Hearing On Reinstatement After Espionage Conviction And Disbarment

A District of Columbia Ad Hoc Hearing Committee is conducting a hearing on a petition for reinstatement.

The link is here; the proceedings can only be viewed in real time.

Update: It appears that the first day is posted at the above link. If this means that hearing committee proceedings will now be posted, then bravo!

Michael Tigar - the Chair of a D.C. hearing committee - is testifying as a character witness for Petitioner.

Petitioner Theresa Squillacote was convicted of an espionage offense and disbarred over two decades ago

Theresa Marie Squillacote, a member of our Bar, was convicted by a jury of (1) conspiracy to commit espionage, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 794(a) & (c);  (2) attempted espionage and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 794(a);  (3) obtaining national defense information and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2, 793(b);  and (4) making false official statements, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001.   Ms. Squillacote was sentenced to imprisonment for 262 months.   Her convictions were affirmed on appeal. United States v. Squillacote, 221 F.3d 542 (4th Cir.2000), cert. denied, 532 U.S. 971, 121 S.Ct. 1601, 149 L.Ed.2d 468 (2001).

Disciplinary Counsel has taken no position on the merits, although the tone of the cross-examination strongly suggests to me that they will oppose reinstatement. 

Obviously, the requirement of putting the Petitioner to her proof is entirely appropriate given the severity of the crimes.

One wonders why Scooter Libby and other connected petitioners were given a free pass as to proof of present fitness.

The favored felons are I.Lewis Libby, David Savafian and Robert Coughlin. 

The proceedings recessed while Disciplinary Counsel was cross-examining Petitioner. 

The hearing will resume today. 

Editor's note: I was the Bar Counsel attorney who handled the initial stages of the disbarment case. (Mike Frisch)