Dept. of Justice Background Checks? Not always.

[lawrocket 3]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/12/21/BAGFCAF5741.DTL

You know, it's funny that with this move towards greater security that the department of Justice, whose attorneys deal with all kinds of things, that the DOJ would not check to see whether one of its attorneys is actually licensed to practice law.

Turns out that Margaret O'Shea worked as "general counsel" in Washington working on a class action settlement.

Her fraud was only discovered after she had worked for 3 weeks as a public defender in Monterey, CA. The Monterey PD said that they did not background check because of the expense. Really? HEck, give me a name and ten seconds and I can tell you whether someone is licensed to practice in CA. I mean, they never even asked for a bar number?

Which brings me back to the DOJ. How many others have not had background checks? In what positions are these people? What are the chances that some pretty seedy or dangerous characters are working on behalf of the government?

This is pretty funny. And damned frightening when you think about it.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Gravitymaster 0]

I can't remember allthe details because it was quite a few years ago, but there was a guy in DC who passed himself off as a criminal attorney for a couple of years. He actually won a respectable number of cases and pled out the rest. He was finally discovered when it became pretty obvious during a complex case, that he didn't have the in- dept knowledge of the law a real attorney would have.

[BIGUN 1,502]

While there are not enough details in the article, it does mention she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Assuming she passed the bar there, she may have thought she was covered by

Quote

“Registered Legal Services Attorneys”—Lawyers from other states who meet all requisites for admission in California other than the examination requirement may work for a “qualifying legal services provider,” such as a legal aid agency or a law school clinic, under supervision of a licensed California attorney. Attorneys in this category must apply for a determination of moral character by the State Bar, but may practice while awaiting word on those applications.

http://www.lawschool.com/cabarchange.htm

And, considering the constant state of flux California has regarding reciprocity, may have thought she had reciprocity?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Guest]

Was she California DoJ or Federal DoJ? Trust me, that wouldn't have gotten by the Feds - they find every damned thing in your past, including stuff you forgot about - just ask me or Clay (both former Feds now - heh).

mh

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"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

Was she California DoJ or Federal DoJ? Trust me, that wouldn't have gotten by the Feds - they find every damned thing in your past, including stuff you forgot about - just ask me or Clay (both former Feds now - heh).

mh

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she was federal...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[Guest]

How is it then that the Monterey PD was to do the background check? The Feds contract stuff like that out, that's why it takes so long. Maybe they bent the rules and took her on before the check was complete. Some agencies do that, but she would eventually have been found out and sacked.

Believe me, the Feds don't hesitate to whack a bad actor.

mh

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"The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat."