“This is not reverse RICO!” Shane Jenkins Gives Away John Pierce’s Game
John Pierce, the trial attorney who is attempting to represent up to 18 January 6 defendants while lying in a COVID ward, seems to have found three kinds of clients for himself (I’ve included a roster below). There are a bunch of Proud Boys and other militia members who might serve as a kind of firewall for Joe Biggs and Enrique Tarrio. There are a handful of people charged with trespassing who have said outlandish things in the past about January 6. And there are three defendants with criminal records accused of assaulting cops. Two of those three, Peter Schwartz and Shane Jenkins, (the other is James McGrew) had hearings today to figure out what to do with their defense attorney who already had too much on his plate before getting COVID.
The hearings didn’t provide much more clarity into what has happened with Pierce. The same unbarred, indicted associate, Ryan Marshall, whom Judge Amit Mehta ordered last week to find a member of the DC bar to show up today appeared, alone in the first hearing and with a Bankruptcy lawyer who is not a member of the DC bar for the second. Marshall revealed they were trying to get an outside attorney to sign a contract to help represent all these defendants. That attorney is not the bankruptcy lawyer though, who just offered to fill in when she heard about the troubles in the news. Mehta asked Marshall about Pierce’s partner, Bainbridge (with whom Marshall purportedly works), but Marshall said he had never met him.
Marshall did admit Pierce is very sick and had spent most of yesterday sleeping. He said Pierce expects to get out in a week, but that was based on Pierce’s own representation, not anything someone with medical expertise said. Marshall said Pierce is not (now?) on a ventilator.
But when it came time to ask what Schwartz wanted to do about this, he revealed Marshall hadn’t spoken to him all week. He claimed this was the first he heard about it. He reeled off a bunch of complaints — a spider bite, old contacts, poor medical care — but in spite of a long, long criminal record, didn’t seem to understand that’s what lawyers are for, to help air those complaints. Nor did he understand that he doesn’t have the uncontested ability to refuse to waive Speedy Trial, particularly not when the bozo lawyer he has chosen to represent him goes AWOL.
Things were a bit different with Shane Jenkins, for whom “Pierce” filed a notice of appearance from the hospital (Marshall explained a paralegal had done it on Pierce’s instructions). Plus, Marshall had at least spoken to Jenkins to reassure him it’s a good idea to hire Pierce even though he’s hospitalized.
After Judge Mehta decided it was prudent to leave Maria Jacobs, the public defender currently representing Jenkins, on the job until someone actually qualified to practice law in DC showed up, Jenkins had his say.
Like Schwartz, he insisted he won’t waive Speedy Trial (as with Schwartz, Mehta waived it for a few weeks). Like Schwartz, he complained about the discovery he had gotten.
But — particularly given Pierce’s earlier claims about wanting to do a Public Authority defense — the specific claims Jenkins made about discovery were genuinely enlightening (these are my live-tweets).
Several questions about discovery. I received cracked disc that no longer works. Edited videos that exclude very important information. If these were used before GJ, that’s deception.
Jenkins claims there was a murder being covered up by DOJ, or suppressed by DOJ. “I’d love to proceed to trial, the facts prove the truth, I look forward to DOJ laying facts on table, full discovery, not interested in waiving BRady. This is not reverse RICO.”
Jenkins apparently claims to believe that the videos of his alleged assaults were edited to hide a murder, apparently committed by the police, on the West Terrace of Capitol. He appears to be claiming that he was retaliating for that murder.
With Ryan Samsel (who wisely fired Pierce in late July), Samsel seemed to have made coached claims about who assaulted him in jail, something that has not yet been publicly confirmed, though the public and totally believable story blames the guards. It’s not surprising, though, that someone who is a trial attorney and not a defense attorney, would encourage his clients to make public claims accusing the government.
But what Jenkins did was interesting precisely because Pierce claimed, when he announced he was going to mount a Public Authority defense, that he needed all the video.
He’s going to get all the video. Every January 6 defendant will get it.
