Blogs Scoop The NY Times On Edwards Affair, Again

On August 11 Deceiver posted this:

Deceiver Scoops New York Times (And ABC News!)

Now, while the Times certainly deserves credit for following up as a news outlet often can, as opposed to a single blogger - I give you this in the New York Times today, August 14:

But what went unnoticed was that the two lawyers shared an important connection to Mr. Edwards that suggests they were part of an orchestrated effort to protect him, one that is continuing even after he admitted last week that he had an affair with Ms. Hunter but denied that he fathered her child.

The lawyers are linked through Fred Baron, a wealthy Dallas lawyer and former finance chairman for the Edwards campaign who was a key player in the campaign’s response to the scandal. Mr. Gordon has worked with Mr. Baron on class-action personal injury cases,...

Define "unnoticed," as I posted this 4 days ago:

Is Rielle Hunter's NY Lawyer An Edward's Crony And Contributor?

Still, enter high-powered NY lawyer Robert Gordon who specializes in Edward's type of law and was a contributor to his campaign. See entry C at bottom here. And if you scroll down at link ahead, you'll find there are very few Dems he hasn't given to, as well as acting as a bundler perhaps - having given close to $100,000 to the DSCC. Or maybe the rules allow him to give that kind of cash in that instance, I'm not certain.

GORDON, ROBERT
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXENBERG/ATTORNEY

My point about him being Edward's-like is his track record and reputation - $47.5 million from Merck over Vioxx - $423 million from Big Oil over MTBE.

Honestly, I'd be surprised if this is the same guy. But I hope someone in the media at least asks.

In fact, it is the same Robert Gordon I had pegged - and here's some icing on the cake from back in 2004. Not only is it the same Gordon - see his partner Perry Weitz, the link directly above suggests some blog readers already knew Fred Baron for what he apparently is - they railed when John Kerry appointed him to co-chair his Victory '04 committee. Thanks for following up, NY Times - I told Mickey Kaus in email I thought he was our guy. Now if they'd only get around to asking about the Million plus dollars Baron was paid by the Edwards campaign.

Why would candidate Kerry allow such a greasy person to help him win the White House?

The Democrats have just announced that Texas trial lawyer Fred Baron will co-chair John Kerry’s Victory ’04 committee, a joint fundraising effort by the DNC and the Kerry campaign.

What do we know about Fred Baron and his trial lawyer pals?

Baron said trial lawyers run the U.S. Senate (including John Kerry?). "The plaintiffs' bar is all but running the Senate. Now, I really, strongly disagree with that, particularly the words 'all but.'" (Fred Baron, Mealey's Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference, June 3, 2002)
Baron Vowed "Jihad" Against Tort Reform Advocates. "Fred Baron has 10,000 asbestos clients – probably more than any other lawyer in the US – and he has a simple message for those lobbying Washington's lawmakers to make it harder to bring his cases to court. 'There will be a jihad,' he says. 'We will fight them with everything we've got.'" ("Growing Chorus Demands Change In Law," Financial Times, 9/9/02)
Baron admitted planting memories in plaintiffs. "Do we implant memories? Yeah, probably we do. Is that something that is wrong? I don't believe it is." (Dallas Observer, August 13, 1998)
Baron's Law Firm Accused Of Racketeering Suit. "Several major players in the asbestos plaintiffs bar, including Dallas' Baron & Budd, have been sued for allegedly threatening to sabotage pending settlements with a company that pressed for federal legislation aimed at capping recoveries and fees. The racketeering complaint, filed on Jan. 10 in the Southern District of New York, alleges that Perry Weitz and Robert Gordon, … along with principals at Baron & Budd and Barnwell, S.C.-based Ness, Motley, Loadholt, Richardson & Poole – threatened G-I Holdings Inc. Chairman Samuel J. Heyman with a 'nuclear response' if he persisted in supporting the now-stalled Fairness in Asbestos Compensation Act (FACA). … The memorandum, the complaint alleges, also 'instructs clients falsely to claim equal exposure to all products,' and directs that 'clients should deny that they ever saw warnings or had any knowledge concerning the harmful effects of asbestos.' … Baron says the memo, which first surfaced in 1997 after a Baron & Budd lawyer mistakenly turned it over to defense counsel during discovery, is 'old news.'" (Mark Hamblett, "Baron & Budd Lawyers Named In Civil RICO Suit," Texas Lawyer, 1/22/01)
Baron's Law Firm's "Witness Coaching" Memorandum Is Smoking Gun In RICO Case. "After asbestos claims forced the parent company of GAF Materials Corp., the largest U.S. roofing materials company, into bankruptcy this year, it sued three law firms. The complaint reads like a Sopranos episode, alleging that the trial lawyers threatened to crush any company pushing for asbestos tort reform under an avalanche of new claims. It also alleges that doctors reading X-rays for one law firm received sexual favors from female paralegals and secretaries. … But the real smoking gun is a memo that GAF alleges law firm Baron & Budd used to prepare witnesses. The memo details facts that all clients, regardless of their actual experience, should testify to and comments all should avoid. … Partner Fred Baron says few people were shown the document: 'A paralegal did a memo she should not have done.'" (Pamela Sherrid, "Looking For Some Million Dollar Lungs," U.S. News & World Report, 12/17/01)

