Witnesses testify in McCourt divorce trial about alleged affair and risk of purchasing Dodgers

Although most of the McCourt trial has dealt with marital property agreements and what Jamie McCourt did or did not undrstand she was signing, on Monday morning, one of the uglier aspects of the couple's bitter divorce arose at the trial.

Baseball consultant Corey Busch was asked why he sent an e-mail of support to Frank McCourt but not to Jamie after news of their divorce broke.

"Well, when the stories broke, there were stories of an alleged affair with her driver," Busch said. "I felt particularly sad for Mr. McCourt and his sons."

His statement won't affect this case -- which is about the validity of a marital property agreement -- but Jamie's attorney Dennis Wasser later called it "a low blow."

A trio of witnesses -- including Busch -- testified Monday morning that Jamie was sophisticated and knowledgeable about the risky venture of buying the Dodgers.  Busch said she made it clear she wanted no financial responsiblity for the purchase.

"She expressed her concern about the deal," said Busch, who was involved in drawing up a business plan for the Dodgers acquisition. "She wanted her property separate and protected."

But Busch said, under questioning by Wasser, that Jamie McCourt never suggested that Frank not buy the Dodgers.

-- Carla Hall at Superior Court

Comments

[Native Angeleno]

MLB circles their wagons---around Frank McCourt. Damn the Dodger fans, and the organization.

[Tom, Long Beach, California]

so no one is denying Jamie was using the help for more than their job description.......

[kgoddess]

SOMEBODY PLEASE BUY THIS TEAM...NOW!

[louisinsf]

Not a surprise Since MLB should have never allowed the deal in the first place, Frank was way too leveraged and at least they should have required more cash, following their own stated rules.

[skyharbor]

Is this the same Corey Busch that was San Francisco Giants VP for so many years? If so...I find it MUCH more offensive that Frank McCourt is in bed with him than I do Jamie with her driver.

[Marco]

Please please please.. make these morons sell the Dodgers to someone who will not treat it, and the fans, as an ATM.

[skyharbor]

Is this the same Corey Busch that was part of the McCourts transition team who uttered those now infamous words...and I quote...."We're not raising ticket prices."

[brian]

Yeah, there's just no way this ends well for the Dodgers and their fans. And think about poor Vinnie!!! He volunteered for another year of this comedic tragedy; comic in that if the McClowns weren't so pitiful the whole thing might be funny; tragic in that they have managed, in a rather short period of time, to bring a once proud and prestigious organization to the brink of ruin. It will take years for the team and its new management to get the ship turned around. Meanwhile, the fans will suffer thru one losing season after another. Sad day in LA.

[ferret]

I find it weird that Frank McCourt's legal team is trying to push the "at fault" angle in this. They have hinted in the past that Jamie is at fault in the divorce, which is silly because California is a no fault divorce state, and it would probably upset the Judge than help their side.. It seems more to be petty and get at Jamie, but it is kind of legally self defeating.

[2centsworth]

Wanting to protect assets does not mean you don't want the deal it only means you don't want to risk everything. On the other hand did she ever "not take money" from the team to continue her ridiculous life style?

[Joe]

Lay off Jamie, she just had an itch she needed scratched.