And none of it will show that cops committed a murder on the West Terrace.
But Jenkins at least suggested that he plans to defend himself against assaults clearly shown on video by claiming that the real videos show cops killing peaceful Trump supporters.
Even as that has been going on, however, Pierce has been convincing one after another January 6 defendant to let him represent them. The following list is organized by the date — in bold — when Pierce first filed an appearance for that defendant (I’ll probably update this list as Pierce adds more defendants):
1. Christopher Worrell: Christopher Worrell is a Proud Boy from Florida arrested on March 12. Worrell traveled to DC for the December MAGA protest, where he engaged in confrontational behavior targeting a journalist. He and his girlfriend traveled to DC for January 6 in vans full of Proud Boys paid for by someone else. He was filmed spraying pepper spray at cops during a key confrontation before the police line broke down and the initial assault surged past. Worrell was originally charged for obstruction and trespassing, but later indicted for assault and civil disorder and trespassing (dropping the obstruction charge). He was deemed a danger, in part, because of a 2009 arrest for impersonating a cop involving “intimidating conduct towards a total stranger in service of taking the law into his own hands.” Pierce first attempted to file a notice of appearance on March 18. Robert Jenkins (along with John Kelly, from Pierce’s firm) is co-counsel on the case. Since Pierce joined the team, he has indulged Worrell’s claims that he should not be punished for assaulting a cop, but neither that indulgence nor a focus on Worrell’s non-Hodgkins lymphoma nor an appeal succeeded at winning his client release from pre-trial detention. While he has been hospitalized with COVID, Pierce submitted some filings attempting to get Worrell out of jail because he’s not getting medical care; the most recent filing not only thrice misstated what jail Worrell is in, but also admitted he has refused treatment at least five times.
2. William Pepe: William Pepe is a Proud Boy charged in a conspiracy with Dominic Pezzola and Matthew Greene for breaching the initial lines of defense and, ultimately, the first broken window of the Capitol. Pepe was originally arrested on January 11, though is out on bail. Pierce joined Robert Jenkins on William Pepe’s defense team on March 25. By April, Pierce was planning on filing some non-frivolous motions (to sever his case from Pezzola, to move it out of DC, and to dismiss the obstruction count), but not much has happened since.
3. Paul Rae: Rae is another of Pierce’s Proud Boy defendants and his initial complaint suggested Rae could have been (and could still be) added to the conspiracy indictments against the Proud Boys already charged. He was indicted along with Arthur Jackman for obstruction and trespassing; both tailed Joe Biggs on January 6, entering the building from the East side after the initial breach. Pierce filed to join Robert Jenkins in defending Rae on March 30.
4. Stephanie Baez: On June 9, Pierce filed his appearance for Stephanie Baez. Pierce’s interest in Baez’ case makes a lot of sense. Baez, who was arrested on trespassing charges on June 4, seems to have treated the January 6 insurrection as an opportunity to shop for her own Proud Boy boyfriend. Plus, she’s attractive, unrepentant, and willing to claim there was no violence on January 6. Baez was formally charged with trespassing on August 4.
Victoria White: If I were prosecutors, I’d be taking a closer look at White to try to figure out why John Pierce decided to represent her (if it’s not already clear to them; given the timing, it may simply be because he believed he needed a few women defendants to tell the story he wants to tell). White was detained briefly on January 6 then released, and then arrested on April 8 on civil disorder and trespassing charges. At one point on January 6, she was filmed trying to dissuade other rioters from breaking windows, but then she was filmed close to and then in the Tunnel cheering on some of the worst assault. Pierce filed his notice of appearance in White’s case on June 10. On September 3, White told Judge Faruqui she didn’t want Pierce to represent her anymore.
