Latest news with #Lorenz
New York Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
The week in whoppers: Ro Khanna insists Dems aren't ‘woke and weak,' Patti LuPone flames the Trump-led Kennedy Center and more
Diary of disturbing disinformation and dangerous delusions This defense: 'Democrats are not woke and weak. We are a great party and should be proud of that.' — Rep. Ro Khanna, Wednesday We say: The representative doth protest too much. Khanna is unconvincingly trying to defend his party from criticism by Rahm Emmanuel, who rightly slammed the Democrats' brand as 'toxic.' Advertisement Fact is, Democrats fully embraced the 'woke' label, ramming through DEI policies and framing themselves as the party of 'equity,' until about five minutes ago, when they realized it was costing them elections. Now they're trying their best to convince voters they have something to offer besides noxious finger-wagging and divisive identity politics — and even shelling out millions to figure out how to win back men. Sorry, Ro: The 'woke and weak' label was hard-earned, and you'll have to earn your way out of it. Advertisement This appeal: '[The Kennedy Center] should get blown up.' — Patti LuPone, in an interview published Monday We say: LuPone is no stranger to melodramatics, but her language slamming the cultural institution just because President Trump is the chair is more violent than she may realize. Considering the recent arson attacks on Tesla dealerships, GOP offices and the home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, the chance that some crazed lefty will take her up on the challenge is well above zero. Advertisement Millionaire Patti won't be affected by the violence she's egging on while she lounges in her Central Park West apartment, but everyday innocents will be. Talk about privilege. This claim: 'Dems have fully embraced far right eugenics.' — Taylor Lorenz, Tuesday We say: Seems 'far right eugenics' now means 'wanting kids to know how to read.' Advertisement Lorenz, who believes that 'we never had a single lock down in this country' because they weren't strict enough, is upset that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg admitted schools should've reopened sooner during the pandemic. Buttigieg's too-late realization is backed by mountains of evidence that show school closures yielded sky-high absenteeism, record drops in reading and math scores, higher rates of mental illness and of stunted socialization. It crippled an entire generation, yet Lorenz couldn't care less. This statement: 'Far right extremists want to take your health care away.' — Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, Tuesday We say: Democrats can't honestly defend their resistance to the modest Medicaid reforms in the House Republican budget bill, so they've resorted to big, fat fibs. The truth: The bill would require working-age, able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work, volunteer or attend school for 80 hours per month. Advertisement That will not 'take health care away' from the truly needy; in fact, it will cut down on waste and fraud and ensure that public funds are going to those who need it most — children, the disabled, the elderly and pregnant women. Opposing that is madness, so Democrats fall back on fearmongering lies. — Compiled by The Post Editorial Board
Time Magazine
20-05-2025
- Business
- Time Magazine
Katherine Lorenz
Being an heir to a billion-dollar fortune certainly has its benefits. Surprisingly, perhaps, it can also come with big challenges, from the intricacies of figuring out how best to carry out a loved one's legacy to the infighting that can sometimes boil over in families when great wealth is passed down. The difficulties and delights of managing a big inheritance are something that Katherine Lorenz, granddaughter of Texas oilman George P. Mitchell, is very familiar with—and dedicated to helping her fellow heirs navigate. Lorenz is the leader of the Next Gen pack, officially known as the Giving Pledge Next Generation group, the heirs of the ultra-wealthy philanthropists who formally promised to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes in their lifetimes or their wills. Lorenz co-founded the group in 2014 with 24 members. Its ranks have now expanded to 300, ranging in age from 21 to 75, as the press of the challenges they're likely to face becomes more urgent. Dozens of the nearly 250 billionaires who signed the Giving Pledge have died before wrapping up their giving plans. And about 50 of the remaining Pledgers are over age 80. 'Giving away money is easy. Making an impact is hard.' Lorenz's goal is to provide heirs with resources to help them establish decisionmaking processes, reduce family arguments, and deal with emotionally fraught questions like how strictly they need to adhere to their loved one's giving strategies vs. their own ideas about how and where they can do the most good. Lorenz, who is president of the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, the nonprofit that her grandparents established in 1978, says, 'Is this their foundation? Is it my foundation? Is it our foundation? Who gets to decide what's important? Carrying out someone else's legacy is not easy.' To help, the Next Gen group offers in-person training sessions, WhatsApp chats, and access to help, such as consultants who can offer advice about ways to divide donation pools that allow disagreeing heirs to fund different charities. Last year, for the first time, the Next Gen group also attended the Giving Pledgers' annual meeting. Such big multigenerational gatherings are helpful, says Lorenz, who previously served as a senior adviser for the National Center for Family Philanthropy and deputy director of the Institute for Philanthropy. 'When you hear from other families what's worked for them or what hasn't worked, you get ideas,' she says. Lorenz knows firsthand how challenging—and rewarding—inheriting the responsibility for fulfilling a pledge can be. She was steeped in her grandfathers' concerns about improving sustainability—Mitchell made his fortune by pioneering the shale-gas extraction method commonly known as fracking—and leaving a legacy for the greater good. He was deeply concerned n general about energy and environmental conservation. She recalls, 'Every time you saw him, he'd say, 'If you can't make the world work with 4 billion people, how are you going to make it work with 10 billion people? What are you going to do about it?'' Yet she also believes the Next Gen has to figure out how to forge their own giving path. Newbie philanthropists often start out by writing checks to their alma mater, Lorenz says. But as they begin to zero in on what causes they really care about and where their dollars will do the most good, donations often shift to organizations that have a more direct effect on a community, such as food banks, land trusts, or arts groups. 'Giving away money is easy,' says Lorenz. 'Making an impact is hard.' In addition to helping families increase the size and impact of their donations, Lorenz says her goal is to help heirs turn a legacy from a potentially stressful burden to a joyous activity that brings relatives together—an outcome with benefits beyond the family. She says, 'When you enjoy it more, you give more.'
New York Post
20-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Taylor Lorenz rails at cancer-stricken Biden: 'Hopefulle he rots in hell and rests in p--s'
Controversial journalist Taylor Lorenz lashed out at former President Joe Biden following news of his cancer diagnosis, saying 'Hopefully he rots in hell and rests in piss.' The former Washington Post and New York Times reporter lashed out on X on Monday, a day after the the ailing 82-year-old Biden revealed he was battling an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Along with her vile social media post, Lorenz added a screenshot of a satirical 2019 Vice article bearing the headline: 'Joe Biden: It Would Be an Insult to My Dead Son for Everyone to Have Healthcare.' Advertisement 5 Former Washington Post journalist Taylor Lorenz is facing intense backlash following a social media post. CNN The article was originally published as a facetious critique of Biden's healthcare stance during the 2020 Democratic primary. It misrepresented remarks he made about preserving private insurance — remarks that were widely debated at the time, but never included the quote attributed in the headline. As Community Notes on X quickly clarified, 'Biden never said the phrase used in the headline. The post is based on a satirical misrepresentation.' Advertisement The Biden campaign declined to comment on her remarks. 5 Lorenz reacted to former President Biden's cancer diagnosis with the above post on X. The pro-Palestinian scribe doubled down on her attack on Biden when contacted by The Post about her lack of compassion for the former president. 'Joe Biden is a war criminal who personally sanctioned the genocide of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians, including countless cancer patients,' Lorenz ranted on Tuesday. Advertisement She went on to claim that 'Biden is responsible for at least nearly 1 million deaths from COVID and kicked millions, including cancer patients, off healthcare amidst a raging pandemic. He forced people back to work with no labor protections.' 'My sympathies will always lie with the innocent people Biden has killed and disabled, not the genocidal warmonger sanctioning their deaths,' she added. 5 Lorenz has been a frequent critic of Biden, particularly over his policies as they relate to Israel and the Palestinians. AP Lorenz was pushed out by The Washington Post last year after misleading her editors about a separate incident involving Biden. Last August, she posted a selfie from a White House event to her Instagram story with the caption: 'War criminal :(' while Biden appeared in the background. Advertisement When questioned, Lorenz initially denied posting the image before later admitting it, prompting internal disciplinary measures and contributing to her leaving the paper two months later. She launched launched her own independent newsletter and has continued taking shots at Biden. 5 Biden's office released a photo of the former president and ex-first lady Jill Biden on Monday announcing his cancer diagnosis. Joe Biden via REUTERS In April, she responded to a fake obituary-style post that falsely claimed Biden had died by writing, 'This tweet got my hopes up :(' The original post, which read 'RIP Joe Biden 1942–2025. You were always a racist f–king monster, and will not be missed,' was clearly fabricated, but Lorenz's reaction left little doubt about her personal sentiments. Lorenz also drew scorn last December for seemingly cheering the assassination of of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. She said some Americans felt 'joy' about the murder outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. She later defended the remark by citing the denial of care by large insurance companies and her own experiences with chronic illness. 5 Lorenz is known for making controversial statements, including some that appear to celebrate the killing of a health care executive. Getty Images for Advertisement Lorenz has also said positive things about Thompson's alleged killer Luigi Mangione, praising him as a 'morally good man.' In December, she was roundly criticized after saying that some Americans felt 'joy' following the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was gunned down outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel by an assassin. She later defended the remark by citing the denial of care by large insurance companies and her own experiences with chronic illness. Advertisement Lorenz has also said positive things about Thompson's alleged killer Luigi Mangione, praising him as a 'morally good man.' Her employer at the time, Vox Media, distanced itself from her comments, and Lorenz later confirmed her podcast would no longer be distributed through the network — though she claimed it had always operated independently. She also faced backlash for her 2022 reporting that revealed the identity of the woman behind the Libs of TikTok social media account, an article some accused of 'doxxing.'
Telegraph
01-05-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Weight-loss shake tycoon's death triggers inheritance row between lover and siblings
The death of a weight-loss shakes tycoon has triggered an inheritance feud between his lover and siblings. Alan Lorenz became a multimillionaire after giving up his legal career to work for Herbalife, a California health drinks company. Following his death in 2021, aged 78, his £6.4 million estate was left to his Maltese partner, Sheila Caruana, who had entered into a civil partnership with him just weeks earlier. But the will is at the centre of a court fight, with his siblings, Robert Lorenz, 81, Anthony Lorenz, 77, and Vanessa Manasseh, 79, claiming a half-share. The case reached the Court of Appeal this week where the three siblings claimed that Mr Lorenz had an 'abhorrence' for paying tax and only left his estate to his partner so he could avoid inheritance tax. They argued Mr Lorenz had created a 'secret trust' under which Ms Caruana was trusted to hand half of the estate to his siblings. But Ms Caruana is fighting their claim on the basis that Mr Lorenz left her with no binding obligation to give his family anything at all. During previous hearings, the court heard that Charterhouse-educated Mr Lorenz gave up his career as a divorce lawyer to join Herbalife in 1984, rising to become a senior member. Mr Lorenz began his relationship with Ms Caruana in about 2012. His previous wills left his siblings a share of his estate, but he made a new will in 2020 which left everything to his partner. After his death, Robert Lorenz, backed by his siblings, brought the family's claim to court, claiming Mr Lorenz had 'a history of aggressive tax avoidance and indeed an abhorrence of paying tax'. They claimed Mr Lorenz was 'close' to all of his siblings and believed that Ms Caruana was '100 per cent honourable' and would give half his money to his family. In June, Mrs Justice Joanna Smith dismissed the family's claim, finding there was no realistic prospect of establishing that Mr Lorenz had created a 'secret trust' benefiting his siblings. In an appeal against the decision on Wednesday, Richard Wilson KC argued the judge was 'plainly wrong' to dismiss the claim. He said: 'Robert's claim is that Alan gave oral instructions to Sheila on how to deal with the residuary estate and that those instructions gave rise to a secret trust. 'There is clear evidence that instructions were given. 'The evidence is clear that there was at the very least some form of obligation on Sheila to make gifts to Alan's siblings in accordance with his settled and consistent intention to make provision for them.' For Ms Caruana, barrister Penelope Reed KC said the appeal should be dismissed. 'Alan had a longstanding desire to avoid tax where possible and consistently went to some effort to do so – even living abroad for decades,' she said. 'When faced with the choice of having control over the gifting of his assets to any family members and having to pay inheritance tax, he chose with barely any hesitation to avoid the tax, accepting the uncertainty and lack of control. 'Once the proposition is accepted, as it has been by all parties, that Alan's overriding intention was the avoidance of tax, Alan simply could not have achieved that aim by leaving his estate on a binding secret trust. 'His goal was incompatible with an intention to create a secret trust, and was solely consistent with his estate going to Sheila beneficially.'
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Herbalife millionaire's siblings drag his younger partner back into court amid claim he only left her entire £6.4million fortune because he 'abhorred paying tax'
The lover of a British health drinks tycoon who 'abhorred paying tax' is in a court battle with his siblings over his £18 million fortune. Maltese national Sheila Caruana, 59, was left Alan Lorenz's multi-million-pound estate when he died in 2021 aged 78. The couple had entered into a civil partnership just weeks before his death. But now his three siblings - Robert Lorenz, 81, Anthony Lorenz, 77, and Vanessa Manasseh, 79 - want half of the fortune claiming it was only given to Ms Caruana to avoid having to pay inheritance tax. Former divorce lawyer Mr Lorenz became a multimillionaire after giving up his legal career to sell weight-loss shakes through controversial nutritional supplements group Herbalife. Mr Lorenz joined the company in 1984, rising to become a senior member and building a fortune which, by the time he died, included a £3.5m Maltese property, a £4m home in Mayfair, £8.8m in the bank and £2.1m worth of rights relating to Herbalife. Yesterday, the case reached the Court of Appeal, where Mr Lorenz's siblings argued that their brother had trusted Ms Caruana to 'do right' by his family and split the estate with them. They argue he had created a 'secret trust' under which she would inherit all his wealth, but be trusted to hand half of it to his siblings. But Ms Caruana is fighting their claim on the basis that he left her with no binding obligation to give his family anything at all. The case first reached court in December 2023 when a judge refused Ms Caruana's application to dismiss Robert's claim, but returned last June when another judge did dismiss it after an appeal. The siblings are now fighting on, with Robert challenging the ruling at the Court of Appeal before Lord Justice Stuart-Smith, Lord Justice Zacaroli and Mr Justice Cobb. During previous hearings, the court heard that Charterhouse-educated Mr Lorenz died a multimillionaire after making his riches selling health drinks. Herbalife is a worldwide 'direct-selling' company, founded in 1980 to sell weight loss shakes, but expanding to produce other nutritional products, which it sells in over 90 worldwide countries. Founded in 1980 in the US, Herbalife has attracted controversy, having been forced to deny claims of having a 'pyramid' type sales structure. The company agreed to 'fundamentally restructure' its business in the US, and pay $200 million as part of a 2016 settlement of a US Federal Trade Commission case. Mr Lorenz began his relationship with fellow Herbalife member Ms Caruana around 2012, but as there was a 23-year age gap between them was keen to begin tax planning for his old age. Although previous wills left his siblings a share, in 2020 he made a new will, leaving everything to Ms Caruana, with whom he then formed a civil partnership so that she would not have to pay inheritance tax. The family's claim was brought to court by Robert Lorenz, backed by his siblings, claiming that their brother had 'a history of aggressive tax avoidance and indeed an abhorrence of paying tax.' Mr Lorenz was 'close' to all of his siblings, they continued, and there was no evidence he changed his mind and intended to cut them out, believing that Ms Caruana was '100 per cent honourable' and would follow his wishes, giving half his money to his family. In a statement to the court, Ms Caruana denied any such trust, stating: 'At no time did he say that there would be any restrictions on my use of the assets. Neither did he give me instructions to deal with the assets he was leaving in a particular way.' Last June, Mrs Justice Joanna Smith dismissed Robert's claim, finding there was no realistic prospect of establishing that Mr Lorenz had created a 'secret trust' benefiting his siblings. She found that Robert had not established 'certainty' of what property the alleged trust related to or who its beneficiaries should be. But appealing yesterday, Richard Wilson KC argued that the judge was 'plainly wrong' to dismiss Robert's claim on the basis that there was no realistic prospect of establishing a secret trust due to the uncertainty of what assets the alleged trust was over and who exactly the beneficiaries would be. 'Robert's pleaded case is that the subject matter of the secret trust was half of the residuary estate, consistent with Alan's previous wills, which had left half of his residuary estate to his siblings,' he told the appeal judges. 'There is no inherent uncertainty in that claim to justify granting summary judgment.' He continued: 'Robert's claim is that Alan gave oral instructions to Sheila on how to deal with the residuary estate and that those instructions gave rise to a secret trust. 'There is clear evidence that instructions were given. 'The evidence is clear that there was at the very least some form of obligation on Sheila to make gifts to Alan's siblings in accordance with his settled and consistent intention to make provision for them.' Urging the judges to allow the appeal and for Robert's claim against Ms Caruana to go ahead, he added: 'The question for the court to determine at trial is whether the obligation that was undoubtedly imposed extends beyond a moral obligation and amounts to a legally enforceable obligation giving rise to a secret trust.' Ms Caruana's barrister Penelope Reed KC said the appeal should be dismissed, as Mr Lorenz had only ever expressed 'unspecified wishes' about what she should give to his family after his death. His focus had been on avoiding inheritance tax, and to create a binding obligation on Ms Caruana to gift certain sums to his siblings would defeat that purpose, she said. 'It is common ground between the parties that Alan's overwhelming motivation was to avoid his estate being subject to inheritance tax, a goal that was impossible with the imposition of a secret trust and consistent only with leaving his estate to Sheila outright,' she argued. 'While Alan did express wishes for Sheila to benefit his family, Alan giving his estate to Sheila absolutely, with a view to her making gifts to his family, does not create a binding trust. 'Alan had a longstanding desire to avoid tax where possible and consistently went to some effort to do so - even living abroad for decades. 'When faced with the choice of having control over the gifting of his assets to any family members and having to pay inheritance tax, he chose with barely any hesitation to avoid the tax, accepting the uncertainty and lack of control. 'Once the proposition is accepted, as it has been by all parties, that Alan's overriding intention was the avoidance of tax, Alan simply could not have achieved that aim by leaving his estate on a binding secret trust. 'His goal was incompatible with an intention to create a secret trust, and was solely consistent with the his estate going to Sheila beneficially.' The judges reserved judgment on the appeal until a later date.
