Prince Harry Grilled Over Hacking Claims On Day 2 of Testimony
Things are really heating up for Prince Harry on the stand in his tabloid privacy case, getting grilled by the opposing attorney for failing to show actual proof of his claims.
The Duke of Sussex's cross-examination continued Wednesday ... where his lengthy witness statement was picked apart -- namely, pointing to the fact the guy hasn't brought any actual evidence of phone hacking, including alleged data Harry has cited.
Prince Harry Unloads on British Press During Testimony in Privacy Case
Harry's explanation for this, so far, has been his suspicion that the Daily Mirror journos he alleges were spying on him/hacking his phone were probably using burners to cover their tracks ... plus the fact all this stuff happened so long ago, well over a decade at this point.
Then, some nitty gritty ... the opposing attorney, Andrew Green, went through several different stories that are at the center of the case -- and he broke down, one by one, why Harry thought phone hacking and/or spying was at the center of these gossipy pieces.
For example, a few articles were brought up from the mid-2000s referencing his relationship with his ex-GF Chelsy Davy -- details of which the Mirror reported on back then, including break-ups/ ups and down they'd gone through, which PH believes were reported on via illegal news-gathering tactics.
However, when pressed on why he thought that, he revealed that the unnamed "palace" sources cited in the stories couldn't have known about those things ... because he says he never discussed those things with any palace officials. There are also details from phone calls the two had that were reported on -- which cited friends as the source -- and Harry said he thought those were hacked from his voice mails.
What Green pointed out, however, is that a lot of these stories the Mirror did were actually out in other outlets too -- and sometimes even originated from other outlets, including American gossip mags -- and that they often cited anonymous sources who claimed to be in the know. What Green was getting at ... perhaps people in Harry's inner circle and/or people who worked for or with the palace provided the info, without any hacking whatsoever.
Essentially, Green was making the point that it's quite commonplace for outlets to get what some might consider inside info from well-placed sources ... and that citing anonymous sources is, oftentimes, exactly how a tabloid publication may have gotten the scoop.
Harry pushed back though ... insisting much of the content reported on by DM could've only been obtained by accessing his private records/correspondence. Green said Harry was "living in a land of total speculation" about where the info might've actually come from -- and Harry said he disagreed. They also butted heads at other points in the cross ... at one point, Green interrupted Harry (who kept turning to the judge) to say -- "Could I ask the questions?"
Long story short ... Green was making the case that a lot of what Harry's griping about had either already been out and reported on, usually citing anonymous sources, or that the Daily Mirror's stories were reported on with info that was easily accessible to the public. Harry called BS on that -- but when pressed on deets, he didn't seem to have any smoking gun. Just a lot of conviction and firm belief -- which Green consistently questioned and doubted.
We covered it all in a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Salma Hayek Posts 'Aging' Photo Of Herself On IG ... Fans Give Heavy Praise
Everyone fears getting older ... but when you're Salma Hayek, you can pull it off with style and grace.
Taking to Instagram Tuesday, the actress posted a close-up photo of her makeup-less face with her gray hairs, wrinkles and eye bags in full view.
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Kind of a bold move for a sex symbol ... but Salma has never been bashful, and she now appears to be embracing middle age. Under her pic, the caption read ... “Me waking up and counting how many white hairs and wrinkles have crashed the party this morning."
Of course, her fans loved the look and deluged her IG with comments telling her so.
One wrote, “Thank you for sharing! It helps all of to see that even the most beautiful and famous also age."
Another said, “You’re just a real natural human being and that beautiful! Thank you.”
Even supermodel Cindy Crawford gave her stamp of approval in a single word, “Beautiful!”
Now that's high praise!!!
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CNN Fires CEO Chris Licht
Chris Licht's gamble on Donald Trump has come up snake eyes -- CNN is pulling the plug on his term as CEO.
Licht's firing comes exactly one month after he engineered the network's controversial Town Hall special with the GOP Presidential front-runner. Licht made a play for Trump's base, and did draw more than 3 million viewers that night ... but the blowback from CNN's viewership and Democrats in D.C. was severe. The network's ratings plummeted in the days after the Trump special.
CNN anchor Kate Bolduan drew the honors Wednesday morning of announcing Licht's firing on the air. It wasn't quite a "ding dong, the wicked witch is dead" moment ... but, make no mistake, Licht had ruffled a lot of feathers at the network.
Last week, he was also the subject of a pretty unflattering profile piece in The Atlantic, and he reportedly apologized to CNN staffers earlier this week.
