Leon Black: Sure, Some Scandals Are Sticky, But Often Irrelevant

A lot of media fanfare took place just before Leon Black's appearance in front of the House Oversight Committee. In the gym where I was working out, the television cameras panned on Representative James Comer entering the room. Great staging for a politico.

That appearance turned out to be short and lot of media fanfare has been unleashed to explain why. For example, The Guardian reports:

"Billionaire financier Leon Black’s testimony before a House committee investigating Jeffrey Epstein ended abruptly on Friday morning after members from both parties said Black refused to answer questions about non-disclosure agreements."

Black will probably be back to appear before the Committee and the media will be again in a frenzy. Just as happened and been sustained with all that litigation involving women, against him and filed by him. Also, it was well noted that in a BusinessInsider interview in 2022, Paul, Weiss partner Brad Karp indicated Black was no longer a client of the firm.

Yes, some scandals are so sticky. They're never shaken off. Chris Christie never made it back from Bridgegate and Lance Armstrong from doping. In others the rascals can resurface as have Bill Clinton and Martha Stewart.

But, only those addicted to traditional mores would assume that scandal is catastrophic. For Black, since he beat back much of his romance-triggered legal problems, all the tsk-tsking is probably irrelevant. The guy still has enormous wealth, a satisfying hobby in art, a network of financial folk who respect his judgment and the ability to hob nob in public at posh venues. 

Perhaps it's America's Puritan background. The cultural undercurrent is to finger fault and run with it. The dirt-reporting industry has always had a market. 

Yet, simultaneously, there's also the pragmatism. Ben Franklin was more popular than the high-minded John Adams because he was so down to earth. He's the one who noticed that time is money. 

Given those twin currents, sure there's great glee that Black gets boxed in by authority types. However, what does it really matter. 

In coaching I hammer the old adage: It's not what happens it's your perspective about it. And how you manage the crisis. 

Career Paths? So Over. It’s about Earning a Good Living. No matter what.

Complimentary consultation. No Pressure. Street-smart Guidance. Contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.






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