Ryan Samsel: After consulting with Joe Biggs, Ryan Samsel kicked off the riot by approaching the first barriers and — with several other defendants — knocking over a female cop, giving her a concussion. He was arrested on January 30 and is still being held on his original complaint charging him with assault and civil disorder. He’s obviously a key piece to the investigation and for some time it appeared the government might have been trying to persuade him that the way to minimize his significant exposure (he has an extensive criminal record) would be to cooperate against people like Biggs. But then he was brutally assaulted in jail. Detainees have claimed a guard did it, and given that Samsel injured a cop, that wouldn’t be unheard of. But Samsel seemed to say in a recent hearing that the FBI had concluded it was another detainee. In any case, the assault set off a feeding frenzy among trial attorneys seeking to get a piece of what they imagine will be a huge lawsuit against BOP (as it should be if a guard really did assault him). Samsel is now focused on getting medical care for eye and arm injuries arising from the assault. And if a guard did do this, then it would be a key part of any story Pierce wanted to tell. After that feeding frenzy passed, Pierce filed an appearance on June 14, with Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui releasing his prior counsel on June 25. Samsel is a perfect defendant for Pierce, though (like Rittenhouse), the man badly needs a serious defense attorney. Update: On July 27, Samsel informed Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui that he would be retaining new counsel.
5. James McGrew: McGrew was arrested on May 28 for assault, civil disorder, obstruction, and trespassing, largely for some fighting with cops inside the Rotunda. His arrest documents show no ties to militias, though his arrest affidavit did reference a 2012 booking photo. Pierce filed his appearance to represent McGrew on June 16.
Alan Hostetter: John Pierce filed as Hostetter’s attorney on June 24, not long after Hostetter was indicted with five other Three Percenters in a conspiracy indictment paralleling those charging the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys. Hostetter was also active in Southern California’s anti-mask activist community, a key network of January 6 participants. Hostetter and his defendants spoke more explicitly about bringing arms to the riot, and his co-defendant Russell Taylor spoke at the January 5 rally. On August 3, Hostetter replaced Pierce.
6, 7, 8. On June 30, Pierce filed to represent David Lesperance, and James and Casey Cusick. As I laid out here, the FBI arrested the Cusicks, a father and son that run a church, largely via information obtained from Lesperance, their parishioner. They are separately charged (Lesperance, James Cusick, Casey Cusick), all with just trespassing. The night before the riot, father and son posed in front of the Trump Hotel with a fourth person besides Lesperance (though Lesperance likely took the photo).
9. Kenneth Harrelson: On July 1, Pierce filed a notice of appearance for Harrelson, who was first arrested on March 10. Leading up to January 6, Harrelson played a key role in Oath Keepers’ organizing in Florida, particularly meetings organized on GoToMeeting. On the day of the riot, Kelly Meggs had put him in charge of coordinating with state teams. Harrelson was on the East steps of the Capitol with Jason Dolan during the riot, as if waiting for the door to open and The Stack to arrive; with whom he entered the Capitol. With Meggs, Harrelson moved first towards the Senate, then towards Nancy Pelosi’s office. When the FBI searched his house upon his arrest, they found an AR-15 and a handgun, as well as a go-bag with a semi-automatic handgun and survivalist books, including Ted Kaczynski’s writings. Harrelson attempted to delete a slew of his Signal texts, including a video he sent Meggs showing the breach of the East door. Pierce attempted to get Harrelson out on bail by joining in the bail motion of one of his co-defendants, which may either show how little he knows about defense work or how little he cares.
10. Leo Brent Bozell IV: It was, perhaps, predictable that Pierce would add Bozell to his stable of defendants. “Zeeker” Bozell is the scion of a right wing movement family including his father who has made a killing by attacking the so-called liberal media, and his grandfather, who was a speech writer for Joseph McCarthy. Because Bozell was released on personal recognizance there are details of his actions on January 6 that remain unexplained. But he made it to the Senate chamber, and while there, made efforts to prevent CSPAN cameras from continuing to record the proceedings. He was originally arrested on obstruction and trespassing charges on February 12; his indictment added an abetting the destruction of government property charge, the likes of which have been used to threaten a terrorism enhancement against militia members. Pierce joined Bozell’s defense team (thus far it seems David B. Deitch will remain on the team) on July 6.
