California bar: Avenatti stole from client using ‘deceit’

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Attorney Michael Avenatti should be prevented from practicing law for pocketing a client's settlement and covering his tracks through “deceit, dishonesty and lies,” a lawyer for the California State Bar said Wednesday.

Attorney Eli Morgenstern said Avenatti poses a threat to clients and the public if he continues to perform legal work. The bar is seeking to put Avenatti on involuntary inactive status, and Morgenstern said it is likely he will eventually be disbarred.

Avenatti, who separately faces federal criminal charges, denounced the hearing as a “dog and pony show” and a “complete joke.”

The lawyer best known for representing porn actress Stormy Daniels in lawsuits against President Donald Trump faces charges in New York of trying to extort millions of dollars from Nike and stealing from Daniels. He faces trial in California on charges he cheated on his taxes and embezzled millions from clients.

In the bar proceeding, Avenatti is only accused of stealing from one client, Gregory Barela, for whom he negotiated a $1.9 million settlement in an intellectual property dispute.

Avenatti stole all but $609 of the initial $1.6 million payout made in January 2018, Morgenstern said. He said bank records support the allegations.

Barela said Avenatti never told him the money had been received and gave him the runaround as he desperately racked up debts trying to run a construction supply business and another startup.

Barela anxiously texted Avenatti for months to ask about the money as he went $250,000 into credit card debt.

“I was going broke," Barela testified.

It was only after hiring a new lawyer that Barela realized Avenatti had lied to him for eight months about the proceeds of the settlement. He is still owed $710,000, Morgenstern said.

Avenatti, in comments to reporters before the hearing, said Barela is a “career criminal with a history of lying.”

Barela's lawyer said Avenatti was blaming the victim.

“Nothing Mr. Avenatti says changes the fact that he appears to have falsified the payment dates in Mr. Barela’s settlement agreement and stolen his settlement money,” attorney Steven Bledsoe said.

Federal prosecutors have charged Avenatti with embezzling from Barela. U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna said in announcing criminal charges in March that Avenatti had even gone so far as to offer Barela a $130,000 “advance” on money Avenatti had pocketed. Avenatti later offered Barela a $100,000 loan — if he paid interest.

“It appears Mr. Avenatti loaned the client’s own money to the client,” Hanna said. “Money that Mr. Avenatti had already secretly collected.”

Avenatti has previously denied stiffing Barela, saying all the funds were accounted for. He said in bar court filings that he was owed more than his 40% contingency fee because of other legal work he did for Barela.

Barela testified that he signed no other agreements with Avenatti for legal work.

Attorney Ellen Pansky, who represents Avenatti, said even if he improperly applied funds from the settlement, he did so in good faith and it didn't merit preventing him from performing legal work.

If the bar prevails, Avenatti will effectively be suspended from practicing while it seeks his future disbarment.

Avenatti said it is unlikely he'll eventually be disbarred and said those proceedings would likely be years away.

“The entire thing is going to be shown to be politically motivated," Avenatti told reporters.

https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Avenatti-denounces-state-bar-hearing-as-complete-14916724.php

'Lot of issues': Former Obama doctor says Biden 'not a healthy guy’

Former President Barack Obama’s once-longtime doctor said the medical records Joe Biden’s campaign disclosed are concerning and incomplete.

“He’s not a healthy guy,” Dr. David Scheiner, who was Obama's personal physician for 22 years before he became president, concluded after reading the records. “He’s not in bad shape for his age, but I wouldn't say he’s in outstanding health. Could I guarantee he won't have issues for the next four years? He has a lot of issues that are just sort of sitting there.”

A three-page letter from Biden’s physician concluded the former vice president is a “healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old” that is fit to be president. But the letter also revealed Biden receives treatment for an irregular heartbeat and high cholesterol and that he deals with acid reflux and seasonal allergies. It noted his already known history of aneurysms and that he took blood thinners.

The details from the letter made Scheiner, 81, concerned about Biden’s potential for strokes, and he said he would want to see results from an MRI or CT scan. Because Biden also used to have sleep apnea before getting surgery on his sinus and nasal passages, Scheiner said he would also like to review the results of a sleep study.

The report doesn’t mention an MRI despite the fact that Biden had two brain aneurysms in 1988, the first of which almost killed him. Earlier this year, the Washington Examiner interviewed Biden’s former surgeon, who vouched the 2020 front-runner was in the clear.