Licht took over at CNN in May 2022 ... after Jeff Zucker's resignation. During his tenure, he clashed several times with Don Lemon over his on-air commentary and even his wardrobe -- and Licht finally fired him back in April.
Warner Discovery, CNN's parent company, says a panel of execs, including new COO David Leavy, will run the network until a new CEO is appointed.
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Mötley Crüe Mick Mars Claims More Bullying As Band Wants to Move Case to Arbitration
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Mick Mars' legal war with his former band, Mötley Crüe, is set to play out in court, for all to see -- but the Crüe is making a move to take it behind closed doors, despite Mick's protests.
According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Mötley Crüe is asking a judge to send this case -- kick-started by Mick's lawsuit in April -- into arbitration, where they say it belongs ... and where it will be out of the public's eye.
Mick's lawyer, Ed McPherson, tells TMZ ... "This is yet another attempt by bullies to hide the truth!"
In their filing, attorneys for MC say several different entities have been created over the years to handle varying aspects of the band's biz -- things like touring and recording -- and those agreements contain binding arbitration clauses.
Translation: All grievances that might come up among members, must be handled in private arbitration, instead of airing them out in public courts
You'll recall ... this battle is all about Mick, their longtime guitarist, claiming the Crüe unfairly and unjustly cut him out of touring and his share of tour profits ... after Mick was diagnosed with a debilitating bone disease.
The band's called BS, arguing they were actually trying to do him a solid based on his condition, and even tried to give him fair compensation ... but they say Mick's going about this the wrong way by filing a lawsuit
Bottom line is ... Mötley Crüe's asking the judge to send the matter to arbitration.
Not just that, but the band is also asking the court to strike several statements Mick made in his suit -- several of which contain damning allegations about ex-bandmates, including claims of substance abuse and physical violence which they call totally irrelevant to Mick's case. They believe he included them purely "for purposes of character assassination."
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Nicki Minaj Sued Over Damaged Bling ... She Denies It
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Nicki Minaj is being dragged to court over some alleged unpaid bills for custom jewelry ... but her attorney says she's not responsible, and claims the jeweler is just using her for publicity.
The rapper is being sued by a West Hollywood jeweler who claims they loaned out some bling to the rapper -- a pretty standard transaction for celebs, but the jeweler claims some of those pieces came back damaged ... which is not standard.
According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Nicki's stylist Brett Alan Nelson signed a contract with Roseark jewelry store, with Roseark agreeing to loan Nicki jewelry for a public appearance.
The store claims the contract called for Brett to return the bling within a week and pay for any damages the jewelry might incur under his watch.
In the docs, Roseark claims Nicki's stylist failed to return 66 pieces of jewelry by the agreed upon deadline, and, when Brett finally forked over the bling, there was noticeable damage to a set of earrings and a leaf ring.
A source close to Nicki tells us ... everything was returned on time as promised and it was only after items were in the jeweler's possession for some time that the store complained about a missing stone.
The jewelry store says it sent invoices to Brett for the damage, which it says totals $26,239.50 plus interest. The folks at Roseark claim they haven't gotten paid, despite their repeated attempts to collect.
So, Roseark is suing Nicki and her stylist for the money ... even though it appears Nikki never had any direct dealings with the jeweler.
In fact, Nicki's attorney, Jordan Siev, tells TMZ ... "We have not been presented with any evidence that any of the jewelry at issue was damaged by Nicki. This lawsuit appears to be nothing more than an ordinary insurance claim by the jeweler designed to generate publicity for itself and extract a payment to which it is not entitled. We will defend the lawsuit vigorously."
We covered it all in a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Bret Michaels Unloads Calabasas Pad For $6.25 Mil!!!
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Rock star Bret Michaels has officially sold his stellar L.A.-area home... and he'll have a hard time finding a thorn on this rose of a transaction for his bottom line.
The Poison lead singer closed the deal on his Calabasas oasis, snatching $6.25 million for the place. We don't know how much dough he poured into the property after buying it in 2020 as an investment -- but he paid just under $4.8 mil, so seems like he's in line for a decent profit!
Bret's home is well worth the price tag -- aside from its 5,950 sq. feet, it has one of the best views in the community, giving folks a great look at the city lights, golf courses, and the nearby mountains.
Outside entertaining will be awesome for the new owner ... Bret stacked it with a custom pool, spa and gazebo. Inside amenities include a billiards room and a gym.
The beautiful place was sold off-market, and BOTH sides of the deal were represented by Jordan Cohen.
