National Enquirer lawyer says tabloid didn't blackmail Jeff Bezos

Michael Balsamo, The Associated Press</span>
Published Sunday, February 10, 2019 11:05AM EST

WASHINGTON -- An attorney for the head of the National Enquirer's parent company denies the tabloid committed extortion or blackmail by threatening to publish Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' explicit photos.

Elkan Abramowitz represents American Media Inc. chief executive David Pecker. Abromowitz defended the tabloid's practice as a "negotiation" in an interview Sunday with ABC's "This Week."

The Enquirer published a story last month that included lurid texts between Bezos and former TV anchor Lauren Sanchez. Bezos said AMI later threatened to expose his revealing photos if he didn't have his private investigators back off.

Abramowitz said the story was given to the Enquirer by a "reliable source" who was "well known" to Bezos and Sanchez.

He said he isn't concerned about the matter jeopardizing a nonprosecution agreement between AMI and federal prosecutors.

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