Why the Obamas’ REALLY lost their law licenses. Answer may surprise you.
Because I live in Chicago, one of the questions I get asked a lot via email or comments on this site is if I know why the Obamas both lost their licenses to practice law in Illinois (not that a lack of license can really stop a Democrat from practicing law…just ask Elizabeth Warren about that). I think I know why they lost their licenses, but the answer may surprise (or disappoint) you.
According to people I know who worked with Michelle Obama when she was employed by the City of Chicago, Michelle hated being a lawyer. The work was too hard and she was not very good at it. The reason Michelle went to work for the City is because she was hired via a recommendation from Jesse Jackson which then qualified her as a “Jesse Hire”; this is slang here in Chicago for an “untouchable hire”, meaning this is someone on the City payroll who can never be fired or even disciplined in any way because their employment was a political favor to someone. In Michelle’s case, that someone was Jesse Jackson and Michelle was thus one of the many black people working for the City at Jackson’s insistence who were not expected to actually do their jobs and instead could read newspapers, shop in catalogs, play Minesweeper on their computers, or just spin aimlessly around in their swivel chairs all day. Michelle reportedly took two or even three lunch breaks a day, would disappear for hours, went on constant “personal appointments” and treated her work space at the City like it was an airport lounge: a place to go for a while to kill time where she could snack, peruse magazines, gossip, and talk loudly on the phone with girlfriends and laugh and laugh and laugh.
No one could say boo to her and a LOT of resentment developed, of course, but this is how Chicago operates and even Mayor Daley (who ruled the city as a king) was terrified of angering Jesse Jackson because Jesse’s big threat was always to find some excuse to dispatch the Rainbow Push Coalition to the streets to rant, rave, scream, and protest that Daley was…wait for it…bet you can’t guess…RACIST!
So, “Jesse Hires” were a form of extortion of the City that required people Jesse personally recommended for jobs be essentially given paid positions to read newspapers and talk about babies for as long as they wanted. It’s not just Jesse who gets these “hires’ though. A lot of Aldermen have them, too…and as long as the Aldermen are in power and have votes the Mayor needs for certain things, then friends and family of the Aldermen get to work for the City in positions similar to the one that Michelle Obama held after she left Sidley Austin. This is all pretty common knowledge in Chicago. Before I was identified as a political writer and my cover was blown (I used to write this site anonymously until Fran Eaton of the Illinois Review outed me for personal reasons because she wanted to help an ex-boyfriend get back at me), I used to work freelance gigs for the City doing event planning or coordinating special projects…which was ridiculously lucrative and a lot of fun. I will never, ever be able to land one of those freelancing assignments again because I’m clearly no fan of Rahm Emanuel but back in the Daley days when I was doing these gigs I saw a lot of these “untouchable hires” just taking up space in the various offices I’d visit in my day. These people were always kept in the very back, in cubicles, and some of them would even sleep during the day. Once, I saw a group of them playing cards…in a work area, not a break room. Some of these positions require driving around town but it’s not really with any particular goal in mind. They might be listed as delivery people, but they don’t deliver much and spend about 7 hours just cruising around, stopping for snacks, maybe going to a movie. Whatever they want.
Michelle Obama “worked” in this capacity for a few years, until Valerie Jarrett (whom she became friends with during her stint as a “Jesse Hire”) took her with her when she went over to the University of Chicago Medical Center. I believe at that time that Barack Obama was already a state senator and it was clear he was being pushed for bigger things…so it was natural for the Medical Center to want the senator’s wife on the payroll so that they could funnel money to him through her as rewards for steering legislation towards passage that would benefit University of Chicago. This is how Chicago works, folks. Michelle didn’t do any more work at the Medical Center than she did for the City and her job duties involved trying to keep black people from going to the emergency room at the hospital for treatment without insurance and instead go to these sub-par “medical clinics” that the Medical Center wanted them steered towards instead. At one point, Michelle received a ridiculously large raise right around the time that the University of Chicago received a massive funding infusion for the Medical Center from Springfield, where Barack Obama was on his way to becoming a United States Senator. Surely this was just a coincidence and was not a way for University of Chicago to buy favor from the next US Senator representing Illinois by dramatically increasing his wife’s pay to over $300,000/year for doing relatively nothing all day.
