Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 at 11:30 am  |  48 responses

Mark Cuban May Have Angered the Wrong People in Washington

by Marcel Mutoni

As you know, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was accused of insider trading by the SEC yesterday. And Cuban, of course, vowed to fight the feds until the very end.

The basis for the charge is that Cubes sold shares in an internet search engine company after learning (and disagreeing) with its pending business moves, and before the general public became aware of said moves.

There is, however, apparently a much juicier angle to the story: According to Cuban’s people, it appears as though politics may be playing a role in Mark’s legal dilemma.

From the Dallas Morning News:

However, people close to Mr. Cuban suggested the SEC’s probe was tainted by an adversarial relationship the entrepreneur had with SEC lawyer Jeffrey Norris in Fort Worth.

In one e-mail, Mr. Norris criticized Mr. Cuban for “smearing the good name of a patriot like President Bush,” because of Mr. Cuban’s reported involvement with a controversial film about the Sept. 11 attacks. Mr. Cuban said he played no role with the film, Loose Change.

The alleged email – which you see reprinted here in its entirety – will have no bearing on the case, says the SEC.

Cuban’s biggest problem in this may turn out to be not so much Washington’s murky involvement, but his own blog, on which he detailed the reasons for selling the stocks when he did.

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  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 11:37 am
    “smearing the good name of a patriot like President Bush,” THIS IS WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICA. Let me explain patriosim to you fools. Your older brother is a smoker. He offers you a pack of cigarettes. YOu know it is wrong. A true ‘patriot’ would say no and get his brother some nicotine patches after explaining why smoking sucks. A ‘American Patriot’ would smoke the cigarette, then snort some cocanine too.

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 11:37 am
    That was 65% unrelated but i wanted to say it anyway.

  • Keith Posted: Nov.18 at 11:51 am
    What BETCATS just said was 65% more interesting than the article itself.

  • NACHOveli Posted: Nov.18 at 11:56 am
    maybe he can get a pardon like good ol’ W. might give himself and the rest of his administration over the tourture of prisoners at gitmo. he always said he was a war president, now he can be a war crime president. america; we got bigger fish to fry than mark cuban. jan 20th couldnt come soon enough…..

  • awesomepossum Posted: Nov.18 at 12:10 pm
    Another way to look at this is, had Cubie kept your hands and fingers clean, then..

  • awesomepossum Posted: Nov.18 at 12:10 pm
    Another way to look at this is, had Cubie kept his hands and fingers clean, then..

  • Breeze Posted: Nov.18 at 12:11 pm
    yeah this article has nothing to do with nothing..and when patriot and george bush is in the same sentence..you know its a problem

  • albie1kenobi Posted: Nov.18 at 12:45 pm
    nice one BET. an intelligent one i might add.

  • k.o. Posted: Nov.18 at 12:49 pm
    i’m enjoying the regression of cubes in thumbnail form on the homepage. the next story will be accompanied by a shot of him face down on the mavs court i bet.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Nov.18 at 1:46 pm
    …speechless

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Nov.18 at 1:55 pm
    Yo mamma.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Nov.18 at 2:57 pm
    I’m not a fan of Cubes or Bush. But BETCATS’ analogy just confused the hell out of me.

  • ciolkstar Posted: Nov.18 at 2:59 pm
    That would have actually been pretty cool if Cuban had helped to finance Loose Change. Not that I subscribe to all of the ideas put forth in the film. But that would be a good example of someone who is, for a lack of a better term, part of the establishment seeking out truths that mainstream media will not go near.

  • rav Posted: Nov.18 at 3:26 pm
    slightly off topic here, but could Bush ever be charged for any illegality if it were found (cough torturing PoW’s) or does him being a President make him immune from any future prosecution?

  • rav Posted: Nov.18 at 3:26 pm
    and i hope cubes screws over the SEC and the muppet presidents cronies

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 3:43 pm
    Cio: What i said was that the deffiniton of a American Patriot is somebody who just runs with whatever the (right wing) Government says, while a true Patriot wants what is best for the country even if it means crtizing they Government.

  • CP3 Prodigy Posted: Nov.18 at 3:44 pm
    ur boy xavier henry commited to memphis

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 3:45 pm
    and the ‘snorting cocanie’ part refers to those ‘American Patriots’ that go above any beyond what the Government says, and they just intrept things the Government does as ways to rationalize their irrational behavoir and hatred of all people different than them.

  • rav Posted: Nov.18 at 3:58 pm
    or accusing others of being ‘unpatriotic’ if you don’t agree with them – especially fox ‘news’

  • The Dude Posted: Nov.18 at 4:23 pm
    Ciolkstar: I agree, that would be pretty cool if Cuban had helped fund Loose Change. And I also agree with you in that I do not subscribe to all the ideas put forth in the film. Of course, when talking about an issue (9-11) shrouded in such mystery, it’s impossible for one mere documentary to have the entire story correct. But kudos to the makers of the film for attempting to shed an honest light on the subject and raising important questions. I think an even better film to watch, as it relies heavily on scientific evidence, is this one: http://www.sprword.com/videos/911mysteries/

  • TADOne Posted: Nov.18 at 4:26 pm
    For just one day (or maybe just an hour) it would be cool to be inside BET’s head.

  • Diesel Posted: Nov.18 at 4:44 pm
    Mamma.com, naked shorts, what the hell is going on here.

  • JackBrown Posted: Nov.18 at 5:01 pm
    I think W smeared his own name more than Cuban ever could.

