The firm worked on the state Supreme Court appeal. Calls to the law firm seeking information about its representation of Hearst were not returned. It's not clear what, if anything, the public might learn as a result of this investigation. Hearst officials have said that Renfrew will have full control over the investigation's scope, but they have also emphasized that it is internal. And Hearst has defended the investigation and White's suspension repeatedly.
Closer examination shows that the proposal is downright bizarre.
It contains provisions that defy almost every normal business practice. And Ted Fang, who will be the publisher of the Examiner if the deal goes through, had to explain many of them when he testified May 15. Fang got an interesting guarantee when it comes to advertising sales staff. So Fang negotiated a clause that gives him the explicit right to hire them away from the agency. In other words, Hearst has forsaken its right to make a counteroffer to keep any of its own employees if Fang wants them.