11. Nate DeGrave: The night before DeGrave’s quasi co-conspirator Josiah Colt pled guilty, July 13, Pierce filed a notice of appearance for Nate DeGrave. DeGrave helped ensure both the East Door and the Senate door remained open.
12. Nathaniel Tuck: On July 19, Pierce filed a notice of appearance for Nathaniel Tuck, the Florida former cop Proud Boy.
13. Kevin Tuck: On July 20, Pierce filed a notice of appearance for Kevin Tuck, Nathaniel’s father and still an active duty cop when he was charged.
14. Peter Schwartz: On July 26, Pierce filed a notice of appearance for Peter Schwartz, the felon out on COVID-release who maced some cops.
15. Jeramiah Caplinger: On July 26, Pierce filed a notice of appearance for Jeramiah Caplinger, who drove from Michigan and carried a flag on a tree branch through the Capitol.
Deborah Lee: On August 23, Pierce filed a notice of appearance for Deborah Lee, who was arrested on trespass charges months after her friend Michael Rusyn. On September 2, Lee chose to be represented by public defender Cara Halverson.
16. Shane Jenkins: On August 25, Pierce colleague Ryan Marshall showed up at a status hearing for Jenkins and claimed a notice of appearance for Pierce had been filed the night before. In that same hearing, he revealed that Pierce was in a hospital with COVID, even claiming he was on a ventilator and not responsive. The notice of appearance was filed, using Pierce’s electronic signature, on August 30, just as DOJ started sending out notices that all Pierce cases were on hold awaiting signs of life. Jenkins is a felon accused of bringing a tomahawk to the Capitol and participating in the Lower West Tunnel assaults on cops.
In the Schwartz hearing I did not think the judge did a great job explaining that the main thing getting in the way of a speedy trial is the lack of a defense lawyer. In the moment whatever the judge said seemed not clear and muddled to me.
Ryan Marshall should worry about ever being admitted to practice anywhere, or keeping any admission he has now. That he’s too stupid or compromised to bolt on Pierce – like dozens of smarter past partners and associates – is not helpful.
Especially considering that Marshall’s felony charges are for fraudulent acts while he was a legal clerk in a Pennsylvania court, and for things committed under the guise of his position, I doubt that any attorney except one like Pierce would hire him.
What do we have to go on that Pierce has Covid or that he is very sick (from Covid) and in hospital – beside statements from people not named John Pierce (or his doctor)?
Dirk Schwenk (sp) has wondered whether he’s still even in the US—but to answer your question, I’ve not seen any such evidence. And if there was, pretty sure Marcy would have uncovered it.
Speaking of, another awesome write up Marcy—thanks for this!
Apparently they’ve checked at least two hospitals in the L.A. area and he doesn’t seem to be in any of them. (Unless he’s in one as “Ryan Marshall” or “Joe Schmoe”. /s)
When the only person who seems to have any contact is a non-lawyer who’s been charged with multiple felonies in a different state, it’s a good question where Pierce really is and what shape he’s actually in. If he can write or phone Marshall, he can provide a written (and witnessed) statement to the court.
Indeed, and since Rittenhouse’s legal defense fund was (allegedly!) tapped into by Pierce for personal expenses this looks more and more like J Pierce is in a galaxy far, far away, or someplace without an extradition treaty.
There are a lot of hospitals in California or within a few hours of DC. More if you count drug rehab facilities – though Marcy seems pretty confident that he’s really down with COVID, not coming off a cocaine/benzo bender. I’m still puzzled over how Mr. “not-admitted-to-the-bar-anywhere-and-oh-yes-under-indictment” keeps showing up in court instead of the reportedly “inexperienced-but-really-a-lawyer” (per Leoghann) Womack fellow. Does the firm lack resources to fly him in from California? That seems unlikely; as Anthony Trollope put it regarding one of his less savory characters, even when as poor as a man can be, this sort of man always has ready money for things like taxis and drinks/meals in restaurants and the like. Updated that would include plane fare.
