We received this email from nationally known criminal defense attorney Jon May (who was a Federal Prosecutor before he joined up with the good guys.)
STATEMENT OF JON MAY INSUPPORT OF BENEDICT P. KUEHNE
An innocent man has been charged with a crime. His name is Ben Kuehne. And I am proud to call him my friend. In the coming days you will hear only what the government wants you to know about the allegations against Ben. And you may be tempted to believe what you hear. But don't.
The government drafts the indictment and the government is permitted to broadcast its contents to the community. But Ben's lawyers are not permitted to comment on the evidence. So you will only hear one side ofthe story.
What is true is that Kuehne was retained by nationally known lawyer Roy Black to research and determine the legality of legal fees paid to Black's legal team for the representation of Colombian Drug Kingpin Fabio Ochoa Vasquez. This representation of Black, whose legal fees have not been challenged or forfeited, forms the entire basis ofthe indictment, directed by main Department of Justice officials in Washington, against Kuehne.
This case represents the first time ever in which federal criminal charges were brought against a lawyer whose legal work consisted of representing a fellow lawyer who sought advice about compensation for defending a client in a criminal case. To target an adversary like Ben Kuehne, who is held in such high regard by the community and whose integrity is unquestioned, sends a message that any lawyer is at risk,even concerning previously unheard of prosecution strategies like those used here. Finally the fact that this prosecution is political paybackis demonstrated by the government's efforts to leak its investigation while Ben's lawyers were trying to convince Washington that these allegations were unfounded. On a number of occasions Washington provided reporters with the details of the investigation in an effort to destroy Ben's reputation in the community. They did so knowing that there was no one to investigate their unlawful violations of grand jury secrecy. (emphasis by Rumpole)
We would all like to think that our Justice Department seeks to do justice. But the sad reality is that increasingly Main Justice inWashington has been dominated by zealots intent on winning no matter what the costs. Just this year, the Bush Justice Department accused the lawyers representing the Guantanamo detainees of treason. Recently a federal judge in New York dismissed all charges against a number of defendants where the prosecutors threatened their former employer, a major accounting firm, with indictment if it paid for lawyers to represent the accused. And as it has becoming increasingly clear, federal prosecutors who failed to file voting law violation charges against Democrats were fired for not towing the party line.
So now Ben Kuehne, a prominent election lawyer and defense attorney, stands wrongfully accused of participating in a money laundering scheme.
A past Dade County Bar President and current member of the Board ofGovernors of The Florida Bar, Ben Kuehne's entire personal reputationand legal career have been exemplary.
In 2000, Ben served as National Counsel and Florida Counsel to Vice President Al Gore and the Gore/Lieberman Recount Committee during the Presidential Recount Litigation. His responsibilities included representation before Florida canvassing boards, litigation in both state and federal courts, participation in the recount trial, and preparation of briefs to the Florida Supreme Court, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. During the 2004 presidential election, Ben was a Senior Counsel to the Kerry/Edwards Presidential Campaign, coordinating the Florida Legal Team in early voting and election day voting issues. Ben was prominent in uncovering abuse by the Department of Justice in commencing investigations of supposed election law violations in Ohio. Those investigations suppressed Democratic voter turnout, helping bring about President Bush's 2004 re-election victory.
Kuehne successfully represented the public interest in the Miami Voter Fraud case, when he overturned the illegal results of a mayoral election marred by massive voter fraud. Kuehne also prevailed in a politically-charged prosecution of a prominent Florida state senator for alleged campaign finance and reporting violations.
Described by the progressive organization, People For The American Way, as a "lawyer's lawyer" and "champion for constitutional rights," Ben received its Spirit of Liberty/Defender of Democracy Award in 2006 for his successful federal court challenge in the Mi Familia Vota case to the unconstitutional Bush administration efforts to prevent the registration of newly sworn citizens as voters after citizenship ceremonies. Kuehne was also named one of the "Lawyers of the Year" by the National Law Journal for his work on behalf of Vice President A lGore in the 2000 Recount Litigation. Ben leads a coalition of advocates who are regularly called upon to initiate public impact litigation fort he redress of constitutional violations arising from government action. As just a few examples, Ben successfully represented 15 Cuban refugees in a constitutional challenge to the "wet foot/dry foot" policy resulting from the well-publicized repatriation of Cuban nationals who landed on the Old Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys. As lead counsel for Save Dade, he successfully led the effort to prevent an election to nullify the Miami-Dade County Human Rights Ordinance.
