A company controlled by casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson has brought in crisis PR counsel to navigate its controversial purchase of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

adelsonAdelson, a kingmaker in Republican politics, bought the Vegas paper, the state's largest, in early December through a shell company, sparking criticism over his conservative agenda and past showdowns with the publication.

The casino magnate, whose ownership wasn't revealed until days after the deal when the Review-Journal reported the story, hired crisis manager Mark Fabiani to tackle fallout from his ownership. Fabiani's assignment is with News + Media Capital Group, an Adelson-controlled entity that bought the paper for $140M.

Review-Journal editor Mike Hengel stepped down soon after Adelson's role was revealed, citing an adversarial relationship with Adelson's family and the best interests of his own family, according to staff reports.

Among editorial concerns raised by staff was an assignment by the paper's corporate ownership to track three Clark County judges, including one who has been involved in a large suit against Adelson.

Fabiani's high-profile PR assignments have included Goldman Sachs, the San Diego Chargers, Gov. Rick Perry and Lance Armstrong. He was previously teamed with Chris Lehane, a colleague during the Clinton administration who is now with Airbnb.