General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPam Bondi should lose her law license -- Sabrina Haake
Last edited Sun May 18, 2025, 08:40 AM - Edit history (1)
https://sabrinahaake.substack.com/p/pam-bondi-should-lose-her-law-licenseLawyers who work for the government have a duty to seek justice, whether facts lead to acquittal or conviction. For that reason, they are expected to avoid public statements displaying partiality because such statements undermine public trust in the legal system. The American Bar Association directs in Rule 3.6 that:
A lawyer who is participating in the investigation or litigation of a matter shall not make an extrajudicial (outside the court) statement that will be disseminated (publicly) and have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing (a case.)
In other words, try your case in court, not on TV. Only supported facts of evidence are allowed in a court room; demagoguery, and assertions of opinion unsupported by admissible evidence, are not allowed. That is why judges have frequently admonished Trump attorneys that statements to the press are not evidence.
Despite the clarity of the ABA rule, Bondi routinely argues pending cases in the media, particularly on Fox News, where she falsely asserts that it is up to Trump to decide what the law is. Every first year law student is taught that the judicial branch, not the executive, decides what the law is.
. . .
Other sections from Ms. Haake's post:
Bondis team abuses pleading rules
Bondi has turned the DOJ into Trumps personal law firm
Follow the dirty money
As I see it, Bondi has already met the threshold of bad faith for disbarment. An attorney who trashes the rule of law must know that eventually she will be barred from practicing it.
TheRickles
(3,119 posts)Commentaries like this post are very insightful, but ever since those big firms let themselves get extorted by doing pro bono work for Trump, there's been no sign of a strong institutional resistance - from state Bar Associations to the ABA, censure, disbarring, etc.. IANAL, but I haven't heard of any organized response yet.
erronis
(22,473 posts)I don't know how organized these firms are but I'm sure there is a lot of cross communications.
The Bar associations including the ABA are always very slow (cautious?) in their actions against their members.
Joyce Vance and others are supplying almost daily reports on groups that are standing up to the illegality of this regime's actions.
IronLionZion
(50,726 posts)government by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state.
Marcuse
(8,753 posts)
1-7.400 - Disclosure of Information
Concerning Ongoing Criminal, Civil, or Administrative Investigations
A. Any communication by DOJ personnel with a member of the media relating to a pending investigation or case must be approved in advance by the appropriate United States Attorney or Assistant Attorney General, or their designee, except in emergency circumstances. For administrative investigations not overseen by a United States Attorney or Assistant Attorney General, approval must be obtained from the Assistant Attorney General for Administration, or their designee. Where the investigation is being handled by the Office of the Inspector General, approval must come from the Inspector General, or their designee. Obtaining information from or related to the news media is covered by the Department's news media policy, 28 C.F.R. § 50.10.
B. DOJ generally will not confirm the existence of or otherwise comment about ongoing investigations.
Except as provided in subparagraph C of this section, DOJ personnel shall not respond to questions about the existence of an ongoing investigation or comment on its nature or progress before charges are publicly filed
C. When the community needs to be reassured that the appropriate law enforcement agency is investigating a matter, or where release of information is necessary to protect the public safety, comments about or confirmation of an ongoing investigation may be permissible, subject to the approval requirement in subparagraph A.
D. An investigating agency may not disclose to a member of the news media or general public its recommended charging decision in a criminal case without the approval of the appropriate United States Attorney or Assistant Attorney General overseeing the prosecution of the case, or their designee.
[updated February 2024]
https://www.justice.gov/jm/jm-1-7000-media-relations
madville
(7,834 posts)Its up to the state or states they are licensed in, anyone really think theres a snowballs chance that Florida would discipline her? They can quote ABA rules all day but they have no authority regarding law licenses or state bar associations.