Harriet Miers at Center of Investment Fraud (Slander alert)

Worldnetdaily.com ^ | 10/05/2005 | Jerome Corsi

[SirLinksalot]

This editorial is from the same guy who wrote the book that help defeat John Kerry -- UNFIT FOR COMMAND.

I don't know if this is to be believed or not.

Any comments/thoughts/rebuttals welcome.

[Rodney King]

On Sept. 18, 2000, Denise Voigt Crawford, the Texas Securities Commissioner, was able to announce that Russell Allen Erxleben had been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Nowlin to a total of 84 months in federal prison, a $1 million fine, and $28 million in restitution in connection with his conviction for one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, mail fraud and money laundering, and a second count of securities fraud in connection with his activities as president of Austin Forex International, Inc.

84 months? One legitimate complaint that Jesse Jackson et. al. have is the fact that if a black kid robs someone of a few hundred bucks, they get longer in jail than people who steal millions.

[fizziwig]

"if a black kid robs someone of a few hundred bucks, they get longer in jail than people who steal millions"

Same goes for a white kid. Its true, the more you steal the less time you do.

Corsi better have his facts straight. I trusted him and Oneill regarding Kerry and until proven otherwise, I will trust him on this.

[Rodney King]

When the case naming the law firm as a defendant surfaced in 1999, Harriet Miers was almost as brave in support of Locke, Liddell & Sapp as President George W. Bush was of her in his Rose Garden press conference defense of his nomination. "Locke Liddel has done nothing improper and in our judgment never should have been named as a defendant," she told the press at the time.

OK, everyone here knows that I have been a vocal critic of Miers, but I will defend here here. Partnerships can be dangerous sometimes. All of the partners of a firm will be hit hard if one partner does something wrong. If one partners was determined to engage in this kind of behavior, there is no way that the firm could have stopped him/her.

Now, it is possible that there were red flags, and associates going to Meirs telling her of the illegal work. If that is the case, then that would be a problem. But absent that, we can't assume that the illegal work of one partner should be blamed on her.

As for her defending the firm against the charge, that's her job.

[Sam Hill]

"This editorial is from the same guy who wrote the book that help defeat John Kerry -- UNFIT FOR COMMAND."

It would be more accurate to say he had a hand in assembling and editing some of the material.

[Mamzelle]

hoo-boy. Here we go...

[Libertina]

IT have you weighed in yet on this?

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

Notice something missing from this article? Like the, um, relevant fact as to whether Miers was a partner who actually worked on the Austin Forex matter?

Smear.

[traderrob6]

Have disagreed with you on Miers from the start but I, for one, appreciate your integrity

[Mamzelle]

Ping. We are now officially knee-deep in aligators.

[Rodney King]

thanks.

[sinkspur]

This editorial is from the same guy who wrote the book that help defeat John Kerry -- UNFIT FOR COMMAND.

He also came on Free Republic and, using his real name, trashed the Catholic Church about a year ago. His comments here were used by the Kerry Campaign.

[Rodney King]

Sorry for all my typos above.

[sinkspur]

We are now officially knee-deep in aligators.

Nah. Read Rodney King's comment above. Corsi is smearing an entire firm for the actions of one partner.

[Mamzelle]

I know it's a smear. That doesn't make the alligators go away.

[TNPatriot]

Jerry doesn't post here anymore...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/user-posts?name=jrlc

[p. henry]

As you can see from my other recent posts, I am not supportive of this nomination. However, to attack Miers on the basis of this civil lawsuit is off the mark. I am familiar with lawsuits of this sort. Most such suits against law and accounting firms are little more than deep pocket searches by amoral plaintiff class action attorneys. It is very unlikely that any attorney in her firm had any knowledge of the fraud or any reason to believe the fraud was taking place.

[MortMan]

Thank you for your candor and fairness. I have been a "wait and see" FReeper. I add my voice to yours, saying that she needs to address this issue, but she will hopefully be able to truthfully and effectively show she was not involved.

[green iguana]

I don't know if this is to be believed or not.

I once applied for a job with Austin Forex (never heard back from them) and I followed this case quite closely when it broke. All of the factual details given above seem correct to me. What isn't said is the level of Miers' involvement with Austin Forex other than her being the managing partner who was chosen to be a spokesperson for the press.

[handy]

Managing a law firm that advises a Ponzi scheme on how best to defraud investors of $33 million is hardly an admirable credential for confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court.

I'm very disappointed so far in Miers because I wanted a Scalia clone. But.......

That sentence sounds like a very cheap shot. If it was true, one of the firm's lawyers should also be in jail. If they were, you would expect the article to say so. I seriously doubt that the law firm actually instructed their client on how best to steal the money. "Listen up, this is how we are gonna rip off all the old people. Sounds far fetched.

This guy is making the case that the lawyers not only knew what was going on, but that they were in some way the masterminds, and that Miers had some sort of full knowledge. Exaggeration like that raises doubts, for me anyway.

handy