Toughguy Lawyer Scams Client

I was just reading about Tom DeLay’s lawyer and how he’s still trying to get the case dismissed.  But the basis for it is simply absurd, and has almost no chance of succeeding; and I’m sure his lawyers know that better than me.  So why does he bother?

I assert that this is yet another case of high-priced lawyers scamming their client, by doing lots of toughguy fighting that serves no purpose other than to look tough.  Whether or not they think the prosecutor can win the case, I’m sure the lawyers know that the charge is legitimate.  The prosecutor has to prove his case, but it was most certainly a crime.  But I believe that his lawyers are persisting on this, so that it looks like they’re doing lots of work and earning their fees.  And you gotta know that DeLay’s the type of client who likes that.  Jerks like him seem to like needless fighting better than the necessary kind.  They just like to show what fighters they are.  And in the meantime, the lawyer fees keep piling up.

And worse for DeLay (thus better for us), it keeps DeLay’s name in the headlines, reminding everyone that he’s under indictment and trying to do anything possible to stop the case.  In fact, it gives the appearance as if he’s cheating again; trying to squirm out from what he did.  And it might even make people think that he couldn’t win an outright case (which is probably true).  Sure, it also serves to feed his defenders a line of support; a hook to hang their arguments on.  But the damaging headlines more than offset that.  Especially as his defenders aren’t hearing anything new with this, while his attackers get the lovely headlines.

From a political standpoint, DeLay’s best defense would just be to blow-off the whole thing and gladly accept his day in court.  But the main thing would be to lay low and keep it out of the headlines.  The more he fights, the more serious he thinks this is.  And if he thinks it’s serious, everyone else will too.  And that’s not what he wants.  If you think your case is a slamdunk, you don’t need to fight hard and you don’t need a badass lawyer.  If you’re not worried about the charges, you’re not going to pay someone to fight tooth-and-nail.  

But DeLay’s lawyer keeps showing us that this is very serious and that he’s worried.  And while his “Dem DA out to get me” argument might work with his supporters; he knows damn well that that isn’t the case.  Especially as he’s already told the prosecutor that he did the crime.  And so the harder DeLay struggles to get out of this, the worse he looks politically, and the more those fees keep piling up.  And with almost no possibility of gain to show for it.  He might win the case, but this pre-trial fighting isn’t doing much to help him.  I’d say this saddens me, but I’d be lying.

The only part that does sadden me is that the DA’s office has to take all of these challenges seriously.  They may be frivolous, but even frivolous challenges have to be addressed.  And in the meantime, that means more time and energy spent on the case; and thus more taxpayer money thrown down the drain.  And all so DeLay can feel like a fighting man and like his high-priced lawyer is worth the high price.  He’s a mean little man, and this is all he’s got left.


P.S. Biobrain readers are forbidden from sending this post to DeLay.  For your eyes only.