Public Defense

Bye bye Bysiewicz

By Gideon

The transcripts of Susan Bysiewicz’s deposition have been released after her lawyer, the renowned Wesley Horton, conducted a cursory 5 minute search of the relevant law and determined he couldn’t block their dissemination.

It’s not looking good.

“You’ve actually said you’re every bit as qualified as Dick Blumenthal was [in 1991] when he took this position, based upon your legal experience, correct?” Gersten asked during the March 31 desposition.

“Yes,” she answered.

“And you’re aware, aren’t you, that prior to the time Mr. Blumenthal became attorney general, he actually, in contrast to you, appeared in court, correct?”

“Yes,” she said.

“In fact, he tried a bunch of cases, didn’t he?” Gersten said. “You never tried any cases?”

“No,” Bysiewicz said.

Then she was asked a series of ludicrous hypotheticals, the answers to of each of which should have been a resounding no:

“Now, let’s assume … you have an individual who graduated Duke law [school]” – as Bysiewicz did – and then [spent] four or five years in private practice, and then went to go to work as a rock and roll singer,” Gersten said. “Is that person engaged in the active practice of law?”

“Sure,” Bysiewicz said.

Gersten followed up. “I have an individual who went to Duke law school, worked for four or five years, joined the Connecticut bar, paid his dues every year as a member of the Connecticut bar and then decided to go teach kindergarten children at the local school around the corner; is that individual engaged in the practice of law once he started the teaching of kindergarten children?”

Bysiewicz asked if the person was “admitted to the Connecticut Bar,” and Gersten said “yes, ma’am.”

“Yes,” Bysiewicz said.

Oy. I still think the statute is constitutional, but it seems pretty clear that she’s dead in the water and everyone but her has come to accept that.

Full post as published by A Public Defender on April 06, 2010 (boomark / email).