District of Columbia Attorney General Irvin Nathan issued a lengthy letter today explaining the decision not to prosecute David Gregory “despite the clarity of the violation of this important law,” despite rejecting NBC’s claims of a subjective misunderstanding of the law, and despite vowing vigorous enforcement of gun laws.
Emily Miller of The Washington Times, who has written extensively about the overly aggressive enforcement of D.C. gun laws, including as to high capacity magazines, reacted as follows:
It is shameful that the politicians running the nation’s capital have sent the clear message that there are two systems of justice in the city: one for the rich and powerful and one for everyone else.
It further undermines public confidence in such decisions to find out that Nathan knew Gregory and his wife, high-powered attorney Beth Wilkinson.
Anne dug up the connection in which in 2011 Nathan and Wilkinson participated together in a charity mock trial for the Washington, D.C. Shakespeare Theatre Company (emphasis in original):
In this town full of lawyers it should be no surprise that this event sold out in 44 seconds….. The attorneys were Beth Wilkinson a partner at Paul Weiss (and wife of David Gregory, aka the Silver Fox, who was snapping pictures like a proud hubby!) and Irv Nathan, Acting Attorney General for DC. Both were hilarious and Beth looked so great in her black dress and patent leather heels, I was totally motivated to stick to my overly arduous diet.
Here’s an image from the annual report (at p. 58):
Whether this connection meant Nathan had to recuse himself is not a conclusion that people need to jump to.
What’s important is that the connection reinforces public perception, as Emily Miller put it, of one law for “the rich and powerful and one for everyone else.”
James Brinkley didn’t participate in mock trials with Irvin Nathan at the Washington, D.C. Shakespeare Theater. He participated in a real trial in court against Nathan’s office, as told by Miller several days ago, If you’re not David Gregory …:
Despite the evidence Mr. Brinkley had been legally transporting the gun, his attorney Richard Gardiner said the D.C. Office of the Attorney General “wouldn’t drop it.” …. Mr. Brinkley refused to take a plea bargain and admit guilt, so the matter went to trial Dec. 4. The judge sided with Mr. Brinkley, saying he had met the burden of proof that he was legally transporting.
Update: Former federal prosecutor questions why D.C. Atty Gen did not recuse himself from Gregory case
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Comments
It is plain as day that the corrosively biased governing class in Washington DC is in cahoots with the media branch of the Democrat Party. That may appear an insurmountable obstacle to the even-handed application of justice.
But the Byzantine parallels are also becoming less murky, and the day may well come when the privileged enforcers may fall out with their privileged media lackeys, over some divison of the spoils. Should they decide to settle their differences with a power struggle (as the privileged Greens and Blues did in Constantinople), who’s to say that a modern Justinian and Belisarius would not declare a pox on both houses, and send thirty thousand of their partisans to the happy hunting grounds? Such is one possible outcome of the common desire by media and Democrats to scrap the Constitution and institute unappealable rule by some noble Knowitall.
You insult the Byzantines.
Liberal hypocrisy in a nutshell:
“One law for me, and another for thee”
or,
“Laws are for the little people.”
Again, no surprise. Crooks looking out for crooks.
There they go again, that unprincipled 99% giving the rest of the lawyers a bad name!
Why does not a claim of “selective prosecution” now become a defense for everyone else? That should always be the situation when it becomes clear when there are two systems of justice. The accused should select the system he likes best.
I wonder if the fact that the Gregory children and the Obama children attend the same, ” Friends” private school which I understand has armed guards in addition to the Secret Service detail factors into the ultimate decision on Gregory ?
I.AM.SO.SHOCKED.
//not really. Laws and rules are only for us little people, they aren’t for people like rich liberal elitist a$$holes like David Gregory.
You are GOOD! Bravo.
Anne gets the credit
Kudos to Anne!
What can you say when a woman does yeoman’s work? She’s awesome. (thumbs up)
Some just have more skin in the game, while others less or none, even though we are all supposedly in the same game with the same rules. Not surprising at all, except that it is getting more blatant as time goes by and there is no longer any attempt to mask what is happening.
