City law firm's immigration video sparks an Internet firestorm

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | June 22, 2007 | Anya Sostek

[3AngelaD]

What started as a simple marketing video for Downtown law firm Cohen & Grigsby has resulted in an Internet firestorm encompassing tens of thousands of YouTube viewers, Lou Dobbs and the U.S. Secretary of Labor. The video features portions of Cohen & Grigsby's "Seventh Annual Immigration Law Update," held May 15 at the Pittsburgh Hilton, Downtown.

The segment of the video drawing all the attention is one in which lawyers from Cohen & Grigsby's highly regarded immigration practice advocate methods to comply with a law requiring employers prove that they have tried to find qualified American workers before applying for a green card for a foreign worker. The lawyers urge the audience, in so many words, to do exactly the opposite....

When Kim Berry, president of an organization called the Programmers Guild that opposes the issuance of visas to foreign workers...shortened the video from the version that he received..."I grabbed the two masters and edited it down, just to make it more convenient for the few hundred people I thought might want to watch it," he said. "I didn't expect it to get 44,000 hits in three days."

By the end of the weekend, political blogs of all stripes -- from DailyKos to National Review's The Corner -- had linked to the video...Yesterday, Cohen & Grigsby put out a statement that while the firm stands by the substance of the seminar, "we regret the choice of words that was used during a small segment of the seminar. It is unfortunate that these statements have been commandeered and misused..."

What made the video into such an Internet hit, said Mr. Berry, is that it validated long-held suspicions that he and others had been unable to substantiate.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Maybe you should restart your browser? Are you posting in the thread you think you are? This is not about Iraqi’s this is about weasel firms perverting the intent of H1-B.

[mewzilla]

Interesting little mention of the firm here...

Galaxies of stars are twinkling for George W. Bush

Scroll about halfway down the screen for the part that starts with...

LOOK WHO'S BACKING JACK.

[RightWhale]

Thanks for your concern. War is war.

[CHEE]

Thanks for the thread. Here is a list of e-mail addresses for the SCUM firm of Cohen & Grigsby.

[HiTech RedNeck]

When the error page comes up, add an “m” to the end of the URL then hit return.

[3AngelaD]

I emailed them last week with some pithy observations about people who have no loyalty and no scruples about screwing their fellow American citizens. I also mentioned the oath they took when admitted to the bar, which apparently they have all forgotten. The comments on the YouTube posting of the video are an entertaining read.

[CHEE]

Where is the other thread with this header? My stupid little machine can locate todays thread.

[3AngelaD]

I have been known to write ad copy, and I have an advanced degree in groveling.

[khnyny]

OK, here’s an obvious question which may have been answered by now:

What companies attended this law firm’s seminar? What companies currently employ this firm for H1B Visa legal advice????

The law firm is certainly at fault (total weasels), but the real culprits are the companies that hire the law firm and hire the illegals to save $$.

[HiTech RedNeck]

If it’s not these weasels it’s some other weasels. It’s an open secret. Congress seems to be living on Neptune or Pluto sometime for all its awareness of the rest of the world.

[RightWhale]

There is the clean bright side of commerce and life and there is the other side, the side where the seams show. The seamy side has always been there. Anybody who has ever driven over the speed limit even one mph should not be unaware.

[3AngelaD]

Great questions. The reporter for the Pittsburg paper should be consulted.

[khnyny]

If it’s not these weasels it’s some other weasels. It’s an open secret. Congress seems to be living on Neptune or Pluto sometime for all its awareness of the rest of the world.

I agree that virtually anyone who gets elected to Congress becomes isolated from the masses, so to speak. They become cut off from their constituency, but receive more and more influence from lobbying groups.

For instance, if you're Joe Schmoe from a Congressman's district, do you think you could get through his administrative staff and actually get an appointment to meet with said Congressman? Whereas, if you're Joe Hotshot with a leading lobbying group, your chances get a whole lot better.

The influence (and therefore the vote) comes from the money pot, not the people. Also, it can be subtle, as the lobbying groups provide manipulative "data" and "studies" which can convince people in government that the lobby group presenting this "data" is correct in it's assessments. Also, they are all friends, and most in Congress go on to work for the Beltway and K street bandits (revolving door).

[freekitty]

I know about that groveling degree; however when you reach a certain age; it doesn’t seem to matter; but speaking the truth feels a lot better. LOL

[gubamyster]

ping

[Gorzaloon]

But in order to fill the green card requirement that there are no qualified American candidates, the company needs to redo the job search — even though they already have somebody working in that position.

In other words, there is NO position, and the ad is a FRAUD that contemptuously wastes the time of the applicants.

But they are only Little People (spit).

As I posted on the earlier thread of this topic:

---

As a sarcastic exaggeration with a grain of truth, I submit this parody:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GROUNDSKEEPER WANTED -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Good working environment, friendly atmosphere, great benefits!

We need a team member who enjoys last-minute challenges in a fast-paced working environment.

Our preferred candidate will have a record of accomplishment in this dynamic field and who has five years experience.

PhD in Physics and a CAGS in Magnetohydrodynamics is preferred.

[litehaus]

"and I have an advanced degree in groveling."

Damn! And I;m just a 'drop out' from The Kennedy School of Driving n Diving...

[zeugma]

Ought to be posted every 6 hours IMO just to make sure it gets maximum eyeballs.

[B4Ranch]

>I have been known to write ad copy, and I have an advanced degree in groveling.<

Married, huh? How many years?

[TheLion]

The break down of our immigration laws start at the top.