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Where’s the congressional investigation…

By Michelle Malkin  •  June 3, 2008 08:15 AM

…of the corrupt trial lawyers who’ve poured millions into Democrat coffers? Oh, right. Never mind.

Via the Examiner:

A federal judge in Los Angeles yesterday sentenced Mel Weiss to 30 months in prison and ordered him to pay nearly $10 million in restitution and fines. The sentence was only three months short of the maximum allowable in a case that has previously seen guilty pleas by three of Weiss’ former senior partners at the Milberg Weiss law firm. The four confessed to paying more than $11.7 million in bribes to lead plaintiffs in at least 150 class-action lawsuits that generated an estimated $250 million in tainted legal fees, beginning in 1979, according to federal prosecutors. Earlier this year, former Weiss partner William Lerach was sentenced to two years in federal prison and two years of probation, plus fines and restitution totaling almost $8 million. Former senior partners David Bershad and Steven Schulman also pleaded guilty but have not yet been sentenced, as they continue to cooperate with prosecutors in the Justice Department investigation that began in 2000…

…Earlier this year at the Lerach sentencing, U.S. District Judge John Walter said “this whole conspiracy corrupted the law firm, and it corrupted it in the most evil way.” Lerach has said “everybody was paying plaintiffs.” Sooner or later, Congress is going to have to hold hearings to determine how deep the corruption goes in the plaintiffs’ bar. The problem here is that over the years, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., and many other prominent Democrats in Congress received millions of dollars in political contributions from Weiss, Lerach and others at the Milberg Weiss firm. That’s why hearings should be held soon, if only to prove the Democratic friends of Weiss and Lerach who now control Congress will no longer look the other way.

Posted in: Corruption, Democrats

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  1. #1
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:27 am, bloghooligan said:

    nothing to see here, move along…

  2. #2
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 am, josetheguerilla said:

    restitution and fines. The sentence was only three months short of the maximum allowable in a case that has previously seen guilty pleas by three of Weiss’ former senior partners at the Milberg Weiss law firm. The four confessed to paying more than $11.7 million in bribes to lead plaintiffs in at least 150 class-action lawsuits that generated an estimated $250 million in tainted legal fees,

    I love it when lawyers get caught, and go to jail. That’s where a quarter of them should be. Silky pony are paying attention?

  3. #3
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:28 am, WORK949 said:

    Ah, yes, this must be Ms. Pelosi’s “clean house.”

  4. #4
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 am, undrseige247 said:

    Only a 10 million dollar fine? It’s a slap on the wrist.

  5. #5
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 am, khan said:

    And another investigation in the works?

    link

  6. #6
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 am, backwoods conservative said:

    Democrats don’t do investigations of their own. They look for examples of similar bad behavior by others in an effort to rationalize it as being OK.

  7. #7
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:32 am, 30 pcs of silver said:

    That’s why hearings should be held soon, if only to prove the Democratic friends of Weiss and Lerach who now control Congress will no longer look the other way.

    How dare you? How dare you? This is the most ethical Congress evah! /sarc

  8. #8
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:32 am, josetheguerilla said:

    The problem here is that over the years, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., and many other prominent Democrats in Congress received millions of dollars in political contributions from Weiss, Lerach

    I wonder, who were the other ones who received money? Hmmmmmm.

  9. #9
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:49 am, lgm said:

    While you’re thinking about investigative Democrats, you might drop by talkingpointsmemo.com to see what Republicans were convicted yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and what they were convicted of and how that damaged the country.

  10. #10
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:49 am, abstractmind said:

    Most. Corrupt. Congress. Ever.

    I always find it nice how Demoncraps are the first to accept money, and the first to point out when someone outside their party does the same thing.

    Have some hypocritical arugula for breakfast, Congress. It cleans out the colon faster than a burrito with extra guacamale sauce.

    And, queue the trolls with “Well, Republicans have done worse, and really, this is all the presidents fault” in tres…..dos….uno…

  11. #11
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:50 am, nyc123me said:

    Good luck with that.

  12. #12
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:51 am, TC said:

    That’s why hearings should be held soon

    Don’t hold your breath.