BTW, it's quite the coup for Jordan, because it closed the same day his book, "The Agent's Edge," dropped worldwide. Talk about a victory lap!
TMZ broke the story, Bret bought a $5.4M vacation home last month in Westlake Village -- and yeah, Jordan repped both sides of that sweet sale, too.
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Kenan Thompson It's Knucklepuck Time Again!!! ... Reprises 'Mighty Ducks' Role For P.K. Subban
It's been 29 years since the release of "D2: The Mighty Ducks" -- but it's apparently STILL Knucklepuck Time ... at least, that's the case for P.K. Subban, who recently got to learn the shot from none other than Russ Tyler himself!!!
The former NHL star was on a quest to find the origins of hockey's slapshot for his "P.K.'s Places" ESPN+ show (produced by Omaha Productions) ... so, naturally, he hit up Kenan Thompson -- who played Tyler in the classic 1994 movie -- for a lesson on one of the most famous howitzers ever.
The two pulled up to a rink for the 1-on-1 sesh ... and, check out some of the footage from their time together on the ice, Thompson clearly hasn't lost any of his Russ Tyler magic!!
The 45-year-old teed up a couple pucks to show Subban how the shot was done ... and after a few tries, the ex-New Jersey Devils defenseman got the hang of things.
In fact, by the end of their workout, he was tickling the twine just like Tyler did in the film!!!
Subban ultimately used the knowledge in a hardest shot competition with Chris Chelios on the show ... but was it enough to beat the Hall of Famer in the event? The full "P.K.'s Places" episode drops today!
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Guess Who This Cutie With Braids Turned Into!
Before this youngin' with her blunt bangs and beaded hair ties turned into an A-list celebrity and actress, she was just playing soccer, competing in gymnastics and singing in the local plays in Boulder, Colorado.
This star has been in a hand full of iconic shows and movies like playing Lara in "Rules of Attraction," the sole survivor in 2003's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and playing Mary in "7th Heaven." When she's not exploring the world with her hubby ... she loves spending quality time with her two kiddos.
Need one more clue? She's always "bringing sexy back!"
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'America's Got Talent' Winner Michael Grimm Sedated By Doctors After Mystery Health Issue
Michael Grimm, famous for taking home the title on "America's Got Talent" season 5, is sedated and in intensive care after a mystery health issue.
The singer's wife, Lucie Zolcerva-Grimm, says Michael has been hospitalized since Memorial Day and remains unconscious, though he's finally breathing on his own again.
Michael's wife says the root of the issue is not clear ... but he had not been feeling well for a while, lacking energy and having a tough time finishing his recent performances.
She says things reached a head last month when he became increasingly sick. Michael's wife says he could barely walk and couldn't lift his head, so she rushed him to the emergency room, where things got worse.
Michael's wife says his blood pressure skyrocketed when he got to the ER and he started talking gibberish, so he was rushed to the ICU ... where he remains.
Doctors put Michael on a ventilator and sedated him, his wife says, and he's only recently been taken off the ventilator ... though he's still sedated.
Michael's wife says most of his upcoming shows this month have been canceled ... noting he will not only need to regain consciousness but also undergo physical therapy because he's been bedridden for over a week.
What's more, she says Michael has no voice and will have to undergo vocal chord repair due to his time on a ventilator. While the situation sounds dire, Michael's wife says fans shouldn't panic because he has great doctors.
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Lil Tjay Arrested for Reckless Endangerment During Live Stream
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5:29 AM PT -- 6/7 -- According to the NYPD ... Lil Tjay was perched on the sunroof of a moving vehicle while waving an apparent firearm. Police took him into custody and recovered the "weapon," which turned out to be a fake gun. Tjay was charged with criminal possession of a weapon for the imitation pistol.
His attorney said he was also charged with reckless endangerment for displaying the prop gun and obstructing governmental administration for refusing police orders to put his hands behind his back during his arrest.
Lil Tjay is in police custody once again ... his lawyer says the rapper got arrested in NYC -- second time this year -- and this time it all went down live on Instagram.
Tjay's lawyer Dawn Florio tells TMZ ... the rapper was filming a short clip for a music video when cops arrived on the scene in Manhattan, and took him in for reckless endangerment.
He captured his arrest on video, too, as he happened to be live streaming Tuesday during the ordeal. Some folks in the crowd told him to stop resisting as his phone ended up in someone else's hand.
1/15/23
TMZ broke the story, the 22-year-old was arrested in January after a traffic stop in the Bronx while en route to shoot a video with Ice Spice. Law enforcement sources told us cops found a handgun in his vehicle, resulting in him getting booked for weapon possession.