She must have given a very compelling “oral” argument to get her hubby off the hook.
Love Triangle!
I would need to see pics of Mrs Nathan to expand this to KINKY DC WIFE SWAPPING .
She worked for Fannie Mae as well.
I’d like to know if there are any journalist that are not married to spouses working for the Democrat party or are not themselves former party employees….. This is so corrupt.
[…] defense is a good defense should you be caught. Oh, it doesn’t hurt to have your wife be friends with the […]
So I have a ?
the next time someone in DC who has no criminal record, not even a parking ticket, but happens to have this same type thing, will the DC Atty General be letting them off as he did for his buddy David Gregory??
Since this is the standard, this will be applied to everyone, right? and if not, won’t attorneys be using this argument for their clients?
You’re kidding, right?
If I had the stones, the money, and the time, I’d head to DC to make a speech about the 2nd Amendment on a street corner while waving a “high capacity” magazine. The inevitable prosecution would have to contend with their new-found 1st Amendment exception to laws that violate the 2nd Amendment…
Since this is the standard, this will be applied to everyone, right? and if not, won’t attorneys be using this argument for their clients?
Some will certainly try. But the public reports of the attempt will so distorted by the media lackeys that – unless plaintiffs can punch through the slanders with a clear and unanswerable ‘equal justice under law’ argument – the plaintiffs will end up painted as spoiled white males, getting their just deserts via ‘social justice’.
I’m sure the applicability will depend on whether you know people and have a sufficiently patrician name. Odds are that if your name is appended with an initial (i.e. J-Biggie, P-Diddy), a food item (i.e. Porkchop, Catfish) or if most of your precious metals investments are in your teeth or hanging from your neck, you’re probably not going to get the David Gregory break.
[…] CROOKS AND LIARS AND BETTER THAN YOU: Turns Out David Gregory And His Wife Are Friendly With The DC … – Legal Insurrection […]
Well, Mr David Gregory?
How does it feel to now be a pariah along with your cocktail party “friend,” District of Columbia Attorney General Irvin Nathan?
You were excused from certain punishment by the District of Columbia Attorney General Irvin Nathan but you are, for the rest of your natural life, held in ultimate contempt.
I have no doubt that Mr Obama personally interceded in this matter on your behalf, to his further disgrace.
I spit upon you, Mr David Gregory.
Go in shame and disgrace …for life.
‘I spit on you’. ‘go in shame and disgrace…..for life’.
Not sure that is how to win friends & influence people.
Who in their right mind wants anything to do with criminal regressive commiecrats? They are insane.
But spitting & spewing out directives as if VF is on Mt Sinai is only going to get you top mocked quote at some site .
This sort of stuff will bring in those that have invaded Breitbart , which has made it as insane as Mediate.
You would befriend corrupt scum? Why?
Relax. It is just a line from Dale Caregie.
Take it up with him – he seemed to think it was the way to success..
Anyhow in law – win some /lose some. Move on .
Not interested in being friends with any Leftist, and I’ll settle for influencing modern-day Tories to leave America too… using the same tools of persuasion the Patriots did in 1783.
The Tories are what is commonly referred to as British conservatives.
There may be some in The USA but I have not. Heard of them being a problem. But if they are being a nuisance send them back.
I don’t think you need to shoot them – they are quite polite chaps.
Or you simply don’t know wtf a Tories is you dimwit.
[…] Law Professor William Jacobson, who has been following this story closely, reports that David Gregory and his wife knew the Washington, DC Attorney General. How convenient… […]
There is a reason some of the most corrupt, law breaking evil doers in our society have no criminal record, and maintain their moral superiority-
David Gregory is Exhibit A.
John Corzine seen raising his glass of scotch, toasting Exhibit A.
Maxine Waters would have joined the toast, but she was busy screaming at the chief of staff, accused of watering down her Grey Goose.
That’s raaaaaaacist!
