WTC Update

Quillnews offers interesting background on the developing controversy over plans for the WTC Memorial:

Quillnews has found a movie development deal to submit to Roland Betts and Tom Bernstein, longtime partners in film, sports and now the Chelsea Piers, for their consideration in their new roles as the private sector?s tag team of beneficence in the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site in lower Manhattan. (QN)

These two guys and their network of pals have wired up the downtown development plans pretty good. (WTCMF, LMDC, IFM, IFM2) Betts, as boss of the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., in overall charge of the project, granted Bernstein?s charity, the International Freedom Museum, the job of creating museum exhibition spaces, an educational and cultural center already boasting commitments from nine of New York City's, the nation's and the world's leading universities, and a robust service and civic engagement program all devoted to advancing the cause of freedom. Their vision for the museum has caused quite a stir lately ? particularly because Bernstein?s artistic vision might be influenced by his anti-war political views. Bernstein is driving a lawsuit in federal court charging Rumsfeld with torture and demanding a special prosecutor be appointed by AG Gonzalez. Their website also has a helpful Arabic language version.

Betts and Bernstein have vast experience in movie production. Back in the day, this pair of entertainment lawyers and Yale grads formed Silver Screen Management, Inc., and other film production firms who together and separately produced 100 films, including Beauty & the Best, Petty Woman, The Little Mermaid, Three Men and a Baby, Ghandi, The Killing Fields, Sakharov. Betts and Bernstein were also business partners with George W. Bush in the Texas Rangers ownership group. Betts is a personal pal of the president from their days together at Yale.

Background on the author here:

R. Thomas Collins has worked in journalism and public affairs for more than 30 years, as a reporter, lobbyist and oil industry manager. Collins has managed political and media operations, and written several books. A graduate of Boston University and Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Collins worked as a reporter for newspapers in New England, before moving to New York, where he was a reporter, rewriteman and editor with the New York Daily News between 1974-79.