Of course, the guy's also lucky to be alive after getting shot 7 times in a 2022 New Jersey robbery.
We've reached out to the NYPD's press office for comment ... so far, no word back.
Originally Published -- 6/6 4:46 PM PT
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Zion Williamson Epic Firework Gender Reveal ... Gonna Be A 'Girl Dad!'
Add "Girl Dad" to Zion Williamson's resume ... the former number one overall draft pick, who is expecting a child with his girlfriend, just learned they're having a baby daughter!!
The 22-year-old and his pregnant GF Ahkeema invited some of their closest family and friends over for the gender reveal, and did it in a pretty awesome way ... courtesy of a fireworks show!
After the catered food, baby games, and presents were opened, it was time to get down to business. Zion and Ahkeema stood a few feet away from a sign that read "Boy or Girl," as the fireworks show began.
Then, poof ... pink confetti shot into the air, and the couple lost it!
"My baby, you’re going to see this at some point," Williamson said. "I don’t know what the future holds, but mommy and daddy love you."
"If you don’t know nothin' else in this world, know that mommy and daddy love you -- for life."
The Pelicans star signed a 5-year rookie extension worth $193 million with New Orleans in July ... and fans desperately hope the 2-time All-Star's on the court for the start of the '23-'24 season after missing more than 50 games this year.
Congrats and happy early Father's Day, Zion! 👶
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Rod Stewart If Ya Think My Mansion's Sexy ... It's Yours for $70 Million!!!
Rod Stewart is looking to unload his sprawling Bev Hills estate, and as the rock legend sang, every picture tells a story -- especially these shots of the mansion he's listing for a whopping $70 mil!!!
Real estate sources tell TMZ ... the 78-year-old icon is selling his expansive 3-story compound, located in one of the most esteemed gated enclaves, North Beverly Park.
The 9-bed, 14-bath home was designed for Rod by famed L.A. architect Richard Landry in the '90s ... and it sits on more than 3 acres of land.
Take a look around ... it comes with a screening room, library, family room, rec room, gym, hand-painted bar and a formal dining room that seats up to 20 people, and that's just a few of its amenities.
The new owners will also enjoy marble floors, elaborate wood paneling, crystal chandeliers and intricate moldings throughout the whole thing.
Step outside, and it's just as glamorous ... a pro-sized tennis court, which can be converted into a soccer field, an outdoor kitchen, a fireplace and an elaborate fountain.
The pool and elevated spa are great spots to take in spectacular views of the canyons and city!
There's also a 3-story guest house with 4 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms and 2 living rooms and a state-of-the-art gym.
Michelle Oliver of Douglas Elliman holds the listing.
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'GENERAL HOSPITAL' STAR HALEY PULLOS SUED OVER DUI CAR CRASH
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"General Hospital" star Haley Pullos is being sued over the car crash from her recent DUI arrest ... the driver she smashed into says it's her fault he went to the hospital.
According to a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, a man named Courtney Wilder claims Haley plowed into his car last month while driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.
Wilder says the car he was driving behind barely swerved to avoid Haley's car as she drove the wrong way on a freeway offramp ... but he claims he didn't have time to react when he saw headlights coming his way and crashed head-on into Haley. He says he ended up getting transported to a hospital in critical condition.
TMZ broke the story ... cops said Haley was driving on a freeway in Pasadena on April 29, when she swerved into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with another car that cops say was going about 60 mph.
Police say they searched Haley's car and found weed edibles and mini-bottles of tequila ... and she was arrested for felony DUI when she was taken to a hospital. Cops said she reeked of booze, had watery eyes and slurred speech.
The lawsuit also references what we first reported ... cops said Haley hit a firefighter who was assessing her injuries and shouted, "This is a $400 f***ing shirt!" Wilder slams the comment, claiming Haley cared more about an "overpriced shirt" than the safety and well-being of the crash victims.
In the docs, Wilder claims Haley should have stopped driving when she got into a hit-and-run earlier that night ... and he says she never should have been behind the wheel after mixing alcohol with weed edibles.
Wilder says the crash caused lasting injuries to his body and severe damage to his car, which was totaled ... and he's going after Haley for damages.
We reached out to Haley's reps, who had no comment.
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Damar Hamlin First Full Practice With Bills Since Cardiac Arrest Scare
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Damar Hamlin is officially back ... the Buffalo Bills safety was a full participant at practice with his teammates for the first time since going into cardiac arrest in January.
