On Friday, a leaked audio recording from 2005 showed Donald Trump gleefully bragging about making sexual advances on women (and getting away with them because he’s famous) to Billy Bush. Since then, people who’ve previously worked with Trump have hinted that there is much, much worse out there. And that “much worse” just might include a clip in which the Republican presidential nominee says the N-word.
As Bill Pruitt — a producer who worked on seasons one and two of NBC’s The Apprentice — tweeted, “I assure you: when it comes to the #trumptapes there are far worse. #justthebegininng.”
As a producer on seasons 1 & 2 of #theapprentice I assure you: when it comes to the #trumptapes there are far worse. #justthebegininng
— Bill Pruitt (@billpruitt) October 8, 2016
Emmy award-winning producer Chris Nee pointed out that there are likely to be huge financial and legal consequences for anyone who leaks audio. Indeed, a source close to Apprentice producer Mark Burnett told BuzzFeed News that the show’s chief “is pro-Trump and has made clear to his teams that he will sue anyone who leaks.”
Nee appealed to loyal Hillary Clinton supporter Marc Cuban for help, tweeting at the billionaire, “Hey [Mark Cuban] – offer to pay the legal fees and fines of anyone who produces the hot mic tapes from #TheApprentice.”
Where are the tapes from The Apprentice? We all know they exist. Boy must everyone be afraid of getting sued.
— Chris Nee (She/Her)🏳️🌈 (@chrisdocnee) October 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/chrisdocnee/status/784612562033844225
Nee later clarified that although he’s never worked for The Apprentice and hasn’t heard the tapes, he’d heard from “producers/crew N word is the ‘much worse'” and that the leak fee would most likely amount to $5 million.
https://twitter.com/chrisdocnee/status/785159503419351040
https://twitter.com/chrisdocnee/status/785159919808880641
Though Mark Cuban has yet to reply to the proposal (and he stars on a show produced by Burnett, so it’s not likely to happen, but who knows), some people have suggested starting a crowd-funded effort to raise the millions of dollars necessary to cover the fees.
Kickstarter for The Apprentice tapes.
— Amanda Guinzburg (@Guinz) October 9, 2016
https://twitter.com/jpbrammer/status/785190558201421824
https://twitter.com/molly_knight/status/785179303864512512
When the Associated Press attempted to acquire the footage, NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said that the network had only licensed The Apprentice from Burnett and that they had no legal right to share any recordings. “We don’t have the legal right to give out the footage from that show,” she said.
However, as Talking Points Memo’s Josh Marshall points out, Burnett has basically already admitted the clip exists by threatening to sue anyone who leaks it.
1: With @MarkBurnettTV essentially confirming there's incredibly damaging video in the Apprentices archives and threatening to sue anyone…
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) October 9, 2016
2: who leaks, is this where @mcuban steps forward and promises to cover legal expenses for anyone who spills the beans? Thiel in reverse.
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) October 9, 2016
Buzzfeed now reports that David Brock, the head of a pro-Clinton SuperPAC, has offered to cover the legal fees of any Apprentice staffer who leaks the goods.