DU ACTIVISM: Disbar John O'Neill!!!

From Daily Kos
Posted by JLFinch on Tue Nov 23rd, 2004 at 21:33:43 PST
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/11/24/03343/964

Force John O'Neill to be accountable for the accuracy of his public statements:

John E. O'Neill
CLEMENTS O'NEILL PIERCE WILSON ET AL
1000 LOUISIANA ST STE 1800
HOUSTON, TX, 77002
phone (713) 654-7604
Bar Card Number: 15297500

John E. O'Neill, author of Unfit for Command, is an attorney licensed and practicing in Texas.

According to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct:

Rule 8.04 Misconduct (a) A lawyer shall not: ...(3) engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation;

Look at each of those words carefully. Deceit. Misrepresentation. This is less even than a lie.

PLEASE WRITE, FAX, FED EX THE TEXAS STATE BAR TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THESE VIOLATIONS - including at least one specific example of a lie -- include your name to be taken seriously:

Texas State Bar
P.O. Box 12487
Austin, Texas 78711
1414 Colorado St.
Austin, TX 78701
Fax: (512)463-1475 <----------------------------

Telephone Numbers --- but writing is better
Toll Free: (800)204-2222
Local: (512)463-1463

COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF O'NEILL'S DEBUNKED LIES AT:

www.mediamatters.org - search on "O'NEILL"

www.disinfopedia.org - search on "Swift boat"

Also - pick apart this interview on Hardball:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5694561

And see this from the Daily Howler:
http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh101804.html

www.texasbar.com for more info if you need it

Take your time, write something concise and compelling - not just an angry outburst.

(AND WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR OF TEXAS NEWSPAPERS ASKING WHY O'NEILL IS NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE UNDER THIS RULE)

I hope O'Neill loses everything.

He did lie. Blatently. There should be consequences.

http://homepage.mac.com/chinesemac/kerry_medals/truth.html

Post examples of your letters below and keep this kicked!!!!

Any lawyers around that can tell us if this rules applies to personal conduct outside of the law practice?

The reason I ask (maybe a stupid question) is Comment number 2.

http://www.txethics.org/reference_rules.asp?view=conduct&num=8.04

2. Rule 8.04 provides a comprehensive restatement of all forms of conduct that will subject a lawyer to discipline under either these Rules, the State Bar Act, the TRDP, or the State Bar Rules. In that regard, Rule 8.04(a)(1) is intended to correspond to TRDP Rule 1.06(O)(1); Rules 8.04(a)(2) and 8.04(b) are intended to correspond to the provisions of TRDP Rules 1.06(O)(8) and (9) and Rules 1.06(O) and (U), as well as certain other crimes; and Rules 8.04(a)(7)-(11) are intended to correspond to TRDP 1.06(O)(3)-(7), respectively. Rule 8.04(a)(12) of these Rules corresponds to a prohibition that was contained in the last (unnumbered) paragraph of former Article X, section 7, State Bar Rules.

Which is related to attorney client privilege. But then again if you read comment 5.

5. Although a lawyer is personally answerable to the entire criminal law, a lawyer should be professionally answerable only for offenses that indicate lack of those characteristics relevant to his fitness for the practice of law, as fitness is defined in these Rules. A pattern of repeated offenses, even ones of minor significance when considered separately, can indicate indifference to legal obligations that legitimately could call a lawyer's overall fitness to practice into question.

Seems like the "even ones of minor significance" enough times could call his "overall fitness to practice into question."


The section on Jurisdiction seems to add some support. read comment 3

http://www.txethics.org/reference_rules.asp?view=conduct&num=8.05


3. If the rules of professional conduct of this state and that other jurisdiction differ, principles of conflict of laws may apply. Similar problems can arise when a lawyer is licensed to practice in more than one jurisdiction and these jurisdictions impose conflicting obligations. A related problem arises with respect to practice before a federal tribunal, where the general authority of the state to regulate the practice of law must be reconciled with such authority as federal tribunals may have to regulate practice before them. In such cases, this state will not impose discipline for conduct arising in connection with the practice of law in another jurisdiction or resulting in lawyer discipline in another jurisdiction unless that conduct constitutes professional misconduct under Rule 8.04.


So I guess my question is what constitutes professional conduct? Maybe publishing second hand information contradicted by government documents and personal accounts to increase business of your law practice.


Sorry but o'neill makes me sick. What kind of values does it take to knowingly slander people that fought for our country? Sure he is entitled but it does compromise his ethics.

November 24, 2004
Re: Public deceit and misrepresentations of Atty. John E. O’Neill

Texas State Bar
P.O. Box 12487
Austin, Texas 78711
1414 Colorado St.
Austin, TX 78701

Dear State Bar of Texas:

In writing to you, I am making you aware of the recent actions and statements of Atty. John E. O’Neill (Bar Card #15297500). Although I reside in Illinois, Atty. O’Neill’s recent public misrepresentations have had national implications. John O’Neill’s public statements as of late regarding Sen. John F. Kerry’s military experience in Vietnam have bordered on outright, unmitigated lies, and have blemished the credibility of your organization as a result. Mr. O’Neill’s assertations were not simple misstatements, but organized, calculated propaganda intended to obfuscate and alter the truth.

One example, of many, is Atty. O’Neill’s assertation on FOX News Channel's Hannity & Colmes November 10, 2004 that Sen. Kerry’s testimony before Congress “had a horrific impact on the prisoners of war.” Contrary to O’Neill’s statements, no investigation has ever revealed that Kerry’s testimony was even heard by POWs in Vietnam. Atty. O’Neill has made this claim repeatedly, despite being reminded that it has no factual basis, and thus deliberately misrepresenting the events that occurred.

Furthermore, on MSNBC's Scarborough Country on October 22, 2004, O’Neill purported the falsehood that John Kerry “wanted to abandon ship and leave the POWs there ” to “rot in jails.” This attempt at deceit did not go unnoticed, however. John Kerry’s statements on the June 30, 1971 broadcast of The Dick Cavett Show revealed that now Senator Kerry believed that “If the prisoners of war aren't back prior to the arrival of that date, then I think we would have -- for the first time in all of our history in Vietnam we would have a legitimate reason for taking some kind of reaction to it.” This deliberate misrepresentation of the facts speaks negatively on John O’Neill and the integrity that a Texas Bar License is assumed to bring.

By far, the above examples are not the only reports of Atty. O’Neill’s seemingly chronic problems at bringing an accurate picture of reality to the American public. Despite repeated reminders of the falsehoods he is broadcasting, Atty. O’Neill refused to alter his statements to ones based on fact and truth. Because he has been doing so despite being thoroughly discredited by veritable sources such as videotaped testimony and official US Navy documents, I am requesting disciplinary action from the State Bar of Texas to censure such contempt for truth and facts. O’Neill’s misrepresentations and deceit are violations of the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 8.04. The repeated instances of these events call Atty. O’Neill’s overall fitness to practice law into question. It is imperative that you take action to stand up for the integrity of your license, and reprimand Atty. John E. O’Neill and his completely juvenile actions.

Thank you very much,
XXXXXXXXXXXX

I will call the state bar in the morning....

:kick:

:kick:

http://www.houstonpress.com/issues/2004-09-09/hairballs.html

Scroll down to the "Fog of War" entry.

This case needs our help!!!!!!!
Write, call, and in general, raise hell. No Bar Association wants to be put on the spot nationally for refusing to disbar a liar!!!

Show some activism, DU!!!