But the latest health information doesn’t mention details of any checkups that likely occurred to screen for future issues. The report also included mention of surgeries that hadn’t been previously disclosed, including one for an enlarged prostate. Previously, the public only knew Biden had received treatment for the disorder.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who wrote the assessment, also stated that Biden had “received multiple physical therapy treatments and surgeries, for various sports medicine and orthopedic injuries” but declined to specify any further.

“I had no idea Biden had such a history. My goodness gracious, he’s got a lot of history,” Scheiner said.

Biden’s last medical records disclosure, from when he was Obama’s running mate in 2008, was 49 pages. He has faced speculation this election cycle about his age and mental capacity, including from President Trump, who has said Biden is “ not playing with a full deck.”

The most recent doctor's letter doesn’t address Biden’s vision, even though Biden blamed a contact lens mishap for his eye filling with blood during a town hall, nor does the letter address whether he has had multiple cosmetic surgeries.

Historically, presidential candidates have relied on letters from their personal doctors to disclose details of their health to the public. As a result, there’s no uniform way that a candidate’s medical information is presented to voters, and there’s no guarantee the information is complete.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/lot-of-issues-former-obama-doctor-says-biden-is-not-a-healthy-guy

'Lot of issues': Former Obama doctor says Biden 'not a healthy guy’

Former President Barack Obama’s once-longtime doctor said the medical records Joe Biden’s campaign disclosed are concerning and incomplete.

“He’s not a healthy guy,” Dr. David Scheiner, who was Obama's personal physician for 22 years before he became president, concluded after reading the records. “He’s not in bad shape for his age, but I wouldn't say he’s in outstanding health. Could I guarantee he won't have issues for the next four years? He has a lot of issues that are just sort of sitting there.”

A three-page letter from Biden’s physician concluded the former vice president is a “healthy, vigorous, 77-year-old” that is fit to be president. But the letter also revealed Biden receives treatment for an irregular heartbeat and high cholesterol and that he deals with acid reflux and seasonal allergies. It noted his already known history of aneurysms and that he took blood thinners.

The details from the letter made Scheiner, 81, concerned about Biden’s potential for strokes, and he said he would want to see results from an MRI or CT scan. Because Biden also used to have sleep apnea before getting surgery on his sinus and nasal passages, Scheiner said he would also like to review the results of a sleep study.

The report doesn’t mention an MRI despite the fact that Biden had two brain aneurysms in 1988, the first of which almost killed him. Earlier this year, the Washington Examiner interviewed Biden’s former surgeon, who vouched the 2020 front-runner was in the clear.

But the latest health information doesn’t mention details of any checkups that likely occurred to screen for future issues. The report also included mention of surgeries that hadn’t been previously disclosed, including one for an enlarged prostate. Previously, the public only knew Biden had received treatment for the disorder.

Dr. Kevin O’Connor, who wrote the assessment, also stated that Biden had “received multiple physical therapy treatments and surgeries, for various sports medicine and orthopedic injuries” but declined to specify any further.

“I had no idea Biden had such a history. My goodness gracious, he’s got a lot of history,” Scheiner said.

Biden’s last medical records disclosure, from when he was Obama’s running mate in 2008, was 49 pages. He has faced speculation this election cycle about his age and mental capacity, including from President Trump, who has said Biden is “ not playing with a full deck.”

The most recent doctor's letter doesn’t address Biden’s vision, even though Biden blamed a contact lens mishap for his eye filling with blood during a town hall, nor does the letter address whether he has had multiple cosmetic surgeries.

Historically, presidential candidates have relied on letters from their personal doctors to disclose details of their health to the public. As a result, there’s no uniform way that a candidate’s medical information is presented to voters, and there’s no guarantee the information is complete.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/lot-of-issues-former-obama-doctor-says-biden-is-not-a-healthy-guy

>>7562487

Odd looks like someone copy and pasted my post.

Compliments of Attorney Lin Wood P.C. @LLinWood. This is copy and pasted so the thread could be unrolled.

1/ If House fails to timely deliver impeachment articles to Senate, @realDonaldTrump must immediately seek writ of mandamus from U.S. Supreme Court, ordering articles to…

1/ If House fails to timely deliver impeachment articles to Senate, @realDonaldTrump must immediately seek writ of mandamus from U.S. Supreme Court, ordering articles to be delivered. Constitutional process of impeachment mandates due process to the impeached, the President.