Kuehne is well-known for his extensive contributions to the community outside the courtroom, having served as a founding Executive Committee member and Trustee of the Alliance for Ethical Government, a community organization founded to improve the ethical rules governing local government officials. He is a former member of the Board of Legal Services of Greater Miami, and has been the recipient of pro bono awards for providing legal services to the poverty community.
In addition to his meritorious service as President of the Dade County Bar Association and President of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers - Miami Chapter, Ben Kuehne was the recipientof the Criminal Justice Award by the Dade County Bar Association in 2000 for his "outstanding contributions to the criminal justice system." He is a noted speaker and author on important legal and political issues,regularly appearing as a faculty member at advanced Bar seminars oncutting-edge criminal law issues.
Nationally recognized for his leadership and success as a lawyer and community leader, Ben is named in The Best Lawyers of America(2000-2007) and Chambers USA America's Leading Lawyers, Litigation:White Collar Crime & Government Investigations (2004-2007). He was named the Best Lawyer in Miami by New Times Newspaper in 2000 .He continues to be included by the South Florida Legal Guide and Florida Trend's Legal Elite as one of South Florida's Top Lawyers in every annual publication.
Ben, is committed to securing complete vindication by proving that these charges are false and an unprincipled effort to ruin an ethical community leader. It is my hope that the community Ben has selflessly devoted himself to will stand with him and give him the support that he deserves.
Jon May, Esq.
Rumpole says: hear hear!
memo to Mr. May. in the time it took you to write that you could have research law and sent a memo to BK on how to win his case, specifically anything on motion to dismiss the indictment.
ReplyDeleteWith all that great outstanding background why take a case with such mud. Why get involved and travel to Colombia and meet with the scum of the earth.
ReplyDeleteThe answer is greed. To be a true ethical man you must say no to money over ethics. Do I think he should be given a break yes. But he was wrong for ever taking the case.
Drugs and Crack kill children.
THE CAPTAIN REPORTS:
ReplyDeleteSo you want to be a judge...?
The 11th Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission has been asked to provide Gov. Charlie Crist with nominees for the vacancy resulting from the elevation of Judge George A. Sarduy to the circuit court.
All persons interested in applying must deliver completed applications and 10 copies to:
Marie F.S. Bell, chairperson
3225 Aviation Ave., Suite 501
Miami, FL 33133.
The deadline for submission of the application is 5 p.m. Monday, March 10.
CAPTAIN OUT .....
Yeah....after seeing what Judge Tunis has dealt with for what, a year, I really want to be a judge. NOT. Thanks Captain, but no thanks. Though how about nominating her for sticking with it. I guess she could've bowed out at any time if she wanted to take the easier road. We have to give her serious credit for just doing her job. It doesn't sound like fun from what we've read here.
ReplyDeleteI support Ben Kuehne in the toughest legal battle of his career. His character and reputation of professionalism and ethics are exceptional. What can we do to help Ben?
ReplyDeleteHard to find anyone who would think for a single minute that Ben would do that.
ReplyDeleteNot him.
If so, we will all be shocked.
I guess it did not pay to represent Al Gore.
In the midst of all this sturm und drang about the Ben Kuehne indictment, I think that the real issue is being missed. There is something terribly wrong with the way capitalism has infected our criminal justice system. Not only is it deplorable that the indigent receive less skilled legal representation than the Ochoas, Ken Lays, and Conrad Blacks of the world, it is also obscene that lawyers profit to the tune of hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars by defending these people. It's time for socialized criminal defense!
