‘Delinquent’ Matt Gaetz Blocked from Practicing Law - Yahoo News
This is one bar tab Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) may regret not paying.
Faced with an onslaught of accusations that he engaged in underage sex trafficking—and bracing for criminal charges—Gaetz allowed his license to practice law in his home state of Florida to lapse this month.
On Friday, The Daily Beast revealed that Gaetz had not paid the fees he owes to The Florida Bar, which regulates lawyers there. That mistake prompted the organization to deem him “delinquent” and “not eligible to practice law in Florida.”
Gaetz’s office initially chalked it up to a career change.
“Congressman Gaetz is no longer actively engaged in the practice of law. He is focused on representing his constituents in Congress, not the courtroom,” said his office’s communications director, Joel Valdez.
But after our story published, Gaetz on Friday morning rushed to file a signed petition to get reinstated and pay the $265 fee—plus another $200 in late fees, according to the professional association.
Four attorneys who spoke to The Daily Beast noted that it is extremely rare for lawyers to do what Gaetz had initially claimed—stepping back from his legal career. Instead, attorneys taking a hiatus normally pay a smaller $175 fee to remain “inactive” but still a “member in good standing.”
“He clearly doesn’t take his law license very seriously when he doesn’t take the time to pay the $265 dues,” said Daniel Uhlfelder, a Santa Rosa Beach attorney who lives in Gaetz’s district. “He’s not a serious lawyer. He’s not a serious congressman. He’s not a serious person. This is one small but symbolic example of that.”
The Daily Beast has learned that the Florida Bar has branded Gaetz as “delinquent” twice in the past two years. The organization temporarily cut him off in 2019 and again in 2020, because Gaetz failed to affirm that he is properly handling and protecting any clients’ money in trust accounts. Lawyers must abide by strict rules to ensure they are not stealing or misusing money that belongs to the people they represent.
source: https://news.yahoo.com/delinquent-matt-gaetz-currently-blocked-080443564.html
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