News Corp hires Oliver NORTH's "potted plant" lawyer

[UTUSN]

For the age impaired among us, this (on the left side of pic) was the one who, when the senators kept trying to get NORTH actually to testify instead of stonewalling, popped out the quip, "What am *I* - a potted plant?!1" Well, I guess he/SULLIVAN was effective since NORTH got away with it all.





*************QUOTE*************

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/07/14/news-corp-hires-top-criminal-defense-lawyer/

News Corp. Hires Top Criminal Defense Lawyer

BY PETER LATTMAN

The News Corporation has hired Brendan V. Sullivan Jr., the prominent white-collar defense lawyer, a person briefed on the matter said. ....


Mr. Sullivan is known for taking on some of the most difficult and high-profile white-collar cases, including a successful defense of Oliver North, the former marine in the Iran-Contra scandal; representing the former Housing and Urban Development secretary, Henry Cisnernos, in a perjury prosecution; and defending Richard A. Grasso, the former head of the New York Stock Exchange, in a case involving his compensation.

*************UNQUOTE*************





ON EDIT: Correct "potted plant" quotation:

*************QUOTE*************

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Sullivan
Sullivan received international media attention in his role as defense counsel to Iran-Contra affair figure Oliver North. During the ensuing congressional hearings, chairman Daniel Inouye suggested that North should speak for himself, because he had wearied of Sullivan's constant objections to questions put to North. Sullivan responded, "Well, sir, I'm not a potted plant. I'm here as the lawyer. That's my job." He also sued Microsoft, on behalf of nine state attorneys general who were unhappy with the federal government's decision to drop the Microsoft antitrust case. He also represented the four Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents involved in the controversial 1992 Ruby Ridge shootout. He defended former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros against accusations of making false statements to the FBI during a background check. He is the attorney for billionaire chipmaker Henry Nicholas, the founder of Broadcom, who in June, 2008, was charged with violations of both securities and narcotics law. The Washington Post has described Sullivan as a "world class lawyer." He defended U.S. Senator Ted Stevens, in the federal grand jury and court proceedings on seven counts of failing to properly report gifts, <1><2> leading to the Attorney General's dismissal of the indictment during the appeal process.

*************UNQUOTE*************