ReplyDeleteAttorney handling drug cases in federal court in the southern district of fl. have known for at least 2 decades now that the feds will come after you if you have a lot of cases or make money. It is a miracle that Krieger, Black, and a dozen others have escaped their rath. sad but true, no new news here, and maybe he will cut a deal to save jail and give the feds what they want- the attorney that humiliated them in the Sal and Willy case which led to Kendall Coffeys downfall, the attorney who has regularly kicked their butt for 25 years and escaped their rath in the bribing of 3 jurors, the one, the only ROY (I never should have done that self aggrandizing tv show) BLACK.It would be sad to see him indicted in 3 months, in fact they probably have it all typed in the computer already. THE ISSUE FOR THE DEFENSE BAR IS THIS; is driving a jaguar and living in the gables worth it. ask juan elso,burstyn, rich martinez, etc.
ReplyDeleteHey Ben. was it worth it?
ReplyDeleteNotwithstanding Ben's professional success, he is simply a good person. He would never flaunt his reputation because he is a very humble man. He could either talk the most esoteric points of law or participate in a pop/trash culture conversation. He is a regular guy that is also a pillar in the legal community.
ReplyDeleteFor the kind person that I see that he is, as well as this sick threat against the criminal defense bar, I pray that he is not only victorious but also that he regains his prominent stature.
What a crazy target!
6:33:
ReplyDeleteIsn't every person entitled to a defense? A lawyer conducts himself ethically regardless of the ethics of his client. The two are unrelated.
Do we stop defending accused murderers? Rapists? Drug-dealers?
Is the right to an attorney reserved only for the innocent?
Socialized defense? I think I'll hire my own, thank you, Mr. Commissar!
ReplyDeleteRUMP - Is the below earlier post true? Did the Federal Magistrate place big restrictions on Ben with regarding to his bank accounts, passport, etc.?
ReplyDelete"Word around town is that BEN KUEHNE has just now voluntarily relinquished his Fla. Bar license. What does this mean? Could it mean that he is working on a plea deal which would implicate other attorneys and Roy Black? Stay tuned..."
IN TODAYS DAY AND AGE LOYALTY AND FRIENDSHIP NEED TO STAND FOR SOMETHING
ReplyDeleteI DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE EVIDENCE IS AGAINST MY FRIEND BEN KUEHNE
I ONLY KNOW THAT I CONSIDER HIM MY FRIEND
I DO KNOW THAT IN MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEALINGS WITH BEN HE HAS BEEN OPEN, HONEST AND ONE OF THE MOST PROFESSIONAL ATTORNEYS IT HAS BEEN MY PLEASURE TO DEAL WITH.
HE IS A LAWYERS LAWYER AND THE PERSON THAT I AND PROBABLY MOST OF MY COLLEGUES WOULD GO TO IF WE WERE IN NEED.
IN SPITE OF THE ALLEGATIONS, HE AND HIS FAMILY IS IN NEED OF OUR SUPPORT AT THIS TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO COUNT MYSELF, ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS, AS HIS FRIEND AND SUPPORTER IN THIS DIFFICULT TIME.
LOYALTY TO A FRIEND MEANS LOYALTY, NOT ONLY IN THE GOOD TIMES, BUT IN THE BAD.
PLEASE ADD ME TO THE LIST OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO SPEAK TO THE CHARACTER OF MY FRIEND
BEN KUEHNE, ANY TIME, ANY PLACE.
LENNY GLICK
Funny thing about this...... the feds generally don't file cases they can lose (which is why itt can be so amusing when they do). If they didn't have a mountain of evidence, they wouldn't even try this.
ReplyDeleteAny current or former state prosecutor who has ever had the pleasure (?) of working with them should know this (as should every defense attorney).
Does anyone here think that Kuehne may have been set up by the feds?
ReplyDeleteDoes Kuehne know soemthing that could be very damaging to the Bush Administration? If he does, I'd wager it has something to do with the 2000 recount.
Start with his Republican counterpart in that fiasco.
for 250k most lawyers would love to have a couple of meetings, write a couple memos and travel to Colombia
ReplyDeleteBen was paid from fee monies that he was contracted to vet?
ReplyDeleteWho came up with that idea?
Sounds like a conflict of interest to me.
Ben should have known better
I do not publish lenghty reprints of srticles. The person who tried to do that she re-do it with a summary and a link to the article about Judge Cohen.
