Rachel Alexander, the lawyer who worked with former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas to attack his political enemies, will appeal the suspension of her law license.
Alexander received a suspension of six months and a day by the state Supreme Court's Disciplinary Panel for her role in working on a nonsensical federal racketeering complaint.
The prosecutor received the RICO case against all five County Board of Supervisors, county administrators, judges and private lawyers in December of 2009 from Lisa Aubuchon, who was disbarred along with Thomas on April 10. The Disciplinary Panel's findings make it clear that Alexander knew that no investigative file existed in the racketeering case, and that "no factual investigation was performed by anyone to discover actual evidence to prove any facts relevant" to the case.
Yet the Thomas acolyte went ahead and worked on the preposterous case anyhow.
The legal scheme by Thomas, Aubuchon and Alexander could be likened to
accusing someone of murder with no victim or investigation, then
justifying the action by claiming the innocence or guilt of the suspect
would come out in the trial.
During the lengthy hearings that preceded her suspension order, Alexander was grilled about an article she promoted on her Web site that referred to the members of the Disciplinary Panel as "cockroaches."
Her suspension includes the extra day because that triggers a State Bar
provision forcing her to go through a tough reapplication process.
Alexander filed the notice of appeal today. Also today, attorney Scott
Zwillinger, filed a motion to remove himself as her lawyer -- an action
that follows on the heels of a decision by the County Board of
Supervisors to pay no more taxpayers dollars for her defense. Alexander is considering whether to sue over that decision.
Thomas has until Tuesday at 5 p.m. to file an appeal.
Both Aubuchon and Alexander have continued to practice law since the April 10 punishment order.
Unless the disbarment and suspension orders are stayed, they will become effective on May 10.
