Reynolds Says Edmondson May Draw Bar Complaint

Attorney General Drew Edmondson's recent comments on the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act have undermined his client, the citizens of Oklahoma, and may force state lawmakers to file a complaint with the Oklahoma Bar Association based on Edmondson's apparent violation of professional ethics rules, State Rep. Mike Reynolds claimed today.

"The attorney general is not only under a legal obligation to defend House Bill 1804, but also an ethical obligation as an attorney,"said Reynolds, R-Oklahoma City. "Typically, attorneys don't publicly undermine their client's position by making disparaging statements about them."

In a news release, Reynolds said, "In a Dec. 4 article in The Oklahoman, Edmondson said Oklahoma's omnibus immigration reform law (House Bill 1804) is constitutional, but then criticized the law and characterized proposals to expand it as 'cruel.' As attorney general, Edmondson is ethically required to 'zealously' defend state law."

The Oklahoma City Republican noted that Edmondson can farm out defense work to independent firms with more expertise, such as the Immigration Reform Law Institute (a non-profit legal organization that has defended immigration reform laws across the country). "The IRLI lawyers are not only immigration law experts, but also constitutional and pre-emption law experts," Reynolds said. "Officials at IRLI have indicated they are both capable and happy to defend House Bill 1804. If it 'upsets' the attorney general so much to do his job,there are competent and ethical lawyers ready to step in and do it for him.

"Attorney General Edmondson has routinely farmed out legal work to outside firms in the past - often to campaign contributors - in high-profile cases that made those firms very wealthy. There's no reason for him not to hire outside counsel this time. All he has to do is ask."

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