ReplyDeletewho knows what the deal is with Kuehene? Everyone should read the indictment. eventhough it is poorly drafted, the allegations are pretty bad. the problem is that the indictment basically says that he wrote letters saying that the money was from a legit source but in fact it was money laundered by a law enforcement operation. what it doesnt say is, how kuhene knew that this money was not from where he said it was from.
ReplyDeleteI like ben and think highly of him but DOJ does not go charge lawyers on cases that they can lose, they are extremely risk averse and we should all wait to see the evidence before saying he is being railroaded.
Say it 1000 times, ben was railroaded. Even DOJ knows Ben is not guilty. And can we stop the jaguar, porsche, gables shit. Making good money is not a crime, even if it annoys you.
ReplyDeletebeing a coconspirator with drug smugglers who ruin lives with getting people addicted to cocaine so you can make a lot of money is what most of these indicted attroenys chose to do. no townhouse or 20k for them. you must be one of them, or do you sue doctors. BK once solicited 25k from an attorney I know to join some elite bullshit private civil rights group. maybe he had financial problems- like private school for kids, 2 mortgages etc. that is how you justify getting in bed with the medellin cartel. It must be considered unamerican to be a coconspirator with a drug cartel, otherwise the forfeiture laws, moneylaundering etc. would be unconstitutional. 5 worst clients for a defense attorney 1. drug lords 2. pedophiles 3.serial rapists 4. serial murderers 5. dui manslaughter.
ReplyDeleteI would agree with you on the money trail issue that BK stated was from legit sources and it was a undercover sting.
ReplyDeleteMy curiosity is why did the AUSA in Miami conflict out. Was it conflict or did they say BK was not guilty in the eyes of the local brass? That whole conflict out thing has my mind dizzy.
With DC taking the case for the locals it sure smells like politics. Election ahead and GW is out at the end of the year, make you wonder. Also remember when Bill left the white house all the crap GW uncovered about Bill. It was not pretty.
My guess is GW is doing what he does best, starts a war without provocation.
Actually, the Ben Kuehne I have gotten to know through The Florida Bar's use of him to shred my constitutional rights is precisely the kind of person who would lie about whether cocain cartel money was dirty.
ReplyDeleteBen Kuehne's complaining about governmental misconduct, when he was the author of it at my expense, is a bit like Shaq complaining about lack of effort by teammates.
Sorry, Ben. What goes around comes around.
Jack Thompson, Attorney
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA
THE FLORIDA BAR,
Complainant,
v. Case Numbers SC 07 - 80 and 07 - 354
JOHN B. THOMPSON,
Respondent.
RESPONDENT’S VERIFIED PETITION FOR WRIT OF PROHIBITION
COMES NOW respondent, John B. Thompson, hereinafter Thompson, on his own behalf and petitions this court anew for a writ of prohibition on the basis of the Referee’s unfitness to serve in that capacity herein, stating:
Barnaby Min is a Bar prosecutor in its Miami office. That entire office was removed from this case because of conflicts of interest and bias. They all were to have nothing to do with this case going forward.
Instead, Mr. Min showed up at Thompson’s Bar trial in November and assisted the Bar prosecutors from the Orlando office. This was improper. During the trial, Mr. Min posted false and defamatory public comments about Thompson at what is called the Justice Building Blog, read by lawyers and judges, in order to further harm Thompson within the legal community. A lawyer reading Mr. Min’s false comments responded thereto by noting that the undersigned, given what Mr. Min said, was surely insane. That conclusion is precisely why Mr. Min uttered his fabrications, proven such by the trial transcript.
When Bar Governor Ben Kuehne, who improperly served as Thompson’s “designated reviewer” herein, given his ideological animus to Thompson’s social activism, was indicted this week by the federal government for money laundering for a cocaine cartel, Thompson checked the Secretary of State’s election records and found that Mr. Kuehne had given money to the Referee’s reelection campaign on the eve of Thompson’s Bar trial on October 11. Tunis kept the money, even though she had been told repeatedly of Kuehne’s improper actions in this case and Kuehne’s manipulation of the Bar system illegal to the detriment of Thompson. The money was given by Kuehne to Tunis to send the message, loud and clear, the undersigned believes, that Kuehne appreciated Tunis’ illegal blocking of Thompson’s attempts to depose Kuehne, which Thompson had an absolute right to do given certain defenses Thompson has as to denials of due process effected by Kuehne.