They went for the two biggest near his official home address, which are UCLA and Cedars-Sinai. (I’d also have checked St John’s in Santa Monica and maybe some farther away, like in Torrance or the valley.)
Footnote: There is no Brody Womack (or B Womack) admitted to the California Bar, not even provisionally. Assuming Leoghann is correct about his being a lawyer, either he hasn’t yet been admitted to the bar or he practices somewhere other than California (where he seems to reside).
One fairly lengthy article I read, in late August, when Pierce’s no-shows were just hitting the news, referred to Brody Womack as an attorney colleague of Pierce’s at the National Constitutional Law Union, but not involved in Pierce Bainbridge LLC. The NCLU is a right-wing political think tank that Pierce founded only recently, about which very little is known. Like Pierce Bainbridge’s website, the NCLU website is long on florid description but short on actual information, including who it comprises.
This article in the Daily Beast says a Google search of Brody Womack turns up a California Commercial Driver’s License, but no legal license anywhere, as has been noted by another commenter above. But unlike Marshall, Womack doesn’t appear to be interested in representing anyone in court.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-mystery-of-john-pierce-jan-6-lawyer-who-suddenly-vanished
The full article may require membership for access.
Womack is listed as the principal of the NCLU on its articles of incorporation, which is why I first thought he might be a Wyoming resident – but the organization’s “address” is just a drop box site.
I wouldn’t call the NCLU a think tank at all, not even a tank for the thinking of crazy thoughts. Its goal is to collect money that will be used to pay lawyers who represent people it considers to be unfairly prosecuted by the government. Basically, if it takes off it will be a huge slush fund for Pierce and his colleagues (if he still has any). But that’s a big if.
What could he mean by “reverse RICO?”
I know what RICO is, but the “reverse” part sounds coached. And maybe hints at their thinking?
LOL, it is not a thing. My gawd, this is simply amazing. I am shocked the Marshal of the Supreme Court has not taken all these morons into custody.
But what could he be getting at, ridiculous as it may be?
(Didn’t know SCOTUS had marshalls!)
Lol, it is a bit of an inside joke, but there really is a “Marshal Of The Supreme Court”. It is currently Gail Curley.
I was in a civil trial once, and the judge (Constance Baker Motley) called the federal marshall and ordered him to go retrieve a witness who had ditched. Pretty dramatic moment.
The Marshall is the one who calls the court to order. “Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!”
Of course, she has other responsibilities too, like overseeing facility security and maintenance.
Logically, the claim would be that government is acting in the role of the mafioso, committing a series of crimes that show a corrupt pattern and practice. Horseshit with bells on it.
Then why would he say it’s “NOT reverse RICO?”
Keep in mind that Peter “NOT reverse RICO” Schwartz is also the guy who’s claiming that all of the government’s video footage has been altered to cover up a murder by the officers. My guess is that Mr. Schwartz is afflicted with CFN (completely fucking nuts).
We’re in a paradox here with the Republican fringe getting both fringier and more mainstream. Can’t someone find an alarm or a stick to wake Manchin and Sinema to the fact that their idea of following a rule that will severely hamper democracy in America which the opposition minority party has already discarded in order to approve hundreds of judges for lifetime tenures at both the Supreme Court and important courts all over the country is a very very bad one?
Those groomed and hand-picked Federalist Society judges are making decisions that take away the Constitutional rights of a significant number of Americans and severely negatively impact people’s lives. Does no one have leverage over those two? Are we just going to be continue to be trampled over? Is there no decency left? Sorry, but it’s dire.
Excellent question to which I have been trying to figure out the answer (I seldumb ask for directions, either).
I wonder what Mr. Pierce is offering these defendants in exchange for allowing him to represent them. Movie rights to the next blockbuster: “My Cousin Vinnie 2”? Their own chapter in his soon to be released best seller “Deep Inside the Proud Boys”? Something pretty sketchy is going on.
