DISBARMENT OF CLINTON

The Disbarring of Clinton-it's the first time ever for a sitting President.

Ex-Nun To Argue Clinton Disbarment

By James Jefferson
Associated Press Writer
Friday, June 30, 2000; 8:00 p.m. EDT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-The woman selected to argue that President Clinton isn't fit to be a lawyer is a former nun who this year had an Arkansas judge removed from office. Bob's note: What delicious irony. This anti-religious fake-Baptist serial-rapist is going to be prosecuted by a former nun!

The Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct selected Marie-Bernarde Miller of Little Rock to handle its case against Clinton. A lawsuit seeking Clinton's disbarment was filed Friday in state court.

Bob's note: The following information comes from the UPI June 30, 2000 article about the disbarment action.

The Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct filed the official complaint based on "serious misconduct" during his 1998 deposition in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case. The disbarment action was based on complaints filed by the Southeast Legal Foundation and the U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright. President Clinton has 30 days to respond.

In its May 22 report, the committee said a majority of the panel determined that Clinton had violated two provisions of the Arkansas Model Rules of Professional Conduct.

"This action is being taken against the respondent attorney as a result of the formal complaints referenced above and the findings by a majority of the committee that certain of the attorney's conduct as demonstrated in the complaints constituted serious misconduct in violation of Model Rules 8.4(c) and 8.4(d) of the Arkansas Model Rules of Professional Conduct," the committee stated.

Rule 8.4(c) forbids Arkansas lawyers from engaging in deceit, and Rule 8.4(d) forbids conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.

In April 1999, Wright held Clinton in civil contempt of court for giving "false, misleading and evasive" answers in the Jan. 17, 1998 deposition. In her order, the judge said Clinton's answers were "designed to obstruct the judicial process."

Clinton lied about the sexual relationship he had been having with Monica Lewinski, a former White House Intern. He also lied about lowering his pants while Governor of Arkansas and asking Paula Jones to "kiss it". She was a low paid Civil Servant employed by Arkansas and thought when Clinton sent for her to visit his hotel room that she was going to be offered a job. Clinton continued to threaten her in the months that followed. Finally she sued. Clinton settled for $850,000 for something he said that he didn't do. If he didn't do it then why did he settle?

A judge has yet to be assigned to the case. Judge John Ward, whom Clinton appointed to a chancery court position in 1989, was given the case Friday by stepped aside immediately. The court closed before a new judge could be named.

Whoever presides will oversee the gathering of evidence and the trial. The judge alone will decide whether Clinton should be allowed to practice law. Either side can appeal the judge's decision to the state Supreme Court.

With appeals, it is unlikely the case will be resolved before Clinton leaves office.

Miller is a graduate of the all-girl Mount St. Mary Academy at Little Rock and was a member of the Roman Catholic Religious Sisters of Mercy from the early 1970's to 1986. She has since worked for a civil rights attorney, the Pulaski County prosecutor's office and been a former state assistant attorney general.

The professional conduct committee hired her June 7-a week after the state Supreme Court upheld the ouster of Pulaski County Circuit Judge Morris Thompson, who was accused of practicing law while a judge, writing bad checks and failing to pay income taxes.

She has declined interview requests that go beyond her confirming her appointment.

Thompson's replacement, Little Rock lawyer Leon Johnson, could hear the case against Clinton. He now has a 1-in-7 shot.

James Badami, director of the judicial discipline panel, said he hired Miller for the Thompson case because of her reputation as a hard-driving trial lawyer.

"She's professionally competent and very hard-working," Badami said. "She had the credentials to do the job-extensive trial experience, a very good professional reputation for competency and ability as an attorney, and a reputation for being tenacious and always doing the right thing."

Miller, 48, earned a bachelor's degree in American government in 1975 from Maryville College in St. Louis and a law degree from the University of Kansas in 1984. Bob's note: Wouldn't it be just wonderful for this midwestern former nun to nail a Yale graduate?

© Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.