The Bills hosted OTAs on Tuesday ... and 25-year-old Hamlin got his first taste of real NFL practice action in five months.
For the first time in an OTA open to the media, Damar Hamlin wore his helmet and was a full participant in practice. Big step forward. pic.twitter.com/4NVoPBhgFI
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) June 6, 2023 @agetzenberg
There was a bit of a scary moment for Hamlin and the Bills ... he reportedly struggled to get back to his feet after contesting a ball during practice, needing assistance to get up.
Nevertheless, Damar returned to the workout with his teammates and resumed drills after the Bills' athletic trainers determined DH was fine.
Damar Hamlin was present at #Bills OTAs wearing a jersey, without pads. He did participate in stretches, agility and conditioning work, along with individual drills. @Batavia_Daily pic.twitter.com/3DqNkoErFU
— alex brasky (@alexbrasky) May 23, 2023 @alexbrasky
Hamlin hit the practice field with the Bills last month ... but the former sixth-round draft pick wasn't wearing pads or a helmet during the workout, easing his way back into competition.
Damar, who won the 2022 NFL George Halas Award for his perseverance following his near-death experience, looked upbeat and energetic throughout the practice.
Hamlin has been vocal about resuming his football career ... and once doctors gave him the green light to play again, Damar has been on a mission to make this moment a reality.
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Danny Bonaduce Brain Surgery Successful!!!
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Some good health news for Danny Bonaduce -- his brain surgery went off without a hitch -- and now he'll start his road to recovery and hopefully, a better way of living.
Paul Anderson, Danny's longtime pal and agent, tells TMZ ... the actor was under the knife for 2 hours Monday, but everything went really well and everyone's super optimistic about Danny's recovery.
We're told he's expected to be released from the hospital in the next couple of days, but will be doing a lot of resting at home after -- for about 3-4 weeks.
Once he feels well, Paul says everyone expects Danny to be right back at it -- tackling his morning radio show -- and joking the surgery won't affect his quick wit and sense of humor.
The surgery's main goal was to help Danny maintain his balance in getting around every day, something we're told Docs believe will now happen.
TMZ broke the story, Danny went under the knife to combat his recently-diagnosed hydrocephalus -- a neurological disorder caused by liquid buildup in his brain.
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Danny filled us in on the scary process that led him to the new discovery, which started as a mystery illness last year.
Danny is also selling his beautiful Seattle home in the midst of the health scare. He told us it's been hard for him to move, and the pad just has too many stairs and rooms to get around safely ... it's now on the market for $1.6 mil.
Here's to a speedy recovery, Danny!
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9/11 Families United 'Deeply Offended' By PGA/Liv Merger ... Saudi Shills!!!
A prominent 9/11 memorial organization is teeing off on the PGA's decision to join forces with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour ... saying the move is nothing but an act of betrayal.
9/11 Families United -- a group of thousands of family members whose loved ones were killed or impacted during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks -- tells TMZ Sports it is "shocked and deeply offended" by Tuesday's news of the PGA/LIV merger.
"PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA's unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sportswashing of Saudi Arabia's reputation," chairman Terry Strada, whose husband died in the World Trade Center's North Tower, said in a statement.
PGA Players Pissed Over Merger W/ LIV Golf After Orgs End Bitter Dispute
"But now the PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones."
Of course, the 9/11 hijackers had strong ties to Saudi Arabia. Fifteen of the nineteen men who carried out the attack were citizens of the Middle Eastern country. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was also born in Saudi Arabia in 1957.
Despite the hijackers largely coming from Saudi Arabia, the country has always denied playing any role in the terrorist attack that killed nearly 3,000 people. The FBI and CIA have also stated Saudi Arabia was not behind the attacks.
"Make no mistake – we will never forget," Strada added.
Monahan is well aware of the backlash directed at players who jumped to LIV last year -- he was previously asked about 9/11 Families United calling it an act of betrayal at the time ... and he felt it was necessary for those athletes to apologize to those affected by the terrorist attacks.
It's safe to say the 9/11 org. no longer feels his words were sincere.
"Mr. Monahan talked last summer about knowing people who lost loved ones on 9/11, then wondered aloud on national television whether LIV Golfers ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour. They do now -- as does he. PGA Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed."
"Our entire 9/11 community has been betrayed by Commissioner Monahan and the PGA as it appears their concern for our loved ones was merely window-dressing in their quest for money – it was never to honor the great game of golf."
Monahan has yet to address the backlash ... but he will certainly have to at some point.