I denounce myself.
ANY criticism of ‘Red’Max is wacist. Wascally wacist of wacism. This is well known.
Surely the failure of Nathan to recuse himself from the decision to prosecute or not prosecute is at least an ethical offense.
Are there any residents of DC prepared to complain to the local Bar Association? The DC Bar Code of Ethics is plain:
“Rule 2.1—Advisor
In representing a client, a lawyer shall exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice. …
Rule 8.4—Misconduct
It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to:
…(d) Engage in conduct that seriously interferes with the administration of justice; ”
Nathan’s advice was not independent and it obviously interferes with the administration of justice.
For your convenience, the place to complain is:
Office of Bar Counsel
Board on Professional Responsibility
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
515 5th Street NW
Building A, Suite 117
Washington, DC 20001
Not to mention that the Code of Professional Responsibility admonishes us to avoid, “even the appearance of a conflict of interest”.
Hear, hear! This is the way to get revenge, not just impotently sputtering about it on the Internet. Alinsky once again shows the way: make them live up to their own rule book; hurt the individual rather than the institution. If the Ethics Committee of the DC Bar blows it off, go after the individuals who sit on it and harass and embarrass them too.
We need to get a couple of thousand people to march on DC with empty large capacity magazines. They should have a political message written on them.
Then claim both 1st and 2nd Amendment protections along with constitutional equal protection.
[…] Professor William Jacobson of the Legal Insurrection blog suggests that Nathan may have had a conflict of interest in the case because he might be […]
If it wasn’t for the right wing/tea party extremists, Gregory would never have been put into position to expand the bounds of journalism, having to demonstrate the utter destructivity of that which he cusp bravely in one hand.#liberallogic
I’m angry.
This crap is SUCH a violation of equal protection.
Somewhere, John “There are Two Americas” Edwards is smiling.
Of course he is — an expensive prostitute is servicing him.
[…] then, too, you can add in this. Which I am quite sure the AG would swear up and down had no impact whatsoever on his […]
[…] Laws are for little people, so David Gregory won’t be prosecuted for possessing a high capacity rifle magazine in the District of Columbia. It probably helped that Gregory and his wife Beth Wilkinson know D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan. […]
[…] Legal Insurrection tracked down the following post, which covered the play: […]
[…] Insurrection has done some digging and uncovered an interesting connection. David Gregory’s wife, Beth Wilkinson, appeared together in 2011 in the Shakespeare Theatre […]
We are either a nation of laws or a nation of men. We cannot simultaneously be both. Laws must be applicable to every man equally and evenly.
We had better admit the obvious: there’s new “nomenklatura” here in America, where the elites lord it over the rest of us, and attempt to break our spirits at every turn.
Wouldn’t surprise me if the Boy Tyrant were to issue an executive order demanding that all flyover aka peasant American males grow forelocks, which—as in Louis XIV’s day—we should tug on as we bow, genuflect and curtsy when our Masters pass.
And I’m sure David Gregory admonishes his staff, “Don’t look at me!”—except when he’s braying like a jackass on TV.
“It further undermines public confidence…”
No, that’s too optimistic. Public confidence in our legal system has not been further undermined; public confidence in our legal system is gone. This is just one more example of the reason for its disappearance. These people work equally hard at excusing the actions of both a one-trick; tin-plate pretty boy like David Gregory and an intelligent, educated murderer like Nidal Hasan. They are either too frightened to judge or incapable of judging the actions of either Gregory or Hasan and perfectly willing to ignore laws designed and written to do it for them and relieve them of the responsibility in both cases. The disappearance of confidence in The Law is confirmed in both cases by the fact that, in the face of obvious violations of law by both Gregory and Hasan, and the equally obvious unwillingness to enforce laws in either instance by those who should —nothing happens. Our society today demonstrates over and over again its inability to take the enforcers of our laws to task and hold them accountable for failing to do so, never mind overturning their actions so as to hold the violators accountable and impose consequences. Tomorrow morning, country wide, each member of this incestuous, smug group will report to work with not the slightest inkling of their incompetence. Why would either Mr. Brinkley or the family of someone murdered at Fort Hood have confidence in “The Law?” And why would David Gregory concern himself about it one little bit?
