Despite a Drudge link, huge linkage everywhere in the conservative blogosphere, and defensiveness in the left-legal blogosphere, Elizabeth Warren’s law license problem has not broken into the mainstream media.
Other than some passing references, the Boston press has ignored it, even as debates raged on the internet and Boston talk radio.
There seems to be a real nervousness on the left about it, though, recognizing how potent it will be. Even a local Democratic voters rights advocate says it has to be dealt with before it becomes another Cherokee-gate for Warren.
There was a huge development today, as reported by Michael Patrick Leahy at Breitbart.com, Warren Law License Controversy Could Surface in Debate. The Board of Bar Overseers General Counsel no longer is giving public comment, and there are questions as to how the BBO can proceed now that the General Counsel offered his “personal” opinion:
Breitbart spoke with Fredrickson on Monday, who refused to comment in an official capacity as General Counsel of the BBO, saying only that “my personal comment is that I will not be commenting further about this matter in a personal capacity.”Phone calls to Constance Vecchione, head of the Office of Bar Counsel, were not returned.A week after Fredrickson’s comments gave the entire world the impression that Ms. Warren had been exonerated by the BBO, the following questions of BBO have been asked and remain unanswered:1. Has the BBO received a formal complaint that E Warren may have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law?2. Has the BBO undertaken a formal investigation into charges that E Warren may have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law?3. Will Fredrickson face discipline for publicly commenting on the E Warren case, when BBO rules say all investigations must be conducted without public comment?4. In the event BBO has undertaken an investigation of Ms. Warren, will Fredrickson be required to recuse himself from that investigation?
Additionally, Business Insider is following the story, Elizabeth Warren’s Law License Issues Have Gotten Even Worse Before Tonight’s Big Debate:
The new law license headaches will likely come up in tonight’s debate with incumbent Republican Senator and heartthrob Scott Brown, who has also demanded she turn over a list of her corporate clients.For her part, Warren’s campaign admits she doesn’t have a license in Massachusetts but says it was legal for her to “take on cases from time to time to defend important principles of bankruptcy law.”Warren, who promotes herself as a consumer advocate, has taken heat for representing Travelers Insurance in its quest to gain immunity from asbestos claims in exchange for creating a fund for victims.
Finally, Francesca Chambers at Red Alert Politics asks the obvious quesiton, What’s the matter with Massachusetts?
If the topic does come up tonight, it’s hard to see how the Boston press can ignore it anymore.
Update: At the debate there was a lot of talk about Warren’s representation of big corporations, but Brown never raised the licensing issue. There are two more debates.
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