After Michelle vacated her position in 2007 to join the Obama presidential campaign full-time the Medical Center did not bother replacing her and eventually eliminated her old job…since there was no need for this position or the expenditure as it was only there in the first place to buy influence from Michelle’s husband.
Barack Obama passed the bar exam in Illinois but never worked in a big firm because no firm would hire him. He wanted to work for Sidley Austin (where Michelle worked) and he performed a summer internship there, but he was not offered a job there when he graduated from Harvard. That is EXTREMELY unusual because Sidley Austin tries to snatch up as many black Ivy League graduates as it can get to constantly up its “diversity” profile. It’s bizarre that they didn’t offer Obama a job…unless you remember that law firms have access to more than just a student’s transcripts when decided on which graduates they want to pursue for positions in the firm. Sidley Austin knew Barack was lazy and benefitted from constant affirmative action preferential treatment…and they didn’t want to carry him along like that here in Chicago at their firm. So, very briefly Obama worked for a smaller Chicago firm and then did the community organizing bit…and got into politics.
He, much like Michelle, had no interest in making a living as a lawyer. The work was too hard, the hours too long, and it was too much time in front of computers writing and reading and not enough time in the spotlight.
I told you all of this so that you’d understand the reason that both Michelle and Barack Obama “lost” their law licenses is because they didn’t want or need their law licenses ever again; these two had no intention of ever working as lawyers again, so there was no reason to keep the law licenses or go through the expense and continual education requirements that would entail.
I don’t know what the annual fee is for the licenses, but it’s money wasted if you know you are never going to practice again. The continual education requirements would clearly not appeal to two people who are intellectually incurious and have shown zero interest in hard work…so why would they subject themselves to this if they knew they’d never need to practice law? Obama’s book sold and he made a lot of money off that and more money was promised to him via his political career. Michelle knew she’d never have to work a day in her life again once Obama became a US Senator…and now as a (soon to be former) First Lady of the United States she’ll live like a queen for the rest of her days.
I remember during the Clinton impeachment in 1998 that a big sticking point for Big Dawg was that he kept refusing to surrender his law license even though he knew he’d never practice law again. That’s because he was so proud of earning his law degree and passing the bar. It was a big deal to Bill because he worked so hard for that and no one helped him.
Since both Michelle and Barack Obama were handed Ivy League degrees via affirmative action and they didn’t need to work hard for anything they got, those law licenses were as worthless as toilet paper to them and carried no emotional value whatsoever.
Just like a lot of things in the Obamas’ lives…once the law licenses weren’t useful any more, they were thrown away.
THAT is the real reason these two “lost” their law licenses. I know it’s disappointing there’s not some secret scandal or conspiracy with this but it really boils down to the fact that the two of them would never practice law again and they both knew it so it was easier and so much less work to just surrender the licenses and close that chapter of their lives as they prepared for more fabulous things on the national stage.
© 2012, Kevin DuJan. All rights reserved.
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Was going to request that you put the word “work” {and any variations} in quotes whenever used in relation to the Øbamas ……………………………….
Semper Fi’
DM
Love your posts. However, in this one, I disagree with you on this one. Barry “lost” his license because he never reported at least one of his other names he used “Barry Soetoro” in his lifetime as well as other “stuff”.
And re Michelle, there were also past reports that Michelle had her status moved to “inactive” was the following. http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/why-was-michelle-obamas-law-license-revoked/question-711109/
I had heard the same story about the Bar Association questioning not Obama not responding to the question regarding his AKA “other names” on the questionnaire. It is alleged that Obama never indicated he was also called Barack Hussein Obama, Barry Soetero, Barry Obama, President Obama resigned from the Bar and the inquiry was closed.
I Don’t know if this story has ever been proven but it has been around.
Perhaps you could put into context the fact that he did engage in some legal activities for ACORN against Citibank, with the housing loans, that he had multiple Social Security numbers, that he and her took a loan as Harrison Bounel, and he had a Connecticut Social Security number of a dead man? Is it possible that your explanations may have overlooked some of the other possibilities, that the legal profession in Chicago realized what a crooked couple these two were and offered them a way out, silence, sealed record, for quitting? Many wrote about his multiple loans, identities, and no one outside Chicago needs to remind a resident writer what he was up to. Please consider an addition?
