From: http://www.ardemgaz.com/today/ark/A1yclinton19.html Clinton Body Count http://etherzone.com/body.html Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Friday, May 19, 2000 Six are left to determine license case of Clinton By MICHAEL ROWETT Five more members of the Arkansas Supreme Court committee that will decide whether President Clinton keeps his Arkansas law license have recused from participating in the matter, committee officials confirmed Thursday. The latest recusals were from Committee on Professional Conduct members Bart Virden of Morrilton and Dr. Patricia Youngdahl of Little Rock and Alternate Committee on Professional Conduct members Dr. Rose Word of Pine Bluff, Rita Mitchell-Harvey of Little Rock and Harry Truman Moore of Paragould. These recusals bring to eight the number of recusals out of the combined committees' membership of 14. Members of the alternate committee normally substitute for regular committee members who recuse themselves from a matter or are unavailable. Three lawyer members of the alternate committee will serve with the three remaining members of the regular committee to make a panel of six, regular committee Chairman Ken Reeves of Harrison, a lawyer, said Thursday. He said the latest recusals came several months ago, but he wasn't sure of the dates. Committee Executive Director James A. Neal of Little Rock declined to provide copies of any recusal letters but confirmed that Virden, Youngdahl, Word and Mitchell-Harvey had recused. Moore, a lawyer, said Thursday that he accepted the state Supreme Court's appointment to the alternate committee with the understanding that he would recuse from the Clinton matter. The committee meets today, but the session is closed to the public and the agenda is not disclosed. Neither Reeves nor Neal would comment on whether it is about the Clinton matter. Under rules governing the committee, a quorum of four members is required to conduct business. A vote to sanction Clinton would require support from four of the six members who will consider the matter. If the committee votes to impose a caution, a reprimand, a suspension or disbarment, the decision would not be announced by the committee for at least 30 days, but either Clinton or the foundation that filed the complaint against Clinton could release it earlier, Reeves said. Youngdahl, a psychologist, and Virden, a lawyer, have contributed $1,925 and $625, respectively, to the campaigns of Democratic candidates or the Arkansas Democratic Party, according to a review of federal campaign contribution databases by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Moore replaces David Solomon, a Helena lawyer, whose term expired in March. Solomon contributed $1,000 to Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign and $2,250 to other Democratic candidates over 10 years. A review of contribution databases Thursday by the Democrat-Gazette showed that Moore has contributed $5,200 to Democratic candidates and campaign committees since 1992. Moore's contributions include $500 to Clinton's 1992 presidential campaign, $1,000 to Clinton's 1996 campaign and $1,000 to Vice President Gore's 2000 presidential bid. "I knew questions would come up about my past connections and contributions to Clinton because I've been a longtime Clinton supporter," Moore said. "I didn't feel it would be appropriate for me to participate in this matter." No campaign contributions were reported for Mitchell-Harvey, owner of a women's clothing store, or Word, whose occupation wasn't available. Matthew Glavin, president of the Southeastern Legal Foundation of Atlanta, which filed the original ethics complaint in September 1998 seeking the president's disbarment, commended the members who recused. The complaint filed by the committee against Clinton in February is based on the foundation's complaint and an April 1999 referral from Chief U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright of Little Rock. "It is heartening to know that Arkansas committee members who have recused themselves for apparent or perceived political reasons are helping to maintain the integrity of this process," Glavin said. "It is especially gratifying to see that attorneys on the committee, who are held to a higher ethical standard, are recusing themselves despite the absence of any obvious political taint. We believe these actions will help keep this process above reproach," he said. Virden said his contributions to Democratic congressional candidates Blanche Lincoln and Vic Snyder had nothing to do with his decision to recuse. He said he recused out of concern for the committee's reputation for integrity, which he said has been unfairly questioned by the foundation and in Democrat-Gazette editorials calling for Virden and others who contributed to Democratic causes to recuse. "There are two reasons, in a nutshell," Virden said. "One is, I didn't want to provide any kind of further ammunition for [the foundation] or the likes of your editorial board," Virden said. "And second, I think how [the foundation] is using the committee and the committee's procedure