Rudy Giuliani (photo, left), whose New York license to practice law is already suspended, now faces similar action by the D.C. bar, CNN reported on Thursday, June 10, 2022 (read story here).
The new disciplinary charges stem from his pursuit of baseless election fraud claims in Pennsylvania courts in which sought to have 1.5 million ballots in 7 Democratic counties (of 6.8 million statewide, cast in 67 counties) discarded.
Lawyers are subject to professional codes of conduct that prohibit on bringing frivolous lawsuits or engaging in “conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.”
The D.C. bar, which regulates lawyer conduct in that jurisdiction, contends Giuliani violated these rules. Potential sanctions include suspension or disbarment.
That will be determined in a disciplinary proceeding. The fact he’s already suspended in New York for such conduct suggests the probable outcome.
Giuliani was a key member of a Trump inner circle that plotted to keep him in office by means a federal judge described as “criminal.” This was the most serious attack on our democracy in history. Some of the Capitol rioters are getting prison terms, and some of the lawyers have been sanctioned, with possibly more to come.
I believe he should be permanently disbarred. His ethical violations are beyond egregious. He tried to steal our democracy and take our most basic rights from us. There’s no room in the legal profession for lack of character on that scale.