JACK THOMPSON DISBARRED FOR LIFE

BREAKING BLOG NEWS: FDIC SEIZES WASHINGTON MUTUAL AND SELLS ASSETS TO JP MORGAN. LARGEST BANK FAILURE IN US HISTORY. 

Very strange. FDIC usually seizes banks Friday afternoons so they have all weekend to work on the books. Our sources tell us the WAMU top brass were not even told when the FDIC seizure went into effect. 

I thought long and hard about posting this. I take no joy in this news about Mr. Thompson. The title links to the Florida Supreme Court opinion. I obtained the link from the Broward Blog.

Mr. Thompson found this blog about a year and half ago and was a welcome participant. We didn't agree on much, but he was entertaining, committed to his ideals, and thoughtful.   I welcomed his participation against warnings from others. 

I soon found those warnings correct. He delighted in the indictment of Ben Kuehne and his actions towards  the family of Steve Chaykin shortly after Steve's tragic death were reprehensible. 

Somewhere along the line as Mr. Thompson and I parted ways I began to see his other side. I was subjected to a barrage of nasty and threatening emails that were entirely inappropriate. 

From the Supreme Court's order: 

"Over a very extended period of time involving a number of totally 

unrelated cases and individuals, [r]espondent has demonstrated a 

pattern of conduct to strike out harshly, extensively, repeatedly and 

willfully to simply try to bring as much difficulty, distraction and 

anguish to those he considers in opposition to his causes.  He does 

not proceed within the guidelines of appropriate professional 

behavior, but rather uses other means available to intimidate, harass, 

or bring public disrepute to those whom he perceives oppose him. 

...

Among the extensive findings of fact presented in the report, the Court takes  particular note of the following which occurred during the three-year period at issue  in five counts in these cases:  ... (4) respondent publicized and sent hundreds of pages of vitriolic and disparaging missives, letters, faxes, and press releases, to the affected individuals;... 

(10) respondent retaliated against attorneys who filed Bar complaints against him  for his unethical conduct by asserting to their clients, government officials, politicians, the media, female lawyers in their law firm, employees, personal friends, acquaintances, and their wives, that the attorneys were criminal pornographers who objectify women. " 

In our experience  the above quoted actions of Mr. Thompson are entirely accurate. Having been on the receiving end of these diatribes, I cannot imagine actually litigating in a civil and decent manner with an individual who acts in the way described in the order.  Mr. Thompson, in our view, holds his beliefs in an absolute manner that allow him to utilize any and all methods to achieve his goals because of his simple belief that he is right. Because he is right, he theorizes, the ends justify the means.  But he fails to recognize that he lives in country in which the the means- democracy and the right to a different opinion- are sacrosanct.   

This is a sad day. Mr. Thompson has a wife who has battled a serious cancer and a teen age son to support and shepherd into adulthood. I take no joy in this order, fully cognizant that because of his hatred for me, he would never ever extend me the same courtesy or compassion. He would have me disbarred and ground into the ground in a second if he could- merely because I disagree with him. I still wish him well and peace. 

See you in court after I withdraw my money from WAMU first thing in the morning.