© Lucy Nicholson / Reuters
Mark Burnett, the creator of The Apprentice, said in a statement Monday that he does not have the legal ability to release tapes of Donald Trump on the air, countering accusations that he was holding on to them intentionally. “Despite reports to the contrary, Mark Burnett does not have the ability nor the right to release footage or other material from The Apprentice. Various contractual and legal requirements also restrict MGM’s ability to release such material,” a joint statement from him and MGM reads. “The recent claims that Mark Burnett has threatened anyone with litigation if they were to leak such material are completely and unequivocally false.” The statement came after a tape emerged Friday featuring Trump making disgusting remarks about women on a TV set.