Sooner or later all this feces will hit the fan and I’m glad I’m not in the line of fire.Lock and load A__HOLES.
All this invective against the perpetrators, yet no one’s mentioned the dereliction of duty by the Squeaker of the House, hiding under a rock somewhere, drinking like Hillary Clinton on a world tour.
Come on people — we have the power of the House and its bully pulpit. The DC police not prosecuting Gregory is akin to OUR not forcing our will upon the GOP to do its job. In our silence and acceptance of the status quo in John Boehner, we are as guilty as they are.
Who’s this “we”? I’m not silently accepting Boehner, even asked my Representative a couple of times to not return him as Speaker on the 3rd.
Wilkinson is a long-time prominent Washingtop lawyer.
She worked for DOJ in the 1990s – including, admirably, prosecuting Timothy McVeigh. She is the lawyer who personally asked the jury to impose the death penalty on McVeigh. Wilkinson did a great job.
Wilkinson undoubtedly knows everyone of any prominence in DC involved in criminal work.
But So what? Knowing someone in power is not a bad thing. They had their picture taken together? They worked on the same charity? So?
Is there any evidence of an actual close personal/familial friendshi/relationship? Eg, vacation together, frequent social visits?? Something to show a close relationship.
If not, this is a BIG non issue.
See who listed as prominent lawyer in DC in 2003. #24 Irv Nathan. #25 Beth Wilkinson.
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/people/30-of-washington-dcs-best-lawyers/
Yes they have known each other for decades?? So what
Honest judges do not sit in judgment on those they have known for decades. Honest lawyers do not exercise prosecutorial discretion on those they have known for decades. That’s what.
George – you are right. I have checked & there are no sex tapes . I think there may be but they had bags over their heads.
The female had a little electric chair necklace . That is my only evidence .
It is not good enough your honor.
A high-cap magazine without a weapon or with the wrong weapon is useless. They have conferred life onto an inanimate object it does not deserve. By it’s very existence, the law assumes it will be misused!
I’m looking at a Chi-com made AK magazine, right now. It probably cost all of 50-cents to make, and yet it can get you locked up longer than a dime bag of pure, China White. Never mind, you need a specific weapon, ammunition and intent to make it do what they think it will do. What the fu*k caused these people to loose their damn minds?
What next, will we criminalize computers, because loaded with the right software, we can hack into banks or online companies?
This reeks of those old laws out here in the west that presumed if you had a pair of wire cutters on you that you were a rustler or were cutting somebody’s barbed wire fences!
Idiotic.
The Chicago Way is endemic in society: the law is less important than who you know. And when you are part of the elite ruling class you are surrounded by those people who can run cover for you – besides, it was all just a means to a righteous end – right? The world got to see David Gregory flaunt the law just like his teacher Eric Holder so as to teach us all a valuable lesson – they have power, you don’t.
Possession of a large capacity magazine, without the proper documentation, is a felony. David Gregory possessed a large capacity magazine, without the proper documentation, therefore he is a felon. The fact that the government failed to prosecute him does NOT change that fundamental fact!
David Gregory is a FELON!
Just wondering: can a civil suit be brought against DG on behalf of We the People?
The emotional harm being that the law we are all subject to was flagrantly violated and not prosecuted despite a preponderance of the evidence. We the people were emotionally damaged when we found out that the law is a respecter of persons. We suffered substantial emotional loss and grief when we learned that the law is not the same for all individuals.
In other words, how do we hold DA’s and DG’s accountable legally when they disregard the law?