We now learn just this week that Kuehne had quite sometime ago resigned from the Board of Governors. Bar Prosecutor Tuma intentionally withheld information and misled Thompson this past summer when Thompson asked her, in front of a third party, why Kuehne was no longer his designated reviewer. She would not answer the question. This withholding of this helpful information (Thompson would have loved to have known Kuehne had resigned from the Board) is fraud by The Bar, and for this reason alone Thompson should be granted relief by this court for this latest installment of prosecutorial misconduct and bad faith. But it gets worse.
Thompson discovered yesterday that on the very same day, October 11, 2007, that Ben Kuehne wrote a check to Referee Tunis, so, too, did Barnaby Min, in the precise same amount.
Beyond this “coincidence” which may indicate collaboration, it is highly improper for a Bar prosecutor to be sending money, for whatever reason, to a Bar referee who is presiding over a case, on the eve of trial, in which he, Min, has such a keen interest in the result, as indicated by his public trashing of Thompson during his trial. Since when, by the way, do Bar prosecutors feel comfortable defaming Bar respondents? Why, too, was Mr. Min doing this trashing during office hours when he should have been doing the legitimate work of The Bar that our dues are collected to pay for?
Kuehne and Min are the last two people in the world that Tunis should have been taking money from while she was actively, aggressively, and illegally denying Thompson discovery in the case, denying him a continuance while his lawyer wife was fighting ovarian cancer, and denying him hearings on his constitutional defenses.
Thompson is entitled to discovery, right now, in this matter to find out what in the world is going on here between and among Dava Tunis, Barnaby Min, and Benedict Kuehne. This referee will not allow him to engage in that discovery. She also previously denied him access to documents in The Bar’s possession that might be exculpatory—documents that Greenberg Traurig, The Bar’s counsel, first agreed to produce but which this referee then would not allow him to see.
When Thompson asked Referee Tunis for a listing of those individuals with whom she has had a political or financial relationship that in any fashion might be relevant to this case and might impact her impartiality, she refused to respond to that lawful request. She refuses still.
Florida and federal law prohibit payment to public officials to influence their decisions. There can be no quid pro quo. Thompson believes that is precisely what has happened here, and he is entitled to find out whether that is the case. How is he to do that with Ms. Tunis blocking that discovery?
Referee Tunis has utterly blocked him, for over a year, from discovery of documents that would corroborate and prove The Bar’s shenanigans.
The Min contribution and the Kuehne contribution, both of which Tunis was fully aware of prior to Thompson’s trial, necessitate that she be removed from this case by the granting of the requested writ of prohibition. She will not even give Thompson a hearing on this issue. This is not the way any jurist should treat any party, regardless of how much enmity and disgust she may have for Thompson, whom she has from the bench branded a trafficker in “propaganda.”
Mr. Kuehne, accused by the federal government of money laundering, has now, in Thompson’s opinion, tried to launder his influence over this judge through a campaign contribution. If Kuehne’s contribution does not give this court pause, then how about Min’s? How about Min’s made on the same day in the same amount? This may be the tip of an iceberg which imperils not Thompson but The Bar. This court, by looking the other way, turns this Bar into the Titanic.
No rational, sane lay person would reasonably believe that he could get a fair adjudication from this referee—not now. The writ should issue.
I solemnly swear, under penalty of perjury, that the foregoing facts are true, correct, and complete, so help me God.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that this has been provided this February 9, 2008, to Bar counsel Sheila Tuma, The Bar’s Ken Marvin and John Harkness, and to all Bar Governors.
John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law
ReplyDelete1172 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite 111
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
305-666-4366
amendmentone@comcast.net
February 9, 2008
Barnaby Lee Min
The Florida Bar
Miami Office
Miami, Florida Via e-mail to bmin@flabar.org
Dear Mr. Min:
I intend to bring a civil action against you for your false and defamatory comments about me at the “Justice Building Blog” on December 5, 2007.
You obviously did not do that in discharging your Bar duties. You did it ultra vires.
Therefore, please advise what insurance coverage you have for libel. You are required to provide it to me by Florida statute.
Further, I intend to bring a qui tam action against you, as here you were, on “company time,” on the payroll of The Bar, with members’ bar dues paying your salary, idly libeling me on a blog, of all things, when you should have been doing your job instead.
Please read Florida’s False Claims Act, FS 68.081 to familiarize yourself with what you have done wrong in that regard.
Finally, please advise if you will be representing yourself or if you have retained counsel. Remember, you did this on your own, not as a Bar employee, so The Bar cannot and must not afford you a defense.
Oh, one more thing: I am looking forward to going through your files via discovery, as to communications with Ben Kuehne and others. I will also find out who Rumpole is. This should be fun.
Regards, Jack Thompson
I like ben and think highly of him but DOJ does not go charge lawyers on cases that they can lose, they are extremely risk averse and we should all wait to see the evidence before saying he is being railroaded.
ReplyDeleteThe DOJ is frustrated by the fact that top lawyers are representing drug dealers. Going after Ben is a way to put the fear of God into such attorneys. The DOJ doesn't have to win the case to make attorneys think thrice.
I wanna see Hack Thompson prove Barnaby Min actually posted the comments that are attributed to him.
ReplyDeleteIf the god that Thompson believed in really existed, s/he/it would certainly strike him down where he stands, as I can think of no individual (locally at least) that does more disservice to the universe simply by being alive.
Jack, Jackie, Jacko....my nutty mon cheri.
ReplyDeleteIf McGillis who is so much nuttier, who has so much time on his hands, and is so much more motivated, couldn't unmask Rumpole, you have less of a chance than an elderly lawyer in Cheney's gun's crosshairs. Rumpole, sleep tight tonight.
Which ethics do people keep talkin about?
ReplyDeleteGood or Bad? - Like those at "People for the American Way?" - I find those ethics questionable.
Rumpole:
ReplyDeleteA long time ago, I told you that you would regret encouraging Jack Thompson to be part of your Blog community and that he would turn into your worst nightmare. It looks like we are getting very close to that status right now.
Jack Thompson: You are despicable. Ben Kuehne will be practicing law long after you are disbarred. You couldn't carry Ben's briefcase. Ben, Barnaby Min, Judge Tunis, etc. are not your enemies; instead, you are your own worst enemy. Do us all a favor, please, don't go away mad, just go away!
ReplyDeleteLooks like May, Rumpole, and the Herald have been pimped out by bowtiew boy:
ReplyDeleteThe Herald Kuehne Connection
Fri Feb 08, 2008 at 08:05:00 AM
Today’s big local story is the news that Miami attorney Ben Keuhne, the Democratic Party hero who represented Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election, was indicted on six counts of money laundering, money laundering concealment and obstruction of justice. The U.S. Department of Justice is accusing the bow-tie loving lawyer of cleaning $5.2 million in dirty drug money that paid celebrity criminal defender Roy Black to represent Colombian cocaine kingpin Fabio Ochoa in 2002.
Interestingly, the Wall Street Journal’s law blog notes the Miami Herald’s coverage leans a little heavily in Keuhne’s favor. Law blog author Ashby Jones writes: “Now, just about every story concerning an indicted lawyer is likely to include a quote or two from folks vouching for the lawyer’s integrity. But several remarks about Kuehne in the Herald go beyond this, speaking to his squeaky-clean image and reputation for integrity.” That may be because Keuhne was one of the paper’s main sources in its Pulitzer Prize-winning stories about rampant voter fraud that occurred in Miami’s 1997 mayoral election.
Indeed, this line from the Herald’s report shows some bias for the high-profile litigator: “Federal prosecutors face a formidable challenge in proving the case against Keuhne. They will have to prove that Kuehne knew Ochoa’s money came from the sale of family assets to drug trafficking associates or that he avoided knowledge through ‘deliberate ignorance.’”
The article fails to mention key sections of the indictment -- which also charged Colombians Gloria Florez Velez and Oscar Saldarriaga Ochoa, an accountant and attorney, respectively, working for Ochoa -- that reveals some of the government’s evidence. For instance, Velez, Ochoa and Keuhne allegedly used the Black Market Peso Exchange, a sophisticated money laundering scheme used by South American drug cartels to wash cash going into the U.S., according to the indictment. The document explains that the exchange is operated by money brokers “who facilitate the exchange of the cartels’ drug dollars from the cartels and then selling those dollars to South American businesses and individuals who want to purchase U.S. dollars from unofficial sources.”
