Yeah, well Alabama as a particularly bad reputation. Look at what’s happening with their governor. I’m not saying that northern states can’t be as bad, but frankly I don’t think its regional prejudice to believe that the state bars of New York, Connecticut or my own Massachusetts would be better bets to handle a matter like this professionally. On the other hand, if I’m wrong, please be sure to come back and tell me that you told me so. I’ll be happy to hear it.
Thats what being an old curmudgeon is all about.
Damn straight.
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Look at Rhode Island or New Jersey—both famous as cesspools of political skulduggery and graft and corruption—but it is incredibly lame to blame an entire region for what one political party does that’s bad.
The Alabama Bar Association has the same credentials as any other state bar association. Lawyers are loathe to speak ill of each other, regardless of where they live. But if enough evidence is offered, they’ll discipline or expel members who do wrong.
Disbarment is handled by the state itself, because that’s who issues the license to practice.
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Having spent half of my life in RI, I can tell you right now that our political skullduggery has nothing in common with the stinking hole commonly referred to as a cesspool. In fact while Rhode Island is still plagued by skulduggery and graft, they have outlawed cesspools as of July 22, 2016. https://www.ecori.org/government/2015/7/26/its-official-ri-cesspools-on-their-way-out
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How much more embarrassment and humiliation will T rump’s surrogates and Cabinet Secretary’s be willing to endure before they cower under the pressure that they’ve bestowed upon themselves by their own incompetent conduct, magnified by the incompetence of their own boss? This crew have worked their entire careers to get to the top, never having done anything to actually warrant such lofty positions, but now that they’re there, what else is there to work for? At this point, they seem to be collectively working to conceal the truth. They got there by breaking the law, and now job #1 is to avoid getting caught.
My thoughts exactly… “Yes, this would be an ethics violation… if we were in a different state…”
New Jersey’s legal system has a good reputation, actually.
As I said, if I’m wrong, let me know–but show me evidence.
I was referring to the general state of government, and not to the legal system in particular.
And bar associations are not part of the state legal system—they’re private-sector groups.
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Only if he’s applied for and been admitted in any of the states offering reciprocity. Normally reciprocity requires continuous practice in the state you are admitted for a minimum period of time, e.g., 5 years, it’s not automatic.
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I don’t know specifically about Alabama, but bar associations generally take their roles policing the profession quite seriously. That’s no guarantee Sessions would be disciplined but I’d be surprised if they didn’t take a serious look at it.
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This WaPo article had some helpful details on the process:
"Alabama’s five-member disciplinary commission will determine whether the complaint has merit. If it does, the complaint will be sent to Sessions, who will then provide a written response. An investigation by grievance committees and the state bar’s Office of General Counsel will then start, at which point evidence and witness testimony will be presented during a closed hearing.
The committees and the Office of General Counsel will make recommendations to the disciplinary commission, which will determine whether to move forward with disciplinary sanctions. According to the state bar’s website, punishments range from private reprimand to disbarment, which can either be temporary or permanent. If the commission decides to impose a penalty, that information will be made public.
The possibility of an investigation, let alone a punishment, is far too early to assess. Anders said the whole process could take between six to 18 months, and the bulk of ethics violations for most state bars around the country involve misusing clients’ money, which is not an accusation against Sessions."
If the Alabama Bar lets this ethics complaint slide, then the Alabama Bar has no ethics. If lying to Congress is alright, what is not alright with them?
My experience with this is that they will investigate and hold hearings if the hearings are necessary but state bar associations don’t disbar people unless they have really broken the law. They are more likely to censure someone for lying than to disbar them.
But every state bar association is slightly different.
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Yes, I do. Disciplinary authorities take action against attorneys every damned day. As they should.
Off topic, I know, but Rachel Maddow last night presented a compelling timeline of circumstantial evidence that points to collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians.
Maybe the FBI should hire her.
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Agreed. There are a few acts that State Bar’s take very seriously, a whole bunch of acts where the Bars appear to have unreasonably high standards for finding cause, and a bunch more that don’t appear to receive any real consideration by the Bar. Session’s testimony before a Congressional Committee likely falls in the latter category of acts.