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Ashlee Simpson's father Joe has exerted control over his daughter's careers and images for many years, but a new report claims he was also trying to do damage control to Ashlee's split news by releasing the story the same day Lindsay Lohan appeared in court to answer felony charges for her alleged jewelry theft!

A source told the NY Post:

    "He decided Ashlee's divorce filing should happen on the same day as Lindsay going to court to bury the news. But it backfired because Lindsay going to court is, these days, as much a surprise as the sun rising in the morning."


Breaking scandalous news on days when the public would be otherwise occupied is not a novel idea. During the 2008 election, Sarah Palin announced that her eldest daughter Bristol was pregnant on Labor Day, when most of the country was out of work enjoying the last holiday of the summer.