If the legal profession in Chicago suddenly started to have a problem with crooks here, there would be bigger ones to offer “ways out” to before they got around to the Obamas.
Since the Obamas are black, no one would ever say something like that to them. No one would try to take away a black lawyer’s license in Illinois. Not. Going. To. Happen.
The PR nightmare that would cause and shouts of “That’s racist! You are trying to take their livelihood!” would be DEAFENING.
Nope. They didn’t want the licenses anymore because it was too much work and money to keep renewing them when they knew they would not practice law again ever.
That really is the reason for this.
I know it’s not sexy.
It’s probably the only boring story you will ever hear about these people. But it’s the truth.
Well, Kevin, I guess this just shows that you do not make up fantastic stories for drama. (I knew that anyway) Thanks
great stuff today Kevin! loved all your posts this morning.
I heard Mark Steyn quipping that “Michelle got paid $350k a year to be a Diversity Outreach Manager, or whatever, at University of Chicago Hospital. This was a job considered so indispensible by the board that when she left to become First Lady, they didn’t even bother replacing her”
And that, dear reader, is what you call a ‘Jesse Hire’…
Why does anyone stay in Chicago? More corrupt than Nola or most 3rd world countries.
Right on, Kevin.
…and besides….who needs all those sticky and inconvenient ethics rules and so forth that come with a law license….even in Chicago…?
Nahhhh.
Too crimpy for moo and barky’s too-cool-for-the-room style.
I tend to agree that it was plain laziness that Mooch, at least, gave up her license after only 4 years. When you don’t have to work hard for something (and there are few that would disagree that a black woman in the ’80s would not have a real tough time at Harvard! One merely has to look at her thesis!)
The stories of the pain, hardship, sacrifice and trash can coffee tables ring so hollow when you realize she only kept her license for 4 years!
None of this would be ignored had it been a Republican.
It’s sad and scary at the same time to know that the media, which is supposed to be on our side, the side of truth, can be so biased in what they report or consider things we should know.
I have a feeling the truth will out one day soon and show that we had been taken to the cleaners by this couple and their lackeys, though I’m not convinced they are not lackeys themselves!
One thing I would have liked to see in the piece is a timeline with specific dates but, overall, well done!
Michelle Obama was forced to relinquish her law license to avert major legal malpractice trouble for herself via Rule 770, a rule for disciplinary actions.
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/12/25/michelleobamaardcrecord.jpg
ARDC reports show she gave up her law license under threat of disciplinary actions against her. Then these were later scrubbed.
The obots tried to argue that she gave it up voluntarily due to family reasons or what-have-you, but that’s a different rule, Rule 756.
Rule 756 is about voluntary inactive status, which simply costs $105/year, no extraneous forces.
But Rule 770 is all about DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS. An attorney may be on “voluntary inactive status persuant to Rule 770″ — Michelle’s ARDC report states: “No malpractice report required, as attorney is on court ordered inactive status.”
Court ordered means court ordered, not Michelle ordered.
If Michelle had ordered it, that would be via Rule 756. Michelle Obama is on “Court Ordered Inactive Status” pursuant to Rule 770, i.e. disciplinary rules, to avoid reporting of malpractice. Compelled to go voluntarily inactive would be the kindest description of this.”
The “court-ordered” part has been removed now. Alas.
For those that don’t know, the status of every lawyer in Illinois can be quickly found out at the ARDC website.
Go here: http://iardc.org/lawyersearch.asp
Enter “Obama” and enjoy.
JB
Michelle’s was up about 3-4 years ago but then was removed then replaced with an altered version.
Her original ARDC report stated:
Illinois Registration Status: “Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law – Last Registered year, 1993″
Malpractice Insurance: “No malpractice report required as attorney is on court ordered inactive status.”