An instant “Ineffective Counsel” appeal?
Uncle Rico FTW (from Napoleon Dynamite).
The John Pierce Esquire disappearance has been a fascinating read, thank you Dr. Wheeler for continuing to keep us abreast of the ongoing shitshow. Can Pierce actually be out-Rudying Giuliani for total eff-ups?
In all fairness, he hasn’t gotten a president impeached yet, so probably no.
From Marcy’s update, it looks like perhaps the smarter defendants are finding alternative counsel.
The whole tawdry episode is indicative of the rot that continues as long as the GOP is in Trump’s grasp.
It’s so bad, that this is a world in which Liz Cheney appears as ‘a good guy.’
As for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who is threatening companies that comply with a congressional committee’s request for record preservation for Jan 6th phone calls between elected leaders and the president, cannot the House Ethics Committee do something about that?
Aren’t there laws for threatening cooperating witnesses in a congressional investigation?
Aren’t there protections for companies who are simply providing factual information to a congressional committee investigating a violent assault on our Capitol?
They’ve subpoena’d his phone records. He’s afraid they’ll find out exactly how much he knew.
??? Who has subpoened what? McCarthy wasn’t directly a subject of any retention requests by the committee AFAIK…
It’s a preservation request:
Kevin McCarthy among GOP lawmakers whose phone records January 6 select committee asks to be preserved
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/02/politics/kevin-mccarthy-preserve-phone-records/index.html
9:01 PM ET, Thu September 2, 2021
Yeah, I was just reading that a bit ago. At least it’s all much clearer now. He is a direct target of this request and is trying to illegally bully his way out of having the info provided to the committee.
In legal talk, I’ve learned “targets” are different than people of interest. Right now, this select group of clown car hangers-on appear to be people of interest due to their communications with key figures, including the president, both leading up to and during the events of January 6th,
Dull Bulb House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy thinks it’s a good idea to threaten the companies that turn over data requested by an authorized US Congressional Committee.
I forget who brought up “thugocracy” today, but that seems apt to describe WTF is going on with today’s Republican Party.
I think McCarthy said this before the list was finalized:
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/31/mccarthy-january-6-threaten-phone-records-requests-508166
[quote] “If these companies comply with the Democrat order to turn over private information, they are in violation of federal law and subject to losing their ability to operate in the United States”
“If companies still choose to violate federal law, a Republican majority will not forget and will stand with Americans to hold them fully accountable under the law.” [end quote]
So, the defense plan has been clarified thanks to Marcy. Here’s me thinking Peirce was hiring all these clients simply to gum up the legal system until a possible Trump 2024 presidency.
The actual plan is no less crazy.
“he reeled off a bunch of complaints — a spider bite, old contacts, poor medical care…”
Wow… what a twisting, turning tale of woe…
Reminds me of John Belushi in The Blues Brothers, when he and Jake run into Carrie Fisher in the tunnel under the hotel…
“I ran out of gas. I… I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN’T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!”
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz-Lzu01olY)
I’ve seen commenters in various places asking “why send Ryan Marshall, when you could send (other named partner) Jim Bainbridge, who Pierce allegedly works with on other cases. But the initial reports saying that Pierce’s listed phones all go to either disconnect recordings, or are answered by others who insist they’re not with the firm, also say Bainbridge couldn’t be reached. Google gives me no 2021 hits on Bainbridge–not a single quote or mention.