Why would candidate Kerry pick such a greasy person to help him win the White House?

Update: Yet, Baron's now raising money for Obama. This is a Democrat Party scandal - Baron is in bed with the lot of them given his donations cited above. The NY Times isn't disclosing that. They would if this were a Republican problem. They didn't even mention that this Gordon has given money to Edwards, too.

They just can't help themselves when it comes to covering for the Democrat Party as a whole.

Comments

[Scrapiron]

Didn't someone say in the past ' the first thing you should do is shoot all the lawyers'. That is more true every day.

[Dan Riehl]

GORDON, ROBERT
SCARSDALE, NY 10583

CIRESI, MICHAEL V
VIA CIRESI FOR SENATE
09/15/2000 -1000.00 20020301125

GORDON, ROBERT
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
ATTORNEY

KENNEDY, PATRICK J
VIA FRIENDS OF PATRICK J. KENNEDY INC.
12/13/1999 1000.00 20035202801

GORDON, ROBERT
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXENBERG

CIRESI, MICHAEL V
VIA CIRESI FOR SENATE
02/16/2000 1000.00 20020130023
02/16/2000 1000.00 20020130023

CLINTON, HILLARY RODHAM
VIA HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON FOR US SENATE COMMITTEE INC
05/18/2000 1000.00 20020222316
05/18/2000 1000.00 20020222316

DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
06/16/2005 26700.00 25020311726

GORDON, ROBERT
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXENBERG/ATTORNEY

BIDEN, JOSEPH R JR
VIA CITIZENS FOR BIDEN
12/02/2005 2100.00 26020523069
12/02/2005 2100.00 26020523070

BIDEN, JOSEPH R JR
VIA BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT, INC.
06/29/2007 2300.00 27990241997
06/29/2007 2300.00 27990241997

BIDEN, JOSEPH R JR
VIA CITIZENS FOR BIDEN
03/24/2008 -200.00 28020132593
03/24/2008 200.00 28020132593

DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
05/31/2006 26700.00 26020363364
04/09/2007 28500.00 27020170449
05/30/2008 28500.00 28020270627

EDWARDS, JOHN
VIA JOHN EDWARDS FOR PRESIDENT
01/18/2007 2100.00 27930587955

NELSON, E BENJAMIN
VIA NELSON 2006
05/04/2006 400.00 26020502850
05/04/2006 2100.00 26020502850

GORDON, ROBERT J
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXENBERG

HUMPHREYS, JAMES F
VIA JIM HUMPHREYS FOR CONGRESS
12/10/1999 1000.00 20035250640
09/12/2000 1000.00 20036182523

GORDON, ROBERT J
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXENBERG/ATTORNEY

EDWARDS, JOHN
VIA EDWARDS FOR PRESIDENT
06/30/2003 2000.00 23991407376

GORDON, ROBERT JAY
SCARSDALE, NY 10583

D'AMATO, ALFONSE M
VIA FRIENDS OF SENATOR D'AMATO (1998 COMMITTEE)
10/16/1998 1000.00 99020011074

GORDON, ROBERT JAY
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
SELF EMPLOYED/ATTORNEY

GORE, AL
VIA GORE 2000 INC
03/31/1999 1000.00 20990084213

GORDON, ROBERT JAY
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXEMBERG

SCHUMER, CHARLES E
VIA SCHUMER '98
01/19/1999 1000.00 99020082134

GORDON, ROBERT JAY
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXENBERG

BOXER, BARBARA
VIA FRIENDS OF BARBARA BOXER
12/01/2003 2000.00 24020111439

FORBES, MICHAEL P
VIA FRIENDS OF MIKE FORBES
04/29/2000 1000.00 20035803068
04/29/2000 1000.00 20035803068

HOLLINGS, ERNEST F
VIA HOLLINGS FOR SENATE
10/12/1998 1000.00 98020251251

ROBB, CHARLES S
VIA ROBB FOR THE SENATE
02/23/2000 1000.00 20020111315

GORDON, ROBERT JAY
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WERTZ & LUXENBERG