2/ Not only does Constitution mandate due process be afforded to the accused, @realDonaldTrump, the dispute between Executive & Legislative branches of our gov’t must be resolved with certainty by Judicial branch.

3/ Supreme Court must act. Such action will not be for or against @realDonaldTrump, it will only be FOR the document that is sole basis for our existence as a country, US Constitution. The chaos created by this dispute between 2 branches of gov’t threatens foundation of country.

4/ Dispute over impeachment of @realDonaldTrump between 2 branches is legally ripe for Judicial branch resolution as it threatens harm to US Constitution that is irreparable if allowed to occur. The voice of the Supreme Law of our country must be heard & obeyed.

5/ It is Constitutional DUTY of US Supreme Court to immediately intervene in dispute between Legislative & Executive branches over impeachment process arising from articles passed today by House to impeach @realDonaldTrump. Articles issued must now be tried & resolved by Senate.

6/ US Constitution requires Executive Branch (President) to execute law, Legislative Branch (Congress) to pass law, & Judicial Branch (US Supreme Court) to interpret law. If US Supreme Court refuses to act, NO Constitutional Branch of our Country can perform its required duties.

7/ To be clear, I presently support re-election of @realDonaldTrump, but my statements in 1- 6 are not made out of bias or partisanship. They are based solely on the truth of the law of our land the US Constitution, not on party affiliation or political support.

8/ The issue is NOT how US Supreme could or should rule on dispute. The issue is that US Supreme Court has a Constitutional duty to rule. Our Constitution demands a resolution by US Supreme Court. Our country is founded & based on rule of law. Our supreme law is US Constitution.

9/ IF House does not deliver articles for trial in Senate & IF US Supreme Court does not act at this time, @USSenate must force issue over articles of impeachment of @realDonaldTrump by taking action on its own authority. The issue must be forced to a resolution without delay.

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1207557442839732225.html

Elizabeth Warren boasts of endorsement from 'dangerous sexual predator' Ed Buck

Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren trumpeted the support of an alleged serial predator in a list of 200 Obama alumni who have backed her presidential campaign.

On the list is "Edward B.P. Buck." Ed Buck, 65, whose full name is Edward Bernard Peter Buck, was arrested in September on charges of three counts of battery causing serious injury, administering methamphetamine and maintaining a drug house in Los Angeles, California. Federal authorities also charged Buck with one count of distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death.

Alleged victims of Buck told investigators that he would prey on black men with the promise of free drugs to lure them back to his home in Los Angeles. There, Buck would drug the victims against their wishes and sexually assault them. Buck, a major Democratic Party megadonor, has supported a number past candidates including Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Linking via Twitter to an article about the endorsements, Warren said: "I'm grateful to have the support of these Obama campaign alumni and my fellow Obama administration alumni. Their work changed what we know is possible in our politics. Together, we can win in 2020 and build a government that works for everyone."

In July 2017, Gemmel Moore, 26, who was homeless and working as a prostitute, fatally overdosed. Moore wrote in his journal that he blamed Buck for his out-of-control drug habit. “I’ve become addicted to drugs and the worst one at that,” Moore wrote. “Ed Buck is the one to thank, he gave me my first injection of chrystal meth.”

In January this yearTimothy Dean, 55, was found dead in Buck’s home. Buck’s attorney, Seymour Amster said at the time that the man ingested drugs before coming to the megadonor’s residence.

Buck delayed for 15 minutes before calling paramedics after Dean died, according to an autopsy report. That was disputed by Buck, who said he was in another room taking a shower when Dean fell unconscious.

“From what I know, it was an old friend who died of an accidental overdose, and unfortunately, we believe that the substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment,” his lawyer said. Dean's sister, Joyce Jackson, described Buck as a predator. "I really believe he preyed on people. I think he’s sick. He really needs to get some help," she said.

Prosecutors touched on the two deaths in court documents, writing, “Not deterred by the senseless deaths of Moore and Dean, [Buck] nearly killed a third victim last week.”

In the motion requesting bail be set at $4 million, prosecutors called Buck “a violent, dangerous sexual predator” who “mainly preys on men made vulnerable by addiction and homelessness.”

Buck has supported a number of Democratic candidates, including former President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, and has donated more than $500,000 to different Democratic candidates and causes. If convicted of the charges, Buck could face more than five years in state prison.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/elizabeth-warren-boasts-of-endorsement-from-alleged-sex-predator-ed-buck