Uncivil Journey – Part 7

Phil Stimac

Virgin Mary

Joseph Russoniello

In March, 1990, Joe Russoniello left the U.S. Attorneys Office and became Senior Counsel and resident at Cooley, Godward and Kornish in San Francisco, specializing

Uncivil Journey – Part 6

Phil Stimac

There wasn’t always a dark political cloud hanging above the Main Justice Building.  It followed Ronald Reagan and his pals to Washington from California. Edwin Meese  was born in Oakland, CA in 1931. The son of a city official who went on to serve as Alameda County Treasurer for 24 years, the younger Meese graduated from University of California’s Boalt Hall School of Law in 1958. Upon passing the California State Bar Exam, he went to

Uncivil Journey – Part 5

 

Phil Stimac

During the 1980’s, everything at Main Justice became highly politicized.  It began with Reagan’s appointment of William French Smith, the former Chairman of the California Republican Committee as Attorney General.  Civil rights enforcement came to a grinding halt.  DOJ “lost it’s luster.” Insiders began using words like  “bureaucratic swamp” to describe

Uncivil Journey – Part 4

Phil Stimac

The case which would eventually come to define the life and career of Joe Russoniello has taken on many names over the years -  Civil Frights,  The Executive Order 12250 Fiasco, The Ted Bundy Lawyer Case. Yet, no name more accurately explains the interlocking network of  political tampering by state and federal officials which drives it than The State Bar Conspiracy.

An anonymous phone call from

Uncivil Journey – Part 3

Phil Stimac

By some accounts, the 1980’s were the best of times in the Northern District of California.  The San Francisco 49’ers and Oakland Raiders came up winners in Super Bowl XV, XVI, XIX and XXIII. The decade would come to a climax with a Bay Bridge World Series between the Bay Area’s Giants and Athletics.

During the ‘80’s, Santa Clara Valley redesigned its image from an agricultural Mecca to the undisputed

Uncivil Journey – Part Two

Phil Stimac

1982 was not the best of years for the four axes of power that in a quarter century would dominate California’s legal system.  In June, San Francisco Mayor Dianne Feinstein pushed a handgun ban measure through that was overturned by the California Court of Appeals the following October.

State Bar member Eddie Keller challenged the Bar’s right to use member’s dues to fund social and political issues like gun control, the death penalty and immigration.  Arguing the use of mandatory bar dues for political causes violates

Uncivil Journey – Part One

 

Phil Stimac

Sooner or later, everyone has to begin the uncivil journey. There’s no escaping it. Whether you’re a federal judge, or a Federal Express driver; a postman, podiatrist, housewife or hairdresser; the day will come when you realize you just can not live the lie any longer.

 

 

It’s a lie that was taught to us in school and broadcast on the evening news since we were young children. Now as adults, it affects every aspect of our lives – the money we earn, the information we receive, and, especially,  our civil rights. The bottom line: the people in those government buildings,