  • JackBrown Posted: Nov.18 at 5:02 pm
    …God I hope the SEC doesn’t come after me now. Peace all, I’m goin off-grid.

  • the baconator Posted: Nov.18 at 5:14 pm
    That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. America was founded on that ability to question our leaders and not always agree with them. To criticize Cuban for going against the president isn’t un-patriotic at all; in fact, it’s ridiculously patriotic. Let’s face facts: Bush sucked at being president. I don’t know if Cuban was involved in that movie or not, but if he is he should stand up and proudly declare it. As I always say, F*ck the haters!

  • Bro D. Posted: Nov.18 at 5:19 pm
    An hour in BETCats’ head: Hmm, should I wear my white Morrison jersey or my orange J-Rich jersey? Sigh, why don’t they sell Ryan Hollins’ jersey at Champs sports yet? Can’t they see he has so much potential? just kidding

  • Hass777 Posted: Nov.18 at 5:23 pm
    dont worry now that our immortal savior obama is here everything is roses candy and l.a. clipper championships…word to the governator….(biorthcertificate???)

  • Russ Bengtson Posted: Nov.18 at 5:40 pm
    Are there right people to anger in Washington? Besides, you know, the Wizards?

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 5:52 pm
    Russ, i am pretty sure if you p!ss the Nationals off enough, they will buy the contracts of a couple of Dominican Prospects and carry on with their sucky habits

  • Young Chris MP3 Posted: Nov.18 at 7:15 pm
    BETCATS is gully

  • Gaz Posted: Nov.18 at 8:08 pm
    @ BETCATS, American patriots also leave the house, and do not spend their entire life staring at a computer screen posting comments about the Charlotte Bobcats, on a magazine website.

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 8:14 pm
    @ Gaz, they also dont follow me around and make 100% of their comments about me.

  • Gaz Posted: Nov.18 at 8:30 pm
    @ BETCUNTS Well I’m glad I’m neither American nor a patriot…. as for you, well you are just a Bobcats loving computer patriot.

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 9:00 pm
    !

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 9:00 pm
    Gaz,
    I am flattered you enjoy following me around so much and telling me about you. Sounds pretty G@Y but i will not judge you. Sorry about Prop 8. Sincerly,
    BETCATS

  • Gaz Posted: Nov.18 at 9:06 pm
    You’ve mentioned that a few times BETCUNTS, your head must be playing tricks on you again. Go take a lie down man, the light from the computer screen must be starting to get to you after how ever many years you have been staring at it. Or maybe you just need to go outside and experience sunlight, fresh air, and other people’s company.
    Try it man, take a risk, you might even like it out there, just make sure not to wear a Bobcats jersey out there and everything will be fine man.

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 9:14 pm
    Defenatly. I need to get some sun at 9 at night. Lets re-examine the claim of who is living in the dark room Gaz. It appears to be you. Now why not comment on something BASKETBALL related instead of me? Oh, because your ‘life’ revolves around me just like according to you, my ‘life’ revovles around SLAM? You are crazy Gaz, but Batman didnt argue with the Joker, he kicked the Joker’s a$$. Thats what will happen to you Gaz, you forced me to bring out my super cool Super Hero annalogy. It earns brown points with your mom, so i thought i would try it.

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 9:15 pm
    and lets not forget, had i not earned those brownie points, you wouldnt be here.

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 9:19 pm
    and of course you would never face me in a comment battle, because you would loose. YOu fight Guerrilla Warfare Gaz, you try and pick a fight with something bigger than you, something that could pick you up and use you as dental floss. Gaz, you a young gun, i problay got b@ll hairs older than you, so why dont you do us all a favor and dont come back until you are ready to face me instead of just saying a comment, then letting me respond, then comming back 20 minutes later when i am gone doing something more important and leave your suprise like a dog that isnt house broken. Just another thing to deal with and clean up as soon as i get to it. Your comments aint sh!t Gaz, and yelling at you is fun, so i will keep doing it.

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 9:23 pm
    Alright Pilgrim, im out. Get at me now, i have to update my Myspace, shoot at a picture of what i think Gaz looks like for target practice, then get a dog to pee on it, then get a HIV infected pr0stitute to pour her semen on it, then i will burn it like wilderness in California. Keepin suckin like Steve Frances and Cuttino Mobley on each other, Gaz, i know you have it in you (thats what she said)

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.18 at 9:24 pm
    and the semen will be poured from a recyclable paper cup. I gotta do this eco-friendly.

  • Gaz Posted: Nov.18 at 9:34 pm
    haha yes i got you to crack again!!!! to easy lil buddy.

  • matt(ballislife Posted: Nov.18 at 9:49 pm
    since when is a president a patriot when he destroys his own country???

  • Peter Robert Casey Posted: Nov.18 at 10:07 pm
    Martha Stewart pt. II

  • BETCATS Posted: Nov.19 at 11:02 am
    too easy? Like your mom?

  • WhiteOut Posted: Nov.19 at 4:00 pm
    Cuban is the man. I heard he bought a nuke to wipe out a certain continent.

  • Gaz Posted: Nov.19 at 6:58 pm
    @ BETCATS, and that’s around about the 1700th time I’ve caused you to snap… I can just see you spinning on your computer chair now in a fit of anger… of course most people would move or get out of the house when they were angry, but ah well.

  • 1hush D Posted: Nov.19 at 8:57 pm
    He prosecute me!

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