He tells me he is an elected official. He said he did some bad things.
He gave huge sums of cash to the head the State's largest union. That union head and the union itself endorsed his candidacy. He's worried about bribery and vote-purchasing charges.
To make matters worse, he and the union head then negotiated a deal for the union involving public money. There are a large number of emails they exchanged on the subject, and their nefarious plans are detailed in those emails. He is worried about conspiracy and misappropriation of public assets charges.
"What should I do?" he nervously asked me.
"Relax." I said. "This is easy. Just have sex with the head of the union. That makes the whole thing a personal matter and no one is allowed to even consider what you've done."
My advice to him worked. Read how the story ended here.
While the story about the conversation is parody, the underlying facts of the politician's case are real.
Good grief.
Being an officer of the court, the maxim is innocent until PROVEN guilty...is it not? Also, wouldn't you at least need a little proof for these types of charges? And, if he did come into your law office, looking for advice, and you gave it to him, then he would be your client subject to the lawyer/client privilage and you could be disbarred for you shamelful telling of his plight. Also, wouldn't it make you an accessory to the crime if you advised him on how to defraud the people?
This is not a good post Tommy.
Posted by: ambrosiajr | March 19, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Rick did you miss the line about this being a parody?
Posted by: Tommy De Seno | March 19, 2009 at 02:08 PM
Nope...but you made some fairly strong allegations in your "parody" that just doesn't seem all that fair. You're a big supporter of the right to privacy, yes? Then why shouldn't this man and his girlfriend have the same right as you or me not to share our personal emails with the world? I think this whole thing is just a crock of crap that was thought up by some windbag republicans to needle the Governor...and trust me, I'm no fan of Corzine, but I don't like to see anyone get skewered for wanting a private life to go along with his public life. Its just fair.
Posted by: ambrosiajr | March 19, 2009 at 02:22 PM
Let me see if I understand Rick.
If I am a Republian's campaign manager, can I tell him it is to drop off large cash gifts to the head of each union in New Jersey?
Are you saying that would be legal?
Posted by: Tommy De Seno | March 19, 2009 at 02:31 PM
It was his girlfriend...doesn't that count? He gave her a gift...and because he's extremely wealthy, he gave her a huge gift.
Are you saying he can't give a gift to his girlfriend? I don't think my marriage would have lasted as long as it did if I didn't give out the little gifts once in a while.
Posted by: ambrosiajr | March 19, 2009 at 02:34 PM
But we are talking about legal standards, Rick.
So you make the parody come true.
My client the politician can give gifts to union bosses, so long as he has sex with them.
In some legal circles they might say the sex makes the conflict of interest only greater, but under your legal standard, it makes it all OK.
Posted by: Tommy De Seno | March 19, 2009 at 02:46 PM
I would say you are right if the circumstances were just about sex and money. He had a long term relationship with his girlfriend....and would have, no matter what she did for a living. If he was just having sex to get away with something, then you would be right...but that's not the case here. He's entitled to a private life.
Posted by: ambrosiajr | March 19, 2009 at 03:02 PM
So what's the legal standard - sex only is not OK - buy her dinner and you're off the hook?
You must see that it should not make it better that they are lovers - it makes the conflict of interest worse.
Posted by: Tommy De Seno | March 19, 2009 at 03:09 PM