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/12/25/michelleobamaardcrecord.jpg
_________
Her new and revised ARDC report states:
Illinois Registration Status: “Voluntarily inactive and not authorized to practice law”
Malpractice Insurance: “No malpractice report required as attorney is on inactive status.”
http://iardc.org/ldetail.asp?id=348270208
So what ARDC removed (for whatever “reasons”) was that she’d only practiced FOUR lousy years (!) and that she was COURT ORDERED onto inactive status. The appearance between the two reports is dramatically different. The first says that, despite probably a half a million dollars in minority scholarships and affirmative action grants and privileges, Michelle Obama practiced law for four years before being Rule 770 COURT ORDERED to relinquish her license before she got slapped with major malpractice. The second ARDC report makes it look like she just recently, being BZ FLOTUS and all, voluntarily gave up her law license just cuz she doesn’t have the time bla bla bla. Major difference, major deception on the part of ARDC. Good thing for SCREEN CAPTURE archives.
It has always been common knowledge in emergency medicine circles that Michelle’s patient dumping at U of Chicago was a huge HIPPA violation-one there were allegedly big consequences. Didn’t obama have legal troubles after his Altgeld Gardens fiasco? I have always wondered what part that played in his licensure issues.
Btw Bill Austin of Sidley Austin was a well respected President of the Chicago Bar Association about the time the obamas graduated from law school. They may have filled their affirmative action quotas with people like michelle, but overall their attorneys and the firm in general is top notch.
Sidley is the top firm in Chicago.
Excellent post and summary.
However, there might be … just one thing …
There are a couple of screen shots, somewhere in the interwebz, that purport to be searches of the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission of the Supreme Court of Illinois: Lawyer Search: Attorney’s Registration and Public Disciplinary Record
B.O.’s has the following comment:
Malpractice Insurance: No malpractice report required as attorney is retired
Michelle’s is oddly different:
Full Licensed Name: Michelle Obama
Full Former name(s): Michelle Lavaughn Robinson
Date of Admission as Lawyer by Illinois Supreme Court: May 12, 1989
Illinois Registration Status: Voluntary inactive and not authorized to practice law – Last Registered Year: 1993
Malpractice Insurance: No malpractice report required as attorney is on court ordered inactive status
It’s the last line that is interesting. Is Michelle really on court ordered inactive status?
No idea if these screen shots are valid, but a check might be worthwhile.
“I will never, ever be able to land one of those freelancing assignments again ….”
How about aiming for the job of social secretary in the Romney White House? You’d be a shoe-in.
http://beforeitsnews.com/obama/2012/06/bombshell-the-real-reason-barack-obama-and-michele-lost-their-law-license-2288275.html
“… I knew they had both lost their law license, but I didn’t know why until I read this.
“This is 100% legit. I check it out at https://www.iardc.org/
Stands for Illinois Attorney Registration And Disciplinary Committee.
It’s the official arm of lawyer discipline in Illinois ; and they are very strict.
(Talk about irony.) Even I, at the advanced age of almost 65, maintain
(at the cost of approximately $600/year) my law license that I worked so hard and long to earn.
Big surprise.
… Consider this:
1. President Barack Obama, former editor of the Harvard Law Review, is no longer a “lawyer”. He surrendered his license back in 2008 in order to escape charges he lied on his bar application. A “Voluntary Surrender” is not something where you decide “Gee, a license is not really something I need anymore, is it?” and forget to renew your license. No, a “Voluntary Surrender” is something you do when you’ve been accused of something, and you ‘voluntarily surrender” your license five seconds before the state suspends you.
2 Michelle Obama “voluntarily surrendered” her law license in 1993. after a Federal Judge gave her the choice between surrendering her license or standing trial for Insurance fraud!
3. Facts.Source: http://jdlong.wordpress.com/2009/05/15/pres-barack-obama-editor-of-the-Harvard-law-review-has-no-law-license/
Vincent -
The thing is, YOU worked hard for the law degree and license.
The Obamas had it all handed to them because of affirmative action.
So it didn’t matter to them.
Something you do not work hard for does not matter.
That is so true, Kevin. It’s just one of the many things that make “affirmative action” such a misguided and pernicious policy.
Love your site! I got here from a link on FreeRepublic..!
So everyone here is clear.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080102005754/http://www.iardc.org/rule770inactivestatus.html
ARDC website: Prior to November 1, 1999, former Supreme Court Rule 770 provided for a proceeding in the Court for any voluntary transfer to inactive status, whether because of some incapacitating condition or solely as a matter of the lawyer’