ATTORNEYS TO MAKE PITCH TO SUE THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE.Byline: Mike Feinsilber Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. They call themselves ``just two country lawyers,'' but their case has the potential to humiliate the president. Their opponents are two attorneys who are anything but country - Washington powerhouse Bob Bennett and the solicitor general An officer of the U.S. Justice Department who represents the federal government in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. The solicitor general is charged with representing the Executive Branch of the U.S. government in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . Suburban Virginia lawyers Gilbert Davis and Joseph Cammarata represent Paula Jones
Paula Corbin Jones (born Paula Rosalee Corbin in her sexual harassment sexual harassment, in law, verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature, aimed at a particular person or group of people, especially in the workplace or in academic or other institutional settings, that is actionable, as in tort or under equal-opportunity statutes. lawsuit against Bill Clinton. On Monday, they will appear in the stately chambers of the Supreme Court to argue that her case should go forward while Clinton is the president. Of all Clinton's legal troubles, none has more potential to cause him chagrin. If his lawyers lose, the president may find himself giving sworn depositions about his sexual behavior sexual behavior A person's sexual practices–ie, whether he/she engages in heterosexual or homosexual activity. See Sex life, Sexual life. . Clinton's lawyers will argue that a chief executive should be immune to being sued while in office, lest he and future presidents be hamstrung by lawsuits to the detriment of the performance of their duties. Jones' lawyers will argue that no one is above the law. The issue has never been squarely addressed by the high court. The case has a David vs. Goliath quality. David's team would be Davis and Cammarata, who have never handled anything so conspicuous. Davis, 54, is the son, husband and father of schoolteachers and once taught seventh- and eighth-grade history and geography in Iowa, where he was born. He also is a born-and-bred Republican who intends to run this summer for the Virginia GOP's nomination for attorney general. His role as Clinton's antagonist cannot hurt that pursuit. He's already running on the promise to be ``a fearless attorney general who will fight anyone who does wrong, including the president of the United States The head of the Executive Branch, one of the three branches of the federal government. The U.S. Constitution sets relatively strict requirements about who may serve as president and for how long. .'' ``This is a case with strong partisan overtones,'' says political scientist Mark Rozell, an observer of Virginia politics. ``It is pretty much Gil Davis' launching pad. It's what will identify him with the public.'' Pat Mullins, former Republican chairman in Fairfax County, Va., describes the 6-foot-4-inch, 250-pound Davis as charismatic: ``When he comes into a meeting, he rarely moves. The crowd sort of gravitates toward him.'' Davis and his colleague talked it over and decided that Davis, who has more courtroom experience, would argue the case before the justices while Cammarata does the spade work. Does Davis hesitate about pressing a case that could end up deeply embarrassing to an incumbent president? ``Nope,'' he says. ``I never have any qualms about who a defendant might be. Paula Jones' interests are certainly as important as his.'' Cammarata, grandson of Sicilian immigrants, came into adulthood as a Democrat and worked as an advance man in Jimmy Carter's re-election campaign while in college. ``I even rode in the motorcade,'' he recalls. He went to Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. His 1980 commencement speaker was Georgetown graduate Bill Clinton, then the governor of Arkansas. Along the way since then, Cammarata became a Republican. Davis and Cammarata inherited Jones' case from Little Rock, Ark., lawyer Daniel Traylor, who found it more than he wanted to handle. The Goliaths in this case are Bennett and Walter Dellinger, acting solicitor general and a former Duke University law professor. The solicitor general represents the government before the Supreme Court. In this case, he would represent the presidency while Bennett represents the president himself. Bennett, 57, blustery blus·ter v. blus·tered, blus·ter·ing, blus·ters v.intr. 1. To blow in loud, violent gusts, as the wind during a storm. 2. a. To speak in a loudly arrogant or bullying manner. , prickly, considered one of Washington's top lawyers in defending white-collar cases, is skilled both in legal intricacies and the public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most aspects of high-profile cases. Among his other clients have been Hollywood producer Harry Thomason, a pal of Clinton's involved in the White House Travel Office firings; former Rep. Daniel Rostenkowski, who pleaded guilty to mail fraud charges; Harold Ickes Harold Ickes may refer to:
BCCI Bank of Credit and Commerce International BCCI Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry BCCI Bank of Crooks & Criminals International BCCI Barnsley Chamber of Commerce & Industry ; and former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger Caspar Willard "Cap" Weinberger, GBE (August 18 1917 – March 28 2006), was an American politician and Secretary of Defense under President Ronald Reagan from January 21, 1981, until November 23 1987, making him the third longest-serving defense secretary to date, after , who received a presidential pardon for his role in the Iran-Contra scandal. Bennett commands $475 an hour. A Democrat, he has an even more famous kid brother - Republican William Bennett, former education secretary and drug policy coordinator, adviser to Bob Dole and author of the runaway best-seller, ``The Book of Virtues.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Virginia lawyers Gilbert Davis, left, and Joseph Cammarata represent Paula Jones in her suit against President Clinton. Associated Press |
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