Sneering Contempt And A Fine Whine

After yesterday’s prehearing conference called to set dates for the Jeffrey Clark disciplinary hearing, his counsel filed a pleading that can only be characterized as Trumpian in tone and content

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel (“ODC”) appears to have little respect for due process. At every stage of this case, ODC has treated our arguments on Mr. Clark’s behalf with sneering contempt, pretending that it was already clear that ethics violations have been proven. It has even told courts several times that Mr. Clark did not contest the Charges against him, which is manifestly untrue and refuted by a simple review of the Answer filed last year. ODC’s opposition to the renewed request for a deferral continues ODC’s this [sic] unfortunate pattern.

“In times of fear or hysteria[,] political, racial, religious, social, and economic groups, often from the best of motives, cry for the scalps of individuals or groups because  they do not like their views.” In Washington, D.C., with its overwhelming Democratic party electorate and bar, Mr. Clark’s views are unpopular. He is in the dock on a trumped-up [Editor’s note: Ha!]  and incoherent disciplinary charge while D.C. Bar brought no charges against Democrat lawyers who expressed the view (in or out of office) that Donald Trump stole the 2016 presidential election from Hillary Clinton with the aid of Russia. Nor did ODC pursue such charges after the Durham Report exposed that from the beginning the entire “Russiagate” episode was a knowingly fraudulent political hit job on former President Trump. ODC administers a two-tiered system of lawyer discipline.

ODC’s opposition to the request for deferral, even apart from its objective flaws covered below, should be rejected. Shorn of hysteria, a strong case for deferral exists here.

That’s a lot of fear, hysteria and horse manure in a couple of paragraphs.

Expressing opinions: protected by the First Amendment.

Attempting to use the Justice Department to falsely claim an ongoing investigation in order to disrupt the orderly transition of power: that’s the issue teed up for hearing here, notwithstanding a heaping helping of false equivalency. 

Kevin Clinesmith! Hunter Biden!

If you have the stomach, the full pleading can be accessed here. (Mike Frisch)