THE US REPORT

Saturday we learned Sen. Barack Obama reportedly has an abundant supply of Missouri law enforcement eager to assist. Doing some casual surfing, we discovered the Illinois senator also has some of the top lawyers in the nation lending support. Among them are several of the top 50 most influential minority lawyers in the U.S. according to Law.com.

During the debate at Ole Miss on Friday, Obama responded to McCain’s comments about earmarks. McCain criticized Obama’s earmarks during his first senate term. McCain said there’s a “fundamental difference” between Obama and him.Obama agreed that earmarks have been “abused.” And he said, “Lobbyists and special interest groups are introducing these things, but that wasn’t the case with me.” What exactly does “influence” mean? Read on and tell me if you think Obama accurately parsed his reponse.

One earmark we reported about here at The US Report went to an organization founded by a recipient listed as a lobbyist for the state of Illinois.

Law and lobbying can go together in a mutual relationship sort of like fleas on a dog. If you’ve read my prior columns, you know I often criticize both those professions. If any professions need regulating and disclosure, those do.

USA Today did a story in April with the header ‘Obama tied to lobbyists, but boasts of not taking money.’ The story listed 38 individuals described as follows: “These 38 fundraisers for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign work for law firms that have lobbying operations in Washington, D.C.”  On the list are names like Tony West (Morrison & Foerster), John Levi (Sidley Austin), Thomas J. Perrelli (Jenner & Block), Karol Mason (Alston & Bird), and Michael Lawson (Skadden, Arps).

Those are among the names at the top of the list of 38 “fundraisers.” Morrison and Foerster, popularly called MoFo, is a megafirm whose website features the slogan “legendary litigators.” The firm describes itself as having “more than a thousand lawyers in seventeen offices around the world.” The firm’s pro bono efforts have earned awards such as The AIDS Legal Referral Panel, who honored Mofo with its first annual Benita Juarez Human Rights Award For Outstanding Service to the LGBT & PLWHA Immigrant Community. The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty presented the firm with its annual Legal Service Award in recognition of the pro bono work on the issue of the death penalty. The firm has also received awards for its work on behalf of immigrants’ rights and on behalf of inmates at Guantanamo Bay.

So what’s up with what Obama said? How does he reconcile his statement during the debate with information reported in The National Law Journal and USA Today? And another question—what would be the impact of an attorney/president who has so little experience at the federal level with so many supporters who are attorneys? Will it keep our judges and courts busy? And this also begs the question: should small businesses increase their liability coverage? You tell me.

I can guarantee you one thing. Traditional media won't be sharing details like these with you.