  13. #13
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:53 am, WarTip said:

    Ten million in fines, 250 million in fees, with good behavior and 240 million (give or take) in “profits” … life is not nearly as bad for these criminals as it should be.

    What was that our Founding Fathers said about not allowing people of title to hold office?

  14. #14
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 9:00 am, MikeOK said:

    In 40 years of asbestos torts, it is estimated that 60% of the settlement money collected for asbestosis victims has gone into the pockets of lawyers.

    Tort lawyers are, as a whole, the most corrupt professional group in America. If any group deserves a “windfall profits tax,” it is surely them.

    And that tort lawyers have been one of the Democratic party’s biggest and most loyal supporters says alot about the ethics of Democrats.

  15. #15
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 9:01 am, abstractmind said:

    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:49 am, lgm said:

    right on time.

    could you just do me a favor, lgm, and actually stay on the topic. Yes, republicans do boneheaded things.

    Here’s a news flash:

    T H I S T H R E A D I S A B O U T S O M E T H I N G E L S E.

    I know you hate all of us here, but the least you can do is not ruin my morning coffee by proving me right in the first 10 seconds of posting.

    Either call the democrats that DID this what they are, or if you please, just not say anything. Repetetively saying “well, they did this” while actively NOT denouncing what these morons are doing makes you look foolish and childish.

  16. #16
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 9:20 am, JHSII said:

    You know, this doesn’t help Michelle Obama’s children…

  17. #17
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 9:22 am, JHSII said:

    and. of course, trollboy (lgm) blames the Republicans for democrat corruption…

    :roll:

  18. #18
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 9:47 am, Boomer said:

    What do you call 2,000 lawyers at the bottom of the sea? A good start! That William Shakespeare guy was really on to something when he penned the line about killing all the lawyers. I remember one of my College professors when I earned my Engineering Degree always talking about shutting down all the law schools in the country for about 10 years to help thin the herd of what he called bottom feeders. He was one of the few academic professionals I met that had not been subverted by the Liberal mindset.

  19. #19
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 10:06 am, docflash said:

    lgm,other than being able to call your views in on a dime,do you agree ALL of the incumbents should be voted out,or not?

  20. #20
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 10:10 am, Yashmak said:

    Democrats don’t do investigations of their own. They look for examples of similar bad behavior by others in an effort to rationalize it as being OK.

    - backwoods conservative

    Heh, just 3 comments later, and along comes lgm doing exactly what you’re describing:

    While you’re thinking about investigative Democrats, you might drop by talkingpointsmemo.com to see what Republicans were convicted yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and what they were convicted of and how that damaged the country.

    - lgm

    pathetic

  21. #21
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 10:28 am, DBNinKY said:

    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:30 am, backwoods conservative said:

    Democrats don’t do investigations of their own. They look for examples of similar bad behavior by others in an effort to rationalize it as being OK.

    Ditto that, BC!

    To most Democrats, rationalization and equivocation are both the same thing - a means to “keep on keeping-on” with a clear conscience and the ability to fall-back on the tired old excuse of “Well, the Republicans are doing it!” when called on it.

    It’s a pathetic practice, and it’s wearing thin on the voters patience! Besides, I thought Pelosi promised this to be the most ethical Congress ever witnessed in American politics?

  22. #22
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 10:35 am, backwoods conservative said:

    What the Democrats don’t understand about Republicans is we don’t stand in the way of one of our own taking the punishment for bad behavior. We don’t condone bad behavior, and prefer our people not engage in it.

    The whole personal responsibility thing escapes the liberal way of thinking. I don’t care whose side you’re on, if you do something that’s not right, you’ve got to suffer the consequences.

  23. #23
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 am, fourstringfuror said:

    Do I really have to repeat myself here? lgm, you are not only insufferable, you must have brain damage.

    On June 2nd, 2008 at 2:51 pm, fourstringfuror said:
    Man, you are insufferable.
    +1

    lgm, you couldn’t stay on point if your depended on it.

    War criminals vs. private citizen

    War crimes vs. free speech

    Muslims who want you dead simply for existing vs. one man who wants to stop them

    Get a life. Get a hobby. Get a girlfriend. Get something, but stop being such a jerk.

    Go play in the road.

