Dodgers’ bankruptcy lawyers to put Bud Selig under oath
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Commissioner Bud Selig is set to be deposed in two weeks by lawyers representing Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, according to a bankruptcy court filing late Thursday.
Selig is one of seven current or former baseball executives summoned for depositions during the week of the MLB All-Star Game. The depositions are expected to provide McCourt’s lawyers the chance to get sworn testimony to two critical questions -- first, how MLB approved the Dodgers’ interlocking entities and rent payments to which the league now objects; second, how MLB devised and implemented what McCourt has said is an MLB investigation with a ‘predetermined’ outcome of ousting him from ownership.
MLB officials have said Tom Schieffer, the trustee appointed by Selig in April, was charged simply with monitoring the Dodgers’ day-to-day business affairs during an investigation into the Dodgers’ finances.
In a letter dated June 3 and obtained by The Times, McCourt attorney Robert Sacks wrote to an MLB attorney: ‘We have reason to believe that the ‘monitor’ and members of his staff have an interest in seeing MLB attempt to take control of the Dodgers from Mr. McCourt.’
Sacks asked for immediate written confirmation that ‘(i) no one from MLB has spoken to the ‘monitor’ or any member of his staff about the possibility of any continuing role with the Dodgers; (ii) no one from MLB has spoken to the ‘monitor’ or any member of his staff about acquiring any interest in the Dodgers or any other MLB club; and (iii) neither the ‘monitor’ nor any member of his staff is receiving or will receive any compensation or benefits that is dependent in any way upon the outcome of the Commissioner’s ‘investigation’ or their activities with respect to the Dodgers.’
Sacks did not get a response that day, according to two people familiar with the matter but not authorized to discuss it publicly. It was uncertain late Thursday whether he ever did. Under the deposition schedule filed with the court late Thursday, McCourt’s attorneys would examine MLB executive vice presidents Rob Manfred and Jonathan Mariner on July 11, MLB executive vice president John McHale and senior adviser for public affairs Charles Steinberg on July 12, Schieffer on July 13, former MLB chief operating officer Bob DuPuy on July 14 and Selig on July 15. The dates are subject to change, and it was unclear late Thursday whether MLB would try to challenge any of the depositions.
Manfred is Selig’s point man on the Dodgers ownership saga. Mariner is the top MLB financial executive. McHale has worked with Schieffer since Selig announced the league would oversee the Dodgers’ business operations. Steinberg, the former Dodgers’ executive vice president of communications, is one of the few MLB employees to work with Selig in the commissioner’s Milwaukee office.
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-- Bill Shaikin