There is – or should be – nothing more lawyers fear than a disciplinary action by the bar where they are admitted. Judge Kathleen Williams, who has been on the bench for the last 16 years, wrote a scathing decision regarding the $10 billion lawsuit Trump brought against himself with the support of the Justice Department.
She noted In her 51-page decision that the suit was brought for an “improper purpose” and had no basis in law or fact. She referred the Florida lawyer to the bar for discipline and cited Todd Blanche, the proposed Attorney General, to the New York bar for sanctions and discipline.
No, although the Justice Department is part of the Executive, the President cannot do whatever he wants with it. Attorneys who work for the government take an oath to both uphold the Constitution and to do justice. As Judge Williams said, this so-called lawsuit was a fraud on the court and on our system of justice.
Prayer for the Day
Justice, justice, shall you pursue, said the Lord,
But we ask what kind of justice should we have?
Lord, we cry to you for those who will not take a bribe,
For lawyers and judges with integrity.
Give us judges who rule without fear of the powerful,
Men and women who stand for the rule of law.
In the name of the One who called out fraud and deceit,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
T]he Court finds that this matter was brought for an improper purpose — to gain the imprimatur of judicial legitimacy for a ‘settlement’ that had no viable basis in law or fact. As was observed in another matter brought in this District, ‘this case is part of Mr. Trump’s pattern of misusing the courts to serve his political purposes.’
U.S.District Judge Kathleen M. Williams
The bottom line from Williams is that the lawyers should have said no and not been part of this fraud on the system. It is a courageous decision, and one that is absolutely right.
Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean, UC Berkley Law School
For I, the Lord, love justice, I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I will faithfully give them their recompense
Isaiah 61:8