Dejected and Disbarred UPDATE
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton figured he had nothing to lose if he advised county clerks in Texas to violate the law.
Paxton, or locally known as “Ole Sticky Fingers,” has 99 problems so being a lawyer advising people to violate the law just makes it a nice round number of problems.
Paxton is facing indictment of admittedly violating state securities laws, so what the hell? He might as well go for broke.
Now the reason I’m telling you all this is that last night, on my way to an Astros game, I got a call from our customer and friend Glen Maxey. Glen has filed paperwork for disciplinary action by the State Bar of Texas. You’ll enjoy Glen’s take on whose lawyer this guy is.
Y’all, they have dug this hole so deep that you can hear Chinese people talking at the bottom.
UPDATE: You, too, can get in on this action if you are a lawyer. I know plenty of lawyers come here so get on board. Steve Fischer has started this on Facebook.
” Passion in the pursuit of policy is an admirable attribute for our Texas Leaders. Sometimes however, our zeal for making the world conform to our beliefs, conflicts with established law and ethical rules. As Texas Attorney General, you have sworn an oath to protect the people of Texas whether they be Liberal or Conservative, Democrat or Republican , and as the case may be “Gay” or “Straight”. As a licensed Texas Attorney you are subject to the same rules as all attorneys and you should serve as an example of compliance. It seems to us , that your edict to encourage Texas Clerks to violate a direct ruling of the United States Supreme Court violates both the Preamble to the State Bar of Texas Rules of Professional Conduct and even more specifically several provisions of “Rule 8.04 Misconduct (a) A lawyer shall not: ( and most specifically) (4) engage in conduct constituting obstruction of justice;”
The United States Supreme Court allows a 25 Day Implementation Deadline; a “ cooling off “ period so to speak, where Americans and Texans and our elected officials can digest and absorb the Court’s decision and then act according to the principles of the United States and Texas Constitution.
We the undersigned attorneys, former State Bar Directors, Judges and Assistant Attorney Generals urge you to follow the law. If you will not comply however, we will join in filing a State Bar of Texas Grievance.”
You can friend Steve on Facebook and sign it there (second entry on his page). You can friend him after you sign it but you probably don’t want to because Steve is one cool guy. Click here.
If you’re not on Facebook, go to Tell Juanita and ask for his email address. I will get it back to you right away.
I barely know Glen Maxey, and that by social media, but I know enough not to cross him.
He is indefatigable and relentless. I love him dearly.
1You can’t see it but I am giving Glen Maxey a standing ovation right now. It may go on for a while.
2Hurray for Glen and all the attorneys making a counterstink to Paxton’s. As my Canadian friend would say, he (Paxton) has the gall of a canal mule.
3You rock, Glen!
This jerk off is deliberately and with malice aforethought denying the rights of tax paying citizens – the ones who pay Paxton’s salary. I want to be the first to know when one of these citizens tells some clerk that, hell, even he/she is paid by the tax payers and also, that there is nothing on a license application anywhere about religion. Its just a data gathering document and anyone who insists on ignoring that fact and continues to “martyr” themselves needs to see a psychiatrist.
4County as well as state officials (and that includes county clerks) take an oath of office. It reads like this: “IN THE NAME AND BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF TEXAS,
I, ______________, do solemnly swear (or affirm), that I will faithfully execute the duties of the office of the State of Texas, and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States and of this State, so help me God.”
I got that off the website of the Secretary of State: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/forms/2204.pdf
Nowhere in that oath is there wiggle room for choosing which duties of the office one holds one will execute. The issuing of marriage licenses is a duty of county clerks. Therefore, a county clerk who does not wish to issue marriage licenses for any reason should resign from that job (or be fired from that job.) The oath sworn is the one that counts.
5Wait a minute!
I thought Calhounism was still a valid legal theory here in the South. All the kool (neo-confederate) kids preach it. Rick Perry goes there all the time.
6May the “officers of the court” (attorneys) all over your great state sign that righteous grievance. Hurray for Glen and Steve!
7Thanks, Elizabeth Moon! The oath seems pretty clear to me.
Also, DITTO maryelle!
8I can hear the thunder of their hooves. Here comes the cavalry! Yippee!
9Good for Glen to want to hold Paxton accountable for his words and actions since many in the state tend to give him a free pass and shout down anyone who wants dares remind him, Abbott, and other GoP/TP politicians that their duty is to serve all TX citizens. I’m going to stroll over to Glen’s Facebook page and take a look at the goings on.
10it must be a combination of petro related toxins in the air, land & water, and too many sunday morning thwacks on the head in church, but it appears that the entire TX GOP has gone barkers.
11