[…] he is a family friend of Gregory and his high-powered attorney wife, Beth Wilkinson, as disclosed here at Legal Insurrection. Nathan should have stepped aside of course and asked the court to appoint […]
[…] Prosecutor who gave David Gregory a pass was family friend. “What’s important is that the connection reinforces public perception, as Emily Miller put […]
If I were Wayne Lapierre I would organize a march of a few thousand men down Pennsylvania Avenue waving what would appear to be thirty round clips in their hands.
[…] […]
[…] […]
[…] See here. […]
Just consider what the outcome would have been if Sean Hannity had been the person waving the same type of clip on his TV show if held in DC. The perp walk planned would have been a major production.
“Perception” is being charitable. It’s a fact.
Question: Is that Davey’s wife on the right of picture?
Hey, since Andy Cooper outted his little self, who knows..!
Just sayin’…
[…] » David Gregory and wife knew D.C. Attorney General – Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion […]
[…] Apparently the DC Attorney General is an old friend. They just lost any moral right to argue that a ban is urgently necessary with this move. […]
[…] I: Good grief and now this …. Legal Insurrection is reporting that David Gregory and wife knew the D.C. Attorney General. Yup, no conflict of […]
The TV station HQ is in New York. File there. They have the most stringent g.c. laws.
[…] Via Legal Insurrection […]
[…] what does “among other things” mean? Well turns out old friendships die hard. What happens when someone out of our class is caught possessing a scary “high-capacity […]
[…] should also be aware that Mrs. David Gregory, Beth Wilkins, is friends with the DC Attorney General, presenting a blatant conflict of interest for the DC […]
I sent this email to the AG:
Mr Nathan,
Alan Gura thanks you.
Sincerely,
Every American Gun Owner.
Surprised? No. This is the on going rationalization of rule by the elite that does not abide by the rules they make for the rest of us. The entire MO of the left is to insist we adhere to the rules they make because they know better. Rules are for the ruled, not the rulers.
Take a look at Congress, do they abide by any of the rules they make? It’s an option for them but a requirement for us.
It became public at the beginning of Obama’s rule when he appointed Timothy Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury. What was the response when it was revealed he owed back taxes? Excuses, dismissal and then reward. And then it got worse from there. Charlie Rangel, Tom Daschle, etc. tax cheats all but no prosecution or fines. Their defense, we paid up, therefore no harm no foul. No such defense exists for the average person. How would you like to belong to a group of people who can steal (tax cheating) with impunity and when caught be allowed to give it back with the defense it was merely a mistake? What would be the response of any judge if you, the average person offered that legal defense?
Every tyranny that has existed begins with those who rule not being subject to the very rules they impose on the subjects.
[…] it seems the Gregory family and the DC Attorney General are well acquainted. This story is now re-categorized to include ‘Abuse of Power’ and […]
I strongly object to describing this as “reinforcing public perception,” which implies that this is just a silly old “perception” and some unfortunate outlier of an event that somehow seems to get people to think that way.
In truth, it is yet another confirmation of the FACT that there are two sets of laws in ths country, one for the privileged, esp. liberal elites, which is rarely enforced, and another for just about everyone else, which is a thicket of unknowable complexity such that any prosecutor (or a pol who can influence a prosecutor) who ever takes a disliking to you can charge you with a felony and destroy your life, even if you ultimately are acquitted.
[…] If those who enforce the law are amoral, they can expect to exercise little in the way of moral authority. Yes, I’m talking to you, Irvin Nathan. […]
People are starting to ask questions if David Gregory’s wife, Beth Wilkinson, and DC District Attorney Irving Nathan are “just friends.”
This is DC, after all.
[…] Not surprising. […]
[…] Sotomayor’s armed guards, to Obama’s Secret Service for life, to David Gregory getting a pass for blatantly breaking the law, the message is clear — our Progressive overlords are more […]
[…] the fact that Gregory and his wife are socially acquainted with D.C. Attorney General Irvin Nathan couldn’t have anything to do with it, right? Let’s make sure our pro-Second Amendment […]
[…] confronted and facing charges, the attorney general decided not to press charges. It later surfaced that David Gregory was buddies with the AG. As said so excellently by Mark […]