Bainbridge is a bit of a mystery, too (surprise, surprise). The Pierce/Bainbridge site describes him as a graduate of Harvard Law with 40+ years on the CA bar. He seems to be mainly a real estate guy, having authored a slew of books on prepping for the real estate broker exam and the like (as well as self-published poetry and fiction). But on a darker note, he and a colleague names Fingarette were prosecuted in 1996 for a scam – one of those things where you’re told you’ve won a valuable prize, then end up paying an inflated price for a camera or some such. The alleged credentials of the two men were a big factor in convincing people it was a real deal, but Fingarette (also said to have ben Harvard Law) had never attended law school, period. (He was later busted in Nevada for trying to practice law without a license.) This raises a question about Bainbridge’s own educational background. According to one web site that purportedly maintains a list of all Harvard Law School graduates since the late 1940s, nobody named Bainbridge ever graduated from there. So maybe bringing him in to federal court wouldn’t be such a good plan.
https://www.lawfuel.com/blog/the-ftc-prosecution-the-mystery-money-man-and-the-continuing-tale-of-pierce-bainbridge/
https://www.lawyerlegion.com/law-schools/harvard-law-school/alumni?fn=&mn=&ln=Bainbridge&firm=
(Missed the 5 minute mark) Update: James Dudley Bainbridge of Los Angeles was admitted to the California Bar in December, 1977 and remains active, though he seems more involved as a real estate broker. He is reportedly a graduate of Harvard Law, though it looks like this part of the entry is a self-report. There is contact information on the site (not at Pierce/Bainbridge), probably out of date or some journalist would have reached him for comment.
Suggests Bainbridge is a placeholder, there for the letterhead value and not much else. Funny how the only people willing to continue to associate with “John Pierce” appear to be so compromised and so peripheral.
The whole Trump saga will make a great movie.
More Stephen King than James Michener.
Daniel A. Fingarette, James D. Bainbridge’s partner in the scam organization Nishika, Ltd., and his fall partner in 1996, also goes by William A. “Bill” Burke. Here’s the FTC’s report on that case.
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/1996/03/ftc-action-provide-much-113-million-consumers-victimized-huge
Interestingly, the picture captioned as Jim Bainbridge on the Pierce Bainbridge website is the only image like it that comes up in a Google image search for his name. All the images of Bainbridge published in other sources appear to be that one, pulled off the Pierce Bainbridge site.
Has anyone with any authority simply ASKED Ryan Marshall where Pierce is? He doesn’t seem to know, and at this point, I’m not convinced that anyone who talked to “Pierce” on the phone is talking to the real John Pierce.
Has anyone other than Marshall talked with Pierce in the last month? Because, like you, I don’t know if that’s the real Pierce or if Marshall is inventing stuff to cover for *something*.
I’m not sure Ryan Marshall has talked to “John Pierce.” Nor am I sure that, given his troubles, illness is the most reasonable explanation for Pierce’s absences, especially as only a little new data could fix that.
Even a modestly functioning legal practice, for example, could by now have had someone obtain a statement from Pierce, a hospital or a doctor, giving the court a factually verifiable explanation for his absences. Instead, Pierce has subjected the courts to conflicting second and third-hand stories. As he has with his creditors, and his former partners and associates, Pierce appears to be gaming the system.
I find it quite astonishing.
It’s like the captain of the ship disappeared overboard.
Yet someone other than he keeps sending signals he’s okay.
When you say ‘gaming the system’ does that mean they are collecting attorney fees even as the hours of his absence pile up?
I’m concerned he’s so far down his rat hole that he’s using Covid and the resulting confusion and hesitation as a front. It’s a tactic to delay the inevitable, as an excuse to hide his current serial negligence, and to hide that his supposed law firm is a resource-less house of cards, incapable of sending the courts even a slightly reliable factual statement explaining his absences or whereabouts.
Pierce has convinced more than a dozen vulnerable criminal defendant clients he can work wonders for them. He’s convinced someone to keep paying the few bills he does pays. He’s convinced the seemingly witless Ryan Marshall to stick by him and to disregard the evidence that he’s unlikely to get paid or to help anyone, including himself. Most of those things apply whether or not “John Pierce” has Covid or is in care for some other reason.
As I think I said previously, you cannot pull this junk in a municipal court, much less a federal one. This is bad.
IANAL
What if Pierce is part of a “planned” insurrection?
What would happen if that was discovered?
Pretty sure that the courts would not be happy.