Posted on 01/29/2016 8:29:04 AM PST by ConservingFreedom
U.S. Senator and Republican presidential hopeful Ted Cruz was not such a bad apple, according to appellate lawyers who identify themselves as Democrats and previously opposed him in court.
Indeed, those lawyers don't entirely recognize the abrasive Cruz described in national news accounts by fellow senators, other prominent Republicans and even some former colleagues.
"Cruz was very professional and left a good impression on me. I've told that to two other reporters who asked and then they never ask for details. I think they are looking for salacious stories of co-counsel misbehavior," Nina Perales wrote in an email. Perales is the vice president of litigation for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in San Antonio, who has represented plaintiffs in redistricting litigation, opposed by Texas officials, represented by then-Texas Solicitor General Cruz.
"He wasn't a jerk to deal with," echoed Gerry Hebert, who also opposed Cruz in redistricting litigation, and spent two and half weeks across from him at trial. "If it wasn't harmful to his case, he would accommodate," said Hebert, who currently serves as the executive director of Campaign Legal Center, and represents Democrats in Texas in redistricting and voting rights cases. "My contact with him showed me he was a formidable opponent. He is good on his feet and he obviously has great intellectually capacity," Hebert said.
But Hebert added: "He was somewhat arrogant. I will say that. He would act like his side was so morally correct. He felt like his side was superior."
A lawyer for whom Cruz served as a mentor, perhaps less surprisingly, expresses outright admiration for the Texas junior senator. James Ho, a partner in the Dallas office of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, who succeeded Cruz as Texas solicitor general, believes that Cruz "elevated that office in a dramatic fashion and fundamentally changed it into a true leader across the nation." Cruz pursued "every opportunity in any case across the country to try to further his constitutional vision. He became a true role model for constitutional conservatives," Ho said. Although ambitious about his own career, Cruz took time to mentor other lawyers, including many in addition to Ho. "My point is that I benefited enormously from knowing him, but that is a boring story because lots of people have not only gotten to know him but are grateful that they have gotten to know him," Ho said.
For some opposing counsel, Cruz left little to no impression.
"He wasn't famous at the time, I don't remember meeting him," said Randall Kallinen, a Houston lawyer who opposed Cruz in litigation that pitted a self-identified atheist against Harris County, which had a Bible on display. Kallinen, however, does recall that his client, who objected to Bible display on constitutional grounds, won, and Cruz lost.
Chad Wilson Dunn, who opposed Cruz in redistricting litigation and also represents Democrats, said Cruz would not necessarily have been expected to leave a markedly unfavorable impression on his opposing counsel.
"A warrior on the other side of the battlefield isn't going to be in the best position to observe how loyal an opposing warrior is with his own troops," Dunn, a partner in Houston's Brazil & Dunn, said.
A lawyer typically only gains advantages from treating opposing counsel with respect. Behaving badly to them opens the doors for a gratuitously unsavory slugfest in the courtroom. Moreover, opposing counsel's impressions have long shelf lives. Those lawyers are the first one contacted as references during prospective career moves, Dunn said.
Anyone seeking professional references would also likely contact Cruz's former workmates, including Sean Jordan, now a partner in the Austin office of Jackson Walker who served under Cruz for more than five years in the solicitor general's office, including as deputy solicitor general. The pejorative comments that national political reporters are recounting about Cruz serve an agenda and don't paint a full enough picture, Jordan said. "A fair portrait is that there are varying reactions and experiences about how people felt about working for Ted, which is true of every solicitor general. I don't think it's true that nobody liked working with Ted. There were a number of people who liked working with him." Jordan includes himself in that camp. "The work we did was very important. That was his legacy. If people are being fair, he was very strong and effective leader. He was a person who was inspiring to work for. He made the work more enjoyable. He was excited about it."
Jordan, however, also recognizes that Cruz accrued detractors.
"I am confident that he rubbed some people the wrong way. If he thought it was a right policy, Ted is not the kind of guy who is going to back off and go away. Sometimes there were people in the AG's office who he no doubt rubbed the wrong the way. They would be like: 'Who does this guy think he is?'"
One of Cruz's opposing counsel shared an anecdote that would likely generate the who-does-he-think-he-is reaction from most lawyers - opposing or co-counsels.
The lawyer recalls getting a call from a staff member for Cruz shortly after Cruz assumed the role of solicitor general. The staff member asked this lawyer - who asked to remain unidentified - to hold the phone and wait for Cruz to get on. The lawyer did just that for about five minutes, got tired of waiting and hung up. The staff member called back and the same scenario replayed. When the staff member called a third time, Cruz more readily came on the line, but the future senator and presidential contender spent the first few minutes of the conversation chewing out his opposing counsel.
"How dare you hang up on a staff member of the Texas solicitor general?" the lawyer remembers Cruz said scoldingly.
Oh, the horror! He felt like his side was superior, unlike Democrats who are completely humble about assuming that their side has moral superiority.
As usual, they are taking virtue and beating the virtuous over the head with it.
I'd hang up in that situation. On the second call, I'd give the staffer my direct number and ask him to have Cruz call me himself when he was ready to talk. Judges can get away with that stuff, lawyers usually can't.
Heck of an endorsement.
So Ted is a good lawyer
It is the ‘Republicans’ in control now that don’t want Cruz. They cannot control him.
Any other questions you serfs need straightening out about - ask The Donald (he's kind of like the Great Carnak, of Johnny Carson's persona) will answer ALL questions serfs need, though they might not be the same answers as last week's or even yesterday's answers, lay no attention.
He'a got the answers, just ask him!
The GOP & Fox feel now is their moment - with Trump leaving the stage last night they attempted to marginalize Cruz and shove their candidates front and center.
I would really like to see Cruz & Trump call a cease fire and get back to peeing in the party’s punchbowl.
"Cruz pursued "every opportunity in any case across the country to try to further his constitutional vision. He became a true role model for constitutional conservatives."
Looking for the opportunity to restore our Constitutional Republic, while Donald Trump was lining the pockets of those who were shredding it.
I am guessing Cruz is out of Trump’s circle of trust. Before I was hoping he’d be Trump’s VP choice.
I liked Cruz before he hooked his wagon to Beck....not so much now, he seems smarmy.
That can be annoying, but you often see that from a lawyer who is a zealous advocate for his client.
I suppose ones point of view now depends upon who they supported in the first place.
Father knows best.
You mean just because the leftist media, RINO’s, & Trump said it; it isn’t true!?
Wow! I am so surprised!
I think you repeated yourself.
“Father” .....that’s too horrible to envision!
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