I should note at the outset of this post that I do not have very strong feelings one way or the other about Reince Priebus, who is currently seeking to replace Michael Steele as RNC chairman … Priebus may yet be found to be unsuitable for the job for any number of reasons, but this is not one of them.
But, besides that, it’s purely lawyer-esque and totally off the mark. Reince (Evidently Not Ready for Prime-Time) Priebus started the real furor when he immediately melted-down and had his law firm start scrubbing the website, despite the many screencaps. Are you serious? So much for his crisis management skills. I mean, really?
If there was nothing wrong, why try to hide it? Also, the argument that his firm was simply doing its lawyer-ly duty doesn’t wash. This was about client solicitation. As a partner and high-powered political player, Priebus’ name was listed as key contact and co-author on multiple Stimulus-related documents for a reason. Come on, guys. You have to do better than this, or find non-damaging ambulances to chase. Can you say, profiteering? I knew that you could!
So, what’s Priebus going to do when he next mis-speaks three times, calling for Obama’s execution, to earn Worst Person in the World honors from that idiot, Olbermann? Get Keif to scrub his show archives? Fast-forward to 2 minutes into this video for the audio. This is the guy to replace Steele if you think he’s gaffe prone?
Really?? Oh, okay. As I said on Twitter, Obama in 2012 looks better every time some prominent Republican starts making news.
Most of the furor in the blosophere today concerns whether or not Priebus actually did any work with clients on the stimulus bill or not; this all completely misses the point and illustrates that the people who are circulating this attack don’t really have the slightest clue what it is that lawyers do or what our obligations to our clients are. Which is certainly acceptable under ordinary circumstances; I would not want to know about a day in the life of a lawyer myself if my paycheck did not require me to do so. But in this case, the record really does need to be set straight.
BS. They were soliciting business, not simply servicing clients. And the general counsel of an RNC that was railing against the stimulus had no business being anywhere near a firm looking to enrich itself and its partners, of which Priebus is one, from Stimulus dollars. Not if they want people to believe there are actually principles involved in politics and politicians, today. Is that so much to ask? As an aside, I see the Redtsate post made no mention of this. I wonder why?
It’s also worth noting that during Priebus’ first cycle as the Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman, the party paid his law firm, Michael Best & Friedrich (MBF), $80,000 for unspecified “legal fees.” All payments were made from 10/31/2008-11/13/2008. A review of FEC reports found the only prior RPW payments to MBF occurred in the 2004 election cycle. By that accounting, Priebus’ so called two jobs aren’t separate at all. He seems more interested in using one hand to wash the other, at the expense of taxpayers and donors. There is nothing new in that kind of politics, and very little that’s good for America, or the GOP – especially now.