  24. #24
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 10:40 am, FirstSkirt said:

    Thanks, MM, for publishing this information. Whenever dems are involved in corruption (which is often), the mainstream media rarely mentions the party affiliation unless it is in the middle somewhere likely to be overlooked. If it’s a Republican, it’s in the HEADLINE. Trollboy (LGM) is just doing what all good dems do, per Pelosi’s example.

  25. #25
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 11:38 am, spo-con said:

    Looks like LGM woke up a little early from his pot nap.

  26. #26
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 11:39 am, jt3151 said:

    In 40 years of asbestos torts, it is estimated that 60% of the settlement money collected for asbestosis victims has gone into the pockets of lawyers.

    I have a client that is on the asbestos defendents list, which means that their name is attached to hundreds of lawsuits, whether they have any connection to the plaintiff or not, which is 99.99% of the time. They have to defend every one and they never lose, but it will eventually drive them out of businesss. Most of these lawsuits are filed in Madison County Illinois, home of the dumbest juries on the planet.

  27. #27
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 12:30 pm, jtex said:

    Most of these lawsuits are filed in Madison County Illinois, home of the dumbest juries on the planet.

    Obviously you’ve never heard of Nueces County, Texas. Lawyers will tell you that a case brought here will bring approx. 75% more from a judgement than most other parts of the country. This place is notorious for it’s jury awards. That’s one of the reasons that a lot of companies wont consider moving here, that and the fact that we have a population with a poor work ethic.
    Lawsuits against auto makers are a nightmare down here.

    .

  28. #28
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 12:42 pm, Texas Tiger said:

    lgm:

    You shouldn’t cheese and type. Let your kitty out of his harness and go teach class.

  29. #29
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 12:43 pm, Misscheryl said:

    lgm said:
    While you’re thinking about investigative Democrats, you might drop by talkingpointsmemo.com to see what Republicans were convicted yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and what they were convicted of and how that damaged the country

    Jeeze lgm - I swear you like a friggin kid! Yes, Democrats don’t have the corner on the market of unethical - there are crooked republicans too - BIG DEAL!

    Geeze will you grow the heck up!

  30. #30
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 12:49 pm, Dimsdale said:

    On June 3rd, 2008 at 8:49 am, lgm said:

    While you’re thinking about investigative Democrats, you might drop by talkingpointsmemo.com to see what Republicans were convicted yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, and what they were convicted of and how that damaged the country.

    So politicians are politicians. The point you are missing is that Republicans hold their reps to a higher standard than Democrats. Actually, a criminal charge is a resume enhancer for Democrats, whereas you will likely never see the convicted Republican again.

    Yeah, yeah, you will cite the lone example of the pants down weasel Craig, but do you really think anyone here supports him? Staying was HIS choice, not the Republican’s. Will he get reelected? I doubt it. Bad politicians should rot in jail, regardless of party.

    Then you look at Jefferson, Studds etc. and see the difference.

    For a more direct comparison, compare what happened to Trent Lott and Chris Dodd for analogous transgressions.

    Try diversifying, man! Using only lefty sites for reference is limiting at best, and just plain biased at worst.

  31. #31
    On June 3rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm, jlhudg23 said:

    Surely this surprises no one…

  32. #32
    On June 4th, 2008 at 6:22 pm, Danceswithdachshunds said:

    I can’t recall where I learned that somewhere around 90% of the PAC money from the ATLA, (American Trial Lawyers Association), goes toward democrat election campaigns. Say goodnight tort reform.

    On talk radio a while back a trial lawyer was on as a guest regarding a personal injury case that resulted in an ENORMOUS jury award against some company who was found 10% responsible, (but they were the only deep pockets in sight, yada). This topic was about the percentage of the award that this lawyer got, something like 35% of around $40 million.

    And his explanation for collecting such an outrageous fee for only a few months work? He said as though he ACTUALLY BELIEVED HIMSELF that, because there are so many trial lawyers around, each one doesn’t get a case very often so they HAVE TO get these huge fees in order to survive! Obviously this guy diligently studied the liberal’s handbook on supply and demand.

    99% of lawyers in general really do give the other 1% a bad name ..

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File under: Most ethical Congress ever.


Categories: Corruption, Democrats


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