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Leona Helmsley, the "Queen of Mean" Has Died

By Jeralyn, Section Off Topic
Posted on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 02:24:23 PM EST
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Leona Helmsley, 87, died of heart failure this weekend.

While she will be remembered for the negative things people said about her, she should also be remembered for her philanthropy.

Leona Helmsley's charitable activities included a $25 million gift to New York Presbyterian Hospital, $5 million to Katrina relief and $5 million to help the families of firefighters after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

In the late 1990s, she gave millions of dollars to help rebuild African-American churches that had been burned in the South.

In recent years, she was sued by a gay employee who alleged discrimination. He won an $11 million judgment. The Judge later reduced it to $556,000, saying Helmsley is not a multibillion-dollar pinata "to poke a stick at in the hopes of hitting the jackpot.

Her wealth, lifestyle and reputed meanness made her an easy target. I believe her contributions improved conditions for many more people than she personally hurt.

R.I.P. Leona.

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    Leona Helmsley, the "Queen of Mean" Has Died | 6 comments (6 topical)

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    She could never live down.... (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 02:47:10 PM EST
    her infamous statement that came to light when she was in hot water over tax evasion..."only the little people pay taxes".  

    She denied ever saying it...but who wouldn't?  Regardless, not the kind of person you would want to work for, and not a person who treated others as she surely would have liked to have been treated.

    Maybe she saw the error of her ways before passing....RIP Leona.

    Good to hear of her philanthrophy (none / 0) (#2)
    by janinsanfran on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 03:35:01 PM EST
    My previous knowledge of her was as my mother in law's landlord in a grasping, ill-kept apartment complex. Her tenants were not fond of her.

    RIP Leona... (none / 0) (#3)
    by Adept Havelock on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 04:20:13 PM EST
    Eh, no great loss.

    I'm sure she can find some tenants to kick around when she takes over her new tenements in Dis.

     

    Did you HAVE to repeat that tired old phrase? (none / 0) (#4)
    by lilybart on Mon Aug 20, 2007 at 06:11:16 PM EST
    I just commented to hubby while watching TV, that EVERY journalist or gossip show host just HAS to reapeat the queen of mean as the only thing to say about Leona Helmsley.

    Seems you succumbed as well.

    "Only little people pay taxes"?? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Lacy on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 06:08:14 AM EST
    The year that a Leona maid claimed she said that, the Helmsleys paid (as I recall) about $28 million in taxes. I never belived that someone paying that amount of taxes would make that comment.

    I'll take your word for it..... (none / 0) (#6)
    by kdog on Tue Aug 21, 2007 at 12:11:08 PM EST
    but whatever she paid Uncle Sam said she was 4 million short.

    Now if Leona had said she ain't paying on moral grounds I'd stand right with her, I'd like to stop paying on moral grounds...but it appears she had no moral qualms with the US govt., she just got greedy or her accountants got sloppy.

    Maybe she meant to say only the little people pay all the taxes they are supposed to pay?

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    Leona Helmsley, the "Queen of Mean" Has Died | 6 comments (6 topical)

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