HATCH, ORRIN G
VIA HATCH ELECTION COMMITTEE INC
05/24/1999 1000.00 99020092943
05/24/1999 1000.00 99020092943

GORDON, ROBERT JAY MR.
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
SELF EMPLOYED

GORE, AL
VIA GORE/LIEBERMAN GENERAL ELECTION LEGAL AND ACCOUNTING COMPLIANCE FUND
04/06/1999 1000.00 99990049585

GORDON, ROBERT M
NEW YORK, NY 10038
WEITZ & LUXENBERG

GEPHARDT, RICHARD A
VIA GEPHARDT IN CONGRESS COMMITTEE
07/14/1998 1000.00 98033392685
07/14/1998 1000.00 98033392685

GORDON, ROBERT MR
SCARSDALE, NY 10583
WEITZ & LUXENBERG/ATTORNEY

CANTWELL, MARIA
VIA FRIENDS OF MARIA
06/30/2005 1000.00 26020373128

GORDON, ROBERT MR.
SCARSDALE, NY 10583

BIDEN, JOSEPH R JR
VIA BIDEN FOR PRESIDENT, INC.
04/02/2008 -1900.00 28991026281

[seekeronos]

"--- Didn't someone say in the past ' the first thing you should do is shoot all the lawyers'. That is more true every day. ---"

Indeed, that came from the great Bard himself -- being hardly a defender of the lawyer's trade, he seems to set them alongside robbers and other men of ill repute, who make their livings upon the misery of others:

"----
Drum. Enter CADE, DICK the Butcher, SMITH the Weaver, and a Sawyer, with infinite numbers

CADE
We John Cade, so termed of our supposed father,--

DICK
[Aside] Or rather, of stealing a cade of herrings.

CADE
For our enemies shall fall before us, inspired with
the spirit of putting down kings and princes,
--Command silence.

DICK
Silence!

CADE
My father was a Mortimer,--

DICK
[Aside] He was an honest man, and a good
bricklayer.

CADE
My mother a Plantagenet,--

DICK
[Aside] I knew her well; she was a midwife.

CADE
My wife descended of the Lacies,--

DICK
[Aside] She was, indeed, a pedler's daughter, and
sold many laces.

SMITH
[Aside] But now of late, notable to travel with her
furred pack, she washes bucks here at home.

CADE
Therefore am I of an honourable house.

DICK
[Aside] Ay, by my faith, the field is honourable;
and there was he borne, under a hedge, for his
father had never a house but the cage.

CADE
Valiant I am.

SMITH
[Aside] A' must needs; for beggary is valiant.

CADE
I am able to endure much.

DICK
[Aside] No question of that; for I have seen him
whipped three market-days together.

CADE
I fear neither sword nor fire.

SMITH
[Aside] He need not fear the sword; for his coat is of proof.

DICK
[Aside] But methinks he should stand in fear of
fire, being burnt i' the hand for stealing of sheep.

CADE
Be brave, then; for your captain is brave, and vows
reformation. There shall be in England seven
halfpenny loaves sold for a penny: the three-hooped
pot; shall have ten hoops and I will make it felony
to drink small beer: all the realm shall be in
common; and in Cheapside shall my palfrey go to
grass: and when I am king, as king I will be,--

ALL
God save your majesty!

CADE
I thank you, good people: there shall be no money;
all shall eat and drink on my score; and I will
apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree
like brothers and worship me their lord.

DICK
The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.

CADE
Nay, that I mean to do. Is not this a lamentable
thing, that of the skin of an innocent lamb should
be made parchment? that parchment, being scribbled
o'er, should undo a man? Some say the bee stings:
but I say, 'tis the bee's wax; for I did but seal
once to a thing, and I was never mine own man
since. How now! who's there?
----"

Wm. Shakespeare, Henry VI Part II, Act 4 Scene II

[seekeronos]

An interesting anaylsis of the below-quoted play, by Seth Finkelstein:

http://www.spectacle.org/797/finkel.html

[dm60462]

When you're lower on the decency scale than even Jesse Jackson, you've hit bottom.

Jesse Jackson admits to fathering child out of wedlock
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/01/18/jackson.child.03/

[eaglewingz08]

Isn't Weitz & Luxenburg law firm the same law firm that employs the NYS Assembly's Democratic Speaker Sheldon ("Shelly") Silver?
I wonder whether the NYS Assembly Speaker's involved in these shenanigans?