I love slow news days, don’t you?
You really stepped in it, Matty
Please see this diary, as KeithDB wrote to the Florida Bar asking for this very investigation
www.dailykos.com/…
www.thedailybeast.com/...
Matt Gaetz Under Investigation By Florida State Bar Over Michael Cohen Threat
The Florida Bar has opened an investigation into whether Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) violated professional conduct rules by threatening former Trump fixer Michael Cohen ahead of Cohen’s congressional testimony on Wednesday.
[...]
“If rules have been violated, The Florida Bar will vigorously pursue appropriate discipline by the Florida Supreme Court,” Walker said in a statement.
“The Florida Bar takes its responsibility of regulating lawyer conduct very seriously.”
Reached by text on Wednesday, Gaetz said he had not “seen anything like that.”
[...]
According to Florida Bar guidelines, once the bar’s grievance committee decides that the alleged conduct might have violated ethics guidelines, attorneys have 15 days to respond to complaints against them. Attorneys for the bar then investigate the matter. If the grievance committee finds probable cause to believe that a violation took place, it then refers its findings to the state supreme court, which then makes a ruling and, if applicable, apply sanctions.
Several lawyers made the argument that the congressman had, indeed, engaged in a form of witness intimidation by suggesting that something nefarious would happen to Cohen’s wife once he went to prison.
“It’s that last line that seems really problematic,” emailed Stephen Vladeck, a professor of law at the University of Texas School of Law, “‘She’s about to learn a lot…’ What is the test implied in that statement, as opposed to the insinuation that as a result of his testimony, his wife is going to come into negative information about him?”
[...]
“While it is a lawyer’s duty, when necessary, to challenge the rectitude of official action, it is also a lawyer’s duty to uphold legal process,” the rules state.
Now, we need to put the pressure on the House to at LEAST censure him, if not expel him entirely.
I’m looking for suggestions on how best to make this happen.
Wednesday, Feb 27, 2019 · 8:31:39 PM +00:00 · AlyoshaKaramazov
During Cohen’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Stacey Plaskett called for Gatez to be investigated by the House Ethics Committee for possible witness tampering or intimidation and, if proven, be referred for criminal prosecution.