is wrong. "This has nothing to do with my feelings about the merits of the complaint," Virden said. He said that since he recused, he hasn't read any of the materials sent to the committee by either the foundation or the president. He said it's obvious that the foundation's complaint against the president is politically motivated, and the foundation's stated reasons of protecting the rule of law are "ludicrous." "I doubt there's anyone over the age of 4 in Arkansas who believes that's what they're trying to do," Virden said. Mitchell-Harvey and Youngdahl didn't return telephone messages seeking comment on their reasons for recusing. Word's phone number is unlisted. Alternate Committee member Dick Hatfield of Little Rock, a lawyer who has contributed $10,250 to Democratic causes, including $1,500 to Clinton's two presidential campaigns, recused from the Clinton case in early February. Regular committee members Carlton Bailey of Fayetteville, a law professor at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville School of Law, and Richard A. Reid of Blytheville, a lawyer, also recused in February. Reid had contributed $700 to a Democratic congressional candidate and the state Democratic Party. No contributions from Bailey were listed in the databases. Federal campaign contribution databases report contributions of $200 or more. No contributions to Republican candidates or the Republican Party were listed for any of the 14 members of the regular or alternate committees. The formal complaint against Clinton accuses him of violating Rule 8.4 (c), which forbids Arkansas lawyers from engaging in deceit, and Rule 8.4 (d), which forbids conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. The committee could take no action, issue letters of reprimand, suspend Clinton's license or initiate disbarment proceedings in circuit court. From there, a case could be appealed to the state Supreme Court. The committee's deliberations are held in secret unless the lawyer requests a public hearing. Section 4 (C) of the rules states that when a letter of caution, reprimand or suspension becomes final under the procedures, the information is filed as a public record with the state Supreme Court clerk's office in Little Rock. But if the committee votes to take no disciplinary action against a lawyer, the executive director notifies only the complainant and the lawyer. A monthly report of dismissed cases is filed in the clerk's office by docket number only. For sanctions less than disbarment -- caution, reprimand or suspension of a lawyer's license to practice -- Clinton could request a public hearing before the committee. If the committee declines to change its decision at the hearing, Clinton could appeal the decision directly to the state Supreme Court. If the committee votes to initiate disbarment proceedings against Clinton, the vote is filed in circuit court, and Clinton isn't allowed a public hearing before the committee. The matter is referred to a circuit judge, who can affirm the committee's sanction, impose a lesser or greater sanction or no sanction at all. The circuit judge's decision could be appealed to the state Supreme Court by either Clinton or the professional conduct committee. Glavin has characterized Clinton's response to the formal complaint as "a pathetic attempt to defend the indefensible." The foundation has not provided a copy of Clinton's response, but Glavin said that Clinton admitted making misleading statements while arguing for 50 pages that he did not commit perjury. Clinton's argument, which favored a reprimand rather than suspension or disbarment, cited his service as governor of Arkansas and president as a mitigating factor. The foundation contends that Clinton's office should actually be an "aggravating factor" because the American Bar Association's guidelines provide for lawyers in public office to be held to higher standards. David Kendall, the president's personal attorney, said last week that the foundation's public discussion of its complaint against Clinton is "just another part of the long-running partisan mudslinging campaign against the president." The original complaint was filed jointly Sept. 15, 1998, by the foundation and L. Lynn Hogue, chairman of its legal advisory board. Hogue, a licensed Arkansas lawyer, is a law professor at Georgia State University. Clinton, a former law professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, has been licensed to practice law in his home state since 1973 but has not done so since 1981-82 between his first two terms as governor. This article was published on Friday, May 19, 2000 Copyright � 2000, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. ================================================================= Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *Mike Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ~~~~~~~~ <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day. ================================================================= <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. 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