White House Beefs Up Legal Staff

Washington Times ^ | July 21, 2009 | Jon Ward

[Mr. Mojo]

Stung by a string of embarrassing personnel moves at the outset of the administration, President Obama has significantly beefed up the number of lawyers working in the White House compared to previous administrations.

Administration officials insist the bulking up of the Office of White House Counsel is temporary, but some lawyers from the George W. Bush administration said they suspect one reason for the personnel shift may be a bid to centralize power.

[TruthWillWin]

Doing this because of the BC issue?

[listenhillary]

If he has an unlimited budget for legal services, just employ every Democrat activist lawyer in the country and put them on his payroll. Maybe they could be unionized also.

[silverleaf]

the unemployment rate for democrat activist lawyers is probably the lowest it’s ever been

[cowboyway]

suspect one reason for the personnel shift may be a bid to centralize power.

Shocking! Simply shocking!

/sarc

[freekitty]

This is bs. We should demand he fire these people since they are going to be used against us. They will also be paid for by us as they seek to make our lives worthless.

[listenhillary]

They don’t actually have to show up for work. What are you a conservative? Just pay to keep them all on retainer with a percentage of the retainer to be donated to the DNC.

(/sarcasm off)

[KansasGirl]

How many lawyers does it take to keep Obama from having to show his birth certificate?

[Liberty Valance]

Which one is the ‘Lawyer Czar’?
Have they hired a Russian Czar yet?

[a fool in paradise]

Just release the certificate already Mister President.

[listenhillary]

I think the unions should hit up the White House OLC. Fight for 35 hour work weeks for all white house staff and support personnel.

I hear some of them are working 60 to 70 hour weeks and are getting tired and whiny.

[Texas resident]

ozero’s army.

[a fool in paradise]

When the Texas trial lawyers were brought on staff for the tobacco class action lawsuit (by the state), they didn't do much work but reaped over 1 billion dollars in kickbacks.

Did I mention that lawyers in Texas are the biggest election donors and that something like 15 of the top 20 donors in the state are Democrat lawyers who give to the Democrat party? And that some of the names got that billion dollar kickback?

It's about doling out money to get it back in the Party coffers (scratch my back and I'll scratch yours).

How much of the “stimulus” money went to ACORN and other Democrat groups?

[The Sons of Liberty]

Doing this because of the BC issue?

He should have to pay for nay BC defense, not the taxpayer!

Using government lawyers and resources on what is a private problem of his should be an impeachable offense (if you can impeach someone who is a usurper!).

[a fool in paradise]

William Shakespeare had the right idea.

[Texas resident]

Shakespeare was way ahead of his time.

[JoeFromSidney]

Clearances were done by "one lawyer and myself who were reviewing all the FBI files," he said. "Nobody else. Then we had two or three, maybe four at one point, working on financial disclosures. We did have non-lawyers backing them up, and it wasn't work that we were shifting off to other offices in government."

Well, that's because the Republicans weren't nominating tax cheats and crooks.

[a fool in paradise]

Mrs. Clinton complained that she has been unable to fill the top position at the U.S. Agency for International Development, saying that a "ridiculous" vetting process has prompted several people to reject the position.

The elephant in the living room here is that Barack Hussein Obama wasn't ever vetted.

[DustyMoment]

White House Beefs Up Legal Staff

Gee, this is such a surprise.

[Iron Munro]

When you appoint tax cheats, crooks, liars, shysters and race pimps to cabinet level positions, when you push illegal race quotas and favoritism into every piece of legislation you sign, and when just about everything you do violates the Constitution you usually find you need a larger legal staff.

This is especially true when you are also an illegal alien poser.

[Beckwith]

He should have to pay for nay BC defense, not the taxpayer!

He is using campaign funds, which is illegal.

According to Federal Election Commission records, Obama For America paid $688,316.42 to international law firm Perkins Coie between January and March 2009.

The campaign also compensated Perkins Coie for legal services between Oct. 16, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2008 -- to the tune of $378,375.52.

Robert Bauer of Perkins Coie -- top lawyer for Obama, Obama's presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee and Obama's Organizing for America -- is the same Washington, D.C., lawyer defending Obama in lawsuits challenging his eligibility to be president.

Bauer sent a letter to plaintiff Gregory Hollister, a retired Air Force colonel, of Hollister v. Soetoro, threatening sanctions if he doesn't withdraw his appeal of the eligibility case that earlier was tossed by a district judge because the issue already had been "twittered."

Bauer's warning was dated April 3rd and delivered via letter to the plaintiff's attorney, John D. Hemenway. It is not the first such warning issued. Lawyers trying to kill a similar California lawsuit filed on behalf of Ambassador Alan Keyes also said they would seek sanctions against the plaintiff's attorneys in that case unless they left the issue of the president's eligibility alone.

"For the reasons stated in Judge Robertson's ruling, the suit is frivolous and should not be pursued," Bauer's letter warned. "Should you decline to withdraw this frivolous appeal, please be informed that we intend to pursue sanctions, including costs, expenses and attorneys' fees, pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 38 and D.C. Circuit Rule 38."

Bauer also represented Obama and the DNC in Philip Berg's eligibility lawsuit and various other legal challenges. He and the White House have not responded to WND's request for comment.

Perkins Coie serves high-profile clients such as Microsoft, Amazon and Starbucks. In 2006, the firm also represented Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's alleged bodyguard and driver.

The FEC allows elected officials to use campaign funds to pay legal fees only if the action/investigations arise as a result of their tenure in office or campaigns, according to Politico.

These illegal disbursements are for just ONE of Obama's law firms. What is Obama hiding that is worth more than a million dollars?

The Obama File

[NoObamaFightForConservatives]

Obama 'Inherited' Lowest Misery Index In 45 Years!