Ex-President Clinton resigns from Supreme Court bar rather than fight suspension

AP ^ | 11/9/01 | ANNE GEARAN

[truthandlife]

Former President Clinton asked to resign from the Supreme Court bar Friday, rather than fight suspension or disbarment related to the Paula Jones sexual harassment investigation.

The high court suspended Clinton Oct. 1 as a follow-up to suspension of his law license in his home state of Arkansas. The high court gave Clinton until Friday to say why he should not be permanently barred from appearing before the high court as a lawyer.

Clinton lawyer David Kendall, in a letter to the court clerk, linked Clinton's request to the loss of his Arkansas law license.

On Jan. 19, a day before he left office, Clinton agreed to a 5-year suspension of the license and a $25,000 fine as part of a settlement that ended the Monica Lewinsky investigation. Independent Counsel Robert Ray agreed not to prosecute Clinton after he left office.

The agreement also satisfied the legal effort by the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct to disbar Clinton for giving misleading testimony in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case.

"In order to avoid the burden of litigation for all parties, to achieve an expeditious and definitive resolution, and in acknowledgment that his actions merited censure, former President Clinton agreed to the suspension and fine," Kendall wrote Friday.

The high court could act on Clinton's request as soon as Tuesday.

Supreme Court disbarment typically follows disbarment in lower courts, and is considered final. In a few cases, lawyers who have successfully regained their law licenses in lower courts have successfully won reinstatement at the Supreme Court. Likewise, Clinton could reapply if he regains his law license, in Arkansas or elsewhere, and keeps it blemish-free for three years.

Membership in the Supreme Court bar is largely ceremonial, but is regarded as an honor among lawyers. Membership requires a sponsor who is already a member, and who will vouch for the candidate's qualifications.

Clinton was admitted to the Supreme Court bar in 1977, when he was Arkansas attorney general. Like most lawyers admitted to the high court bar, Clinton has never argued a case before it.

[saminfl]

How about their honor and character? Oh, I forgot...we're talking about lawyers here.

Actually, I believe Peter Kessler is a lawyer. Anyone who can write what he wrote about Bubba has to be of good character.

[Joe_October]

Whoever it was that recommended him deserves to have his license double checked as well. Not as retaliation but they missed the qualifications for recommendation by a long shot.

[mombonn]

His lackeys made noise about the injustice of it all for the media's benefit, and then waited almost to the end of the time given to appeal before dropping the whole thing as quietly as possible.

On a FRIDAY afternoon - how very clintonian!

[Dengar01]

How sad for William the Impeached. Maybe he can become the owner of a strip club. Maybe he can become partners with Larry Flint. Oh the possibilities for the most moral president in the history of America < /sarcasm >

[AlGone2001]

Building his legacy?

[r9etb]

OK, here's the reason he quit: to have fought it out during W's war would have shown him up for what he really is (tip o' the hat to Peter. W. Kessler for providing the analysis on that).

Resignation is one time and out. It hurts and goes away.

A fight w/ the Supremes, OTOH, would have drug it out for all to see, and invited more than a few undesirable associations in the media and elsewhere.

It's still all about him.

[cksharks]

Way to go Peter. How ya been doing? Are you back in FL? Is your Hair still long? Smile :-))LOL

[Joe_October]

Richard Nixon was nowhere anything like the scumbags husband even in historical terms. He was a statesman and he loved america. The scumbag and her husband destroy anything and everything they get near. No comparison not even close....

Agreed. Nixon did what he did because he thought it was right for the country. He was wrong.

Clinton did what he did because the thought it was right for Clinton. He, too, was wrong.

[r9etb]

Yup. That's it.

No, I disagree with your use of the word "lump," which suggests some degree of substance. Might I suggest gelatinous splatter?

[nicmarlo]

bill clinton is a stinking lump of excrement from the lowest form of life on earth. He resides in a dank, fetid sewer of human filth and degradation, wallowing in the muck and bodily waste of other low forms of life.

MEGA DITTOS!!!!!
and may I add: self-serving, traitor, liar, rapist, and nihilist.

[aShepard]

READMITTED under sponsorship of a sympathetic liberal Democrat sponsor at a latter date.

Yeah, some reputable lawyer like Huge Rotham.

Hey Slick,wattsa matter, too chicken sh!t to face the music?

[Media2Powerful]

Shucks. I was really really REALLY looking forward to reading the liberal Justices try and twist this one.

[a_witness]

"In order to avoid the burden of litigation for all parties, to achieve an expeditious and definitive resolution, and in acknowledgment that his actions merited censure, former President Clinton agreed to the suspension and fine," Kendall wrote Friday.

His actions merited impeachment and removal from office at the very least but just let him go away and stop giving embarrassing public speeches that give aid and comfort to the enemy.

[The Real Deal]

Clinton could reapply if he regains his law license, in Arkansas or elsewhere, and keeps it blemish-free for three years.

This is really funny. As if Clintoon could keep, or has ever kept anything blemish-free.

[subterfuge]

All threads regarding this poor excuse for an American should start- "the fallen, disgraced, impeached rapist and former President Bill Clinton..."

FWIW

[karate kid]

I hope that they will refuse his resignation and go ahead and disbar him.

[M Kehoe]

There ARE consequences for felonious activities.

Just wish it was Leavenworth.

5.56mm

[Mia T]

In my opinion, you are too kind.

[jriemer]

Peter,

I'm not quite certain how you feel about Mr. Clinton...

8^)

[f.Christian]

It's still all about him.

THEM!

Ponzi-Bill...back to his legacy-kite tricks(race-class-religion warfare)---floating his boat-bridge once more.

Just like Jesse trying to jump start his parade and the USSC busted their bubba--stopped in their slop-spin-lies!

Pathetic--ponzi-taleban-bill--on his opus---New DemocRat---forever sunk--gone--busted!

Also...Amy Fisher/Monica---Mary Jo/America(slug in the face)---Bubbafucco/OJ...what a farce--best seller once too!!

The low trash/crash legacy--culture---good riddance!