Lawyer in "psycho chihuahua" case to represent Kinder in Obamacare lawsuit

The big guns are coming out for Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder as he battles against the federal health care plan. Documents filed Monday in U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri indicate two Los Angeles attorneys, both associated with Thor Hearne's Arent Fox LLP, are signing on for the civil action. Hearne was listed as the original attorney of record for the case.

   Though both are powerhouse attorneys, by far the biggest name of the two newcomers is Robert C. O'Brien, managing partner of Arent Fox's Los Angeles office. O'Brien was appointed by President George W. Bush as alternate representative to the U. N. General Assembly (in the photo above, O'Brien is shown addressing the General Assembly) and according to the law firm's website:

From 1996 to 1998, Robert was a legal officer with the United Nations Security Council (Compensation Commission) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he led a multinational team of attorneys, loss adjusters and accountants in the government claims (F) section and was responsible for the Secretariat’s review and processing of billions of dollars in claims resulting from Iraq’s 1990-91 invasion and occupation of Kuwait.

O'Brien was the attorney in a successful action by Apollo XI astronaut Buzz Aldrin against the liquor company Bacardi, which used Aldrin's image without his permission.

O'Brien and Arent Fox also represented Taco Bell in a lawsuit against the advertising company that came up with the famous Yo Quiero Taco Bell chihuahua series that ran from 1998 to 2000. Taco Bell was approached in 1996 by the creator of "Psycho Chihuahua," but decided not to go that route. Still, two years later, another chihuahua was featured in the company's advertising. The creator of "Psycho Chihuahua" sued and was awarded $42 million. Taco Bell unsuccessfully tried to get the advertising company that came up with the chihuahua series to foot the bill, but failed at trial and appellate court  levels.

The other Arent Fox lawyer to join Team Kinder is Steven A. Haskins, an associate in the L.A. office. Haskins' resume can be found at this page on the Arent Fox website.

Previous Turner Report entries on the Kinder lawsuit can be found at the following links:

Attorney General: Kinder had no business filing lawsuit in his official capacity

Artist known for gay themes top contributor to Kinder health care lawsuit

Link provided to Kinder lawsuit against federal health care plan

Kinder files legal challenge against federal health care law