Posted on 11/06/2006 9:21:49 AM PST by abner
Lawyer Accuses Murphy Of Fraud On Her Resume
By: WILLIAM MULGREW, The Evening Bulletin 11/06/2006
A Villanova University law professor accused Democratic congressional candidate Lois Murphy of committing fraud on her professional resume by taking sole credit for the published works of other authors. Professor Patrick Brennan made the charges during a phone conference organized by the Jim Gerlach campaign, Lois Murphy's opponent in Pennsylvania's 6th Congressional District. On her resume, available on-line at her law firm of Heckscher, Teillon, Terrill & Sager, Murphy takes credit for a law journal article she didn't author, followed by three other publications that she either co-authored or provided consultation. Nowhere does she give credit to the other authors.
"I can say based on my experience as a faculty [member] involved in hiring professors, if we received a resume in this way, that person would be disqualified.... It's done to make one appear accomplished and able. Lois is taking credit for what she didn't do," said Brennan, who previously served as a vice dean for the Arizona University College of Law.
Amy Bonitatibus, the communications director for the Lois Murphy campaign, denied any wrongdoing, and said that employers wouldn't assume that Murphy was the sole author. She said the burden is on employers to properly review the resume, "Anyone that's interested in [the resume] would look into it and see the other authors." "This is the Gerlach campaign trying to do everything to smear Lois' character," Bonitatibus added.
The difficulty lies in whether Murphy provided improper citation or deliberately took credit for the work of others. Brennan asserts that, as a former counsel for the U.S. Justice Department and adjutant professor at Temple University School of Law, she should be well aware of the "customs and usages and canons that govern professional representation."
In the "Published Works" section of her resume, Murphy lists "Webster v. Reproductive Health Services," and that it was published in the American Journal of Law and Medicine in 1989. However, the actual article that appeared in that journal was "Webster and Women's Equality." Murphy is not an author, but the article summarizes a National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL) amicus curiae brief from the Webster vs. Reproductive Health Services case. As a former member of NARAL, Murphy did co-author that brief, but when it was published in a 1989 issue of the Yale Journal of Law and Liberation, she lists it in her resume without mentioning any of the seven other authors. "She is running for Congress on the idea of honoring dignity in Congress, did she intend to do this by lying about her professional experience and lying about who she is? This is unethical and outright fraud," Brennan said. In the remaining two works Murphy lists on her resume, both publications of NARAL, she was at least one of six authors for either piece.
Brennan noted that this is something the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) would likely move against, but admitted that he wasn't sure whether he would file a complaint or not. Rule 8.4(c) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct states that it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to "engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation." The Pennsylvania Bar Association was unavailable for comment.
John Gentzel, the communications director for the Gerlach campaign, said that he learned of Brennan from several lawyers connected to the campaign. Brennan is neither a paid or unpaid volunteer for the Gerlach campaign, nor a donor.
Temple University School of Law issued the following statement: "Lois Murphy taught the Integrated Transactional Practice course as an adjunct professor during the fall 2003 semester. She was asked to teach the course based on her area of legal practice. We cannot speak to the validity of any claims concerning Ms. Murphy's publications."
©The Evening Bulletin 2006
I need to get this information out there! This article is from today.... Does anyone have a good PA ping list? I don't.
I know you will be terribley shocked to learn of a Democrat lying on her resume by taking credit for someone else's work.
She also lied in TV ads about Gerlach (about voting for pay raises and against body armor) that she had to pull, but the damage got done.
Yea, it is just shocking!
NOT!
Yes, it would have. But I guess we have to work with what we are handed@!
Shameless liar! In other words, Murphy lied and it's up to the employers to find the lies. The old "it's only a lie if you get caught" defense that I used to hear from my middle school students.
You're either an author or a co-author. If you're a co-author, you have to specifically credit the other authors. Anything less is a lie of ommission.
Ping for PA.
I tend to think that the burden is on the applicant to be honest on the resume, which this woman clearly was not.
This is why she can't win! She has no problem just lying over and over and over.
Thanks!
Hi FRiend! I don't have a PA list, but I'll ping my biggest "Misc" list which includes FReepers from all over the country...
I'll ping "holdonnow" also...
Thanks for the heads up on this one, Bigg Red.
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.
She has been incapable of telling the truth for the entire campaign. It has been very frustrating.
You are so wonderful! Thank you!
Gerlach will win this race but the result won't be official until sometime Wednesday or even later. Murphy will call for a recount.
Breaking news ping! (PA election)
I think he will win too. He has so many supporters here in Chester County.
I hope you are wrong about the recount thing.
Now, why doesn't this surprise me?
Bless you for making me aware of this one.
I have been amazed that the party of Bill Clinton has the audacity to lecture anyone about "corruption" and/or morals.
Nancee
Glad to help out! :o)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.