In another instance, the feds accuse Kuehne of funneling $1.7 million from an individual named Hernando Saravia and companies in his name. Kuehne vouched for Saravia as a reputable and well-established businessman. In reality, the indictment states, the greenbacks came from five different undercover federal law enforcement operations in New York City and Miami “and were proceeds of narcotics trafficking.” The government claims Kuehne, in one of his opinion letters vouching for Saravia, that the Colombian owned two businesses that sold flowers and that the money Saravia transferred into Kuehne’s trust account came from the sale of a house he owned in Miami. The indictment states that two businesses were actually operated by undercover agents. -- Francisco Alvarado
AS to whether Barnaby Min posted his comments, Rumpole has had 2.5 months to say he didn't, and Mr. Min and his reputed boss, Arlene Sankel, have both been asked to disavow them during that time. The Bar responded that he posted them and there was not problem with them. Nice try, Ace.
ReplyDeleteJack Thompson
Jack: You are lying. If you really have proof the Bar admitted Min made the comment, post it or email to Rumpole. The bar made no such admission.
ReplyDeleteSecond, Rump de la Rump has no way to know if Min made the posting.
Third, Min and Sankel won't dignify you with a response.
It is driving you batty buddy that anyone can sign "Barnaby Min" and that it doesn't prove anything.
signed:
Barnaby Min
Arlene Sankel
Steve Chaykin
Bben Kuehne
Dava J. Tunis
or
None of the Above
How much money has Jack spent on filing fees on all thos petitions and writs?
ReplyDeleteI understand that Jon May is also asserting that G. Gordon Liddy is innocent of all charges!
ReplyDeleteBut, the leftwing criminal defense bar and this fawning web site notwithstanding, Ben Kuehne might be a dirtbag afterall. What a freaking surprise:
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/story/415658.html
Jack Thompson
PS: Please forgive the fact that Christians are not called to be liberals, and crooks' doormats.
Dear Anonymous Moron:
ReplyDeleteThe person who posted as Barnaby Min referenced in the post when he, Min, was in fact in the Courtroom 6-3. I happened to be there, and was with him. It would take a person so insane that he could be a Bar Governor to think that someone other than Min, then, posted that.
Secondly, you do not have the correspondence I have that asked The Bar to deny Min was the one who posted it. In fact, my letter from The Bar admits that he posted it and that they saw no problem with it. Nice try, ace.
Jack Thompson
PS: The Bar is handing out free mental exams. I suggest you have one.
Liar liar, pants on fire.
ReplyDeleteJack, you have no such letter from the Bar. If you did, you would have been all too happy to broadcast it. You have some letter you are twisting for your own perverted purposes to attack Min, but it admits nothing. You remain a liar until you prove the Bar admitted Min posted something about you. I happen to know the Bar has done no such thing.
Now Jack, as your favorite "moron", let me try to understand your "thinking": you have a First Amendment right to label as "bribery" campaign contributions to a judge (from a criminal defense lawyer and a former prosecutor--both of whom obviously know and respect a former public defender now serving as a judge in the court's criminal division). Yet a truthful posting by that same former prosecutor about your disciplinary trial constitutes criminal conduct. Hmmm. A cynic (like me, your favorite moron) might think that this is simply one of your latest and most desperate attempts to forestall your disbarment. I know you never answer my questions, but let me ask you this one: don't you understand that even when you're no longer a lawyer, you'll still be able to carry on your endless crusade? You just won't be able to put it on a letterhead that says "attorney at law". Who cares, other than you? Just give it up. You'll save some money on dues.
ReplyDeleteSo Jack has so far admitted to his extreme hatred of Ben Kuehne, anyone and everyone who supports him, democrats, judges, anyone who disagrees with him, the owner of this site, and at the same time goes about trying to show is is a bastian of good will and christian morals? That is such a joke I'm not sure how hard to laugh. I think this man's will to live is fuelled by nothing but hatred on par with that shown by Ann Coulter.
ReplyDelete