according to NPR.<\/p>\n<p>In\u2063 total,\u200d Benioff&#8217;s \u200bproperties in \u200dHawaii encompass more than 600 \u200dacres \u200dof land. He has acquired 29 parcels, \u200dspanning over 580 acres, \u2062in Waimea, along with 9 other parcels in various beach resorts.<\/p>\n<p>While Benioff \u2062has occasionally made contributions to Republicans, his political spending since \u20622011 \u200bhas overwhelmingly favored Democrats. For instance, between 2011 \u2063and 2015, he donated nearly $150,000 to the Democratic National \u2063Committee.\u200d In 2018, Benioff also contributed over $44,000 to\u200d Pelosi&#8217;s PAC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What\u200c are\u2063 the potential implications \u2063of Marc \u200dBenioff&#8217;s land acquisitions in rural Hawaii on\u2063 the local community and the environment?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ing, but not\u2064 entirely surprising. Journalists\u200b often encounter pushback and resistance \u2062from powerful figures when they uncover inconvenient truths.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Benioff&#8217;s attempt to unearth personal information about Kerr&#8217;s family is\u2064 a concerning breach of ethics and privacy. Journalism relies on the ability\u200d to \u200cinvestigate and report without fear or intimidation, and journalists should never be subjected to personal attacks or threats\u2063 for doing\u200d their job. Benioff&#8217;s actions raise questions about \u2062his respect for\u2064 press \u200cfreedom and his \u200cdedication\u2063 to transparency.<\/p>\n<p>While Benioff\u200c has not explicitly \u2062confirmed his ownership of the land through\u200c these anonymous shell\u2063 companies, the evidence strongly suggests\u2063 his involvement. The use of anonymous entities in real estate \u2064transactions can raise\u200b suspicions of hiding assets or avoiding public scrutiny. In\u200d a time when transparency and accountability are paramount, it is disheartening to see a prominent figure like Benioff engage\u2062 in such practices.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, his reaction \u200cto being questioned about these acquisitions raises further concerns. Instead of addressing the issue \u200cdirectly and providing clarity,\u2063 he resorted to intimidation tactics and attempted to gain an advantage through \u2064the \u200duse of personal\u200b information. This behavior diminishes his credibility and casts doubt on his\u2063 motives for acquiring the land.<\/p>\n<p>The implications of Benioff&#8217;s land acquisitions in rural Hawaii \u200care also worth examining. The \u2063purchase\u200c of such a significant number of plots raises questions about his intentions and the impact on the local community. Large-scale land ownership by individuals, \u2062particularly those who do not reside in the area, can have\u2062 significant\u2063 consequences for both the environment and local \u200dresidents. \u2064It is essential to scrutinize\u2063 these actions and consider the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-biden-becomes-the-first-president-to-turn-81-years-old-while-in-office\/\" title=\"Joe Biden Becomes the First President to Turn 81 Years Old While in Office\">potential \u2064long-term effects<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In \u200da modern society \u2063that values transparency and \u200daccountability,\u200b the actions of individuals in positions of power come under heavy scrutiny. As the CEO of Salesforce, a company that places emphasis on ethical practices and\u2064 corporate social responsibility, it is concerning \u2063to see \u2064Benioff engage in\u200c questionable actions. The public, shareholders, \u200dand Salesforce employees have \u200ba \u2062right to know the truth behind these land acquisitions\u200b and whether they align with the values promoted by the \u200bcompany.<\/p>\n<p>Journalists play a critical role in our society by holding those in \u200cpower accountable\u2062 and\u2062 shining \u200ca light on hidden truths. They should be able \u2064to do their job without\u2064 fear of retribution or invasion of privacy. \u2064Benioff&#8217;s actions serve as a reminder that \u200dthe\u2064 work \u200dof journalism \u200dis \u200bnot without risks and challenges, \u2064but\u2063 it \u200dis crucial to the functioning of a democratic society.<\/p>\n<p>As this controversy continues to unfold, it is\u2062 essential for supporters of press freedom\u2062 and ethical conduct\u2062 to condemn any attempts \u200dto silence journalists or intimidate them through personal attacks. The media plays a vital role in ensuring transparency and accountability, and it is our collective responsibility \u2063to protect \u200dthe integrity of journalists \u200cand their ability to report \u200cobjectively.<\/p>\n<p>As\u2062 for Benioff, his actions have not gone unnoticed, and they demand further investigation. The public \u200ddeserves answers and transparency regarding the land acquisitions and the motives behind them. It is imperative that individuals in positions of power are held to account and that ethical and legal standards are upheld.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, the incident involving \u2062Marc Benioff \u2064serves as \u200ca reminder of the importance of free press and the crucial role\u2062 journalists play in our society. It also highlights\u200d the\u2064 need \u200bfor increased scrutiny of individuals in positions of power, \u2064ensuring \u2063that their\u2063 actions align with the values and principles we hold dear.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, a Democratic megadonor, retaliated against a journalist who exposed his use of anonymous shell companies to acquire land. Benioff went as far as uncovering &#8220;personal details&#8221; about the journalist&#8217;s family, crossing ethical boundaries in his pursuit of revenge<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2360,"featured_media":2189341,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/time-100-health-summit-scaled-e1709231171427.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[544],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2189340","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-free-beacon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/freebeacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/time-100-health-summit-scaled-e1709231171427.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189340","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2360"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2189340"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2189340\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2189341"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2189340"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2189340"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2189340"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}