Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Schaefer campaign: Hawley role in Hobby Lobby case was minimal

(From the Eric Schaefer for Attorney General campaign)

The Schaefer for Attorney General campaign today issued facts clarifying University of Missouri Professor Josh Hawley’s minimal role on the Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Supreme Court case in response to Hawley’s most recent television advertisements which mislead Missourians by exaggerating his involvement in the case.

(Photo- Eric Schaefer campaigns at Lincoln Ladies Ice Cream Social in Carthage Monday night.)

Despite minimal courtroom experience Josh Hawley spent years marketing himself as the “Hobby Lobby Lawyer” to conservative groups. The fact is that Professor Hawley was listed last among a team of attorneys that included attorneys for Hobby Lobby and The Becket Fund, and the case was argued before the Supreme Court in March 2014.

According to a September 2015 article by the Missouri Times, “Court records show that the only litigator who did any actual arguing before the court was Paul D. Clement, who is a partner at Bancroft PLLC.” The Supreme Court ruled in late June of 2014 on the case, but Josh Hawley was not admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court until May 26, 2015.

“For Josh Hawley to repeatedly indicate he argued the Hobby Lobby case is the worst kind of political pandering,” Campaign Manager Scott Dieckhaus said. “The shameful half-truths and lies the Hawley campaign has been telling Missourians over the last few years regarding his role in the case is a cheap ploy akin to lying about military service, or falsifying prestigious awards to get votes.”

An attorney has to be admitted to the Bar of the Supreme Court in order to argue in argue before the Supreme Court. According to court rules, Hawley would not have been permitted to sit at the counsel tables during court proceedings on the Hobby Lobby case. Instead, Hawley would have had to sit in the General Public Seating section designated for visitors to the court.

“I have spent decades prosecuting some of Missouri’s worst criminals, fighting the federal government, and standing up for the rights of Missourians in both federal and state courts,” Kurt Schaefer said. “The primary difference between my cases and Professor Hawley’s is that I actually argued my cases in the courtroom. That courtroom experience matters when selecting our state’s chief law enforcer in the state.”

Schaefer is the only candidate in the race who is a constitutional conservative with extensive prosecutorial and courtroom experience.

“The Schaefer campaign calls on Professor Hawley to do the right thing and cease the overstatements and exaggerations by removing his current ads from Missouri airwaves, and immediately tell the truth to Missourians about his minimal role in the case,” Dieckhaus said.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Lying for Jesus.

It's a thing.