Magic's Business Partner Refutes Donald Sterling Comments

Turner Impact CEO Bobby Turner with his partner Magic Johnson

Bobby Turner, who was Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s business partner from 2000-2013, refutes embattled LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s insulting comments about Magic during his explosive interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Sterling questioned why Magic was revered as a legend and what he he had done for the black community. 

Turner, who is now CEO of Turner Impact Capital, and Magic Johnson partnered to raise and invest $2 billion of equity in the Canyon Johnson Urban Funds. The purpose of the funds, which are estimated to have facilitated $6 billion in revitalization, is to revitalize densely populated ethnically diverse communities in urban America by building affordable work force housing and providing much needed services and amenities for these traditionally under-served communities.

“Magic’s impact far exceeds the investment dollars of our funds. He played a pivotal role in educating institutional investors on the merits of investing in urban markets, “said Turner. “He put his reputation, time, energy, and capital on the line for this venture.”

Turner created a large part of their success to Johnson’s fundamental understanding of what the urban consumer wanted and his passion for improving urban communities throughout America. The funds calculate they were responsible for the creation of more than 10,000 jobs, 5000 units of affordable housing, and millions of feet of retail and commercial space in the inner city. 

Turner said, "As a result of our investment, tens of millions of dollars flowed into urban coffers as a result of the incremental wage, sales, and real estate taxes. This in turn allowed cities to provide much needed social services for their citizens. 

IDF Spokesman: Israel Had To Bomb Gaza Media Center

The New York Times and other media outlets reported this about the Israeli strike where many broadcast companies have their offices. 

On Sunday, Israeli forces attacked two buildings housing local broadcasters and production companies used by foreign outlets. Israeli officials denied targeting journalists, and said that a second attack on one of the buildings, known as Al Sharouk, had targeted an office of the Islamic Jihad, killing four militants. The attack also hit a computer shop, sparking a blaze that sent plumes of dark smoke creeping up the sides of the building. Video footage showed clouds of smoke billowing.

IDF Spokesman Captain Eytan Buchman, who is head of the North American Bureau in the IDF Spokesperson's office, asserts in a late night email exchange that this account and others from the international media omitted crucial details. 

We targeted a building that includes intl' media a few days ago because it had Hamas communication gear," said Buchman. "This gear is used for military communications between themselves. That places it very clearly as a military target. We hit it because we needed to..but used the most precise weapons available"

Israel bombed the building again on Monday. Buchman insists that only person killed in that attack was what AP even admitted was an Islamic Jihad terrorist inside the building,"

This AP tweet corroborates Buchman's account. 

 

The Associated PressVerified‏@AP

BREAKING: Gaza group Islamic Jihad says Israeli strike on media center killed one of its top militant leaders.

CNN's Anderson Cooper also confirmed that rockets were being launched in the vicinity of the building. 

 

Anderson CooperVerified‏@andersoncooper

4 rockets just fired from near media center in #Gaza City. The same media center bldg hit by three IDF missiles earlier today

As further proof, Captain Buchman offers this compelling video of the IDF hit. 

A frustrated Buchman does not understand why the media refuses to criticize Hamas for deliberately planting terrorists in civilian locations. He argues, "Zero condemnation from the intl' media that terrorists are practically embedded in media buildings. The press even forgot that Hamas rockets hit Reuters cameraman earlier this week."

Ma'an, an independent Palestinian News agency, was one of the few, if only media outlets that reported on Hamas rockets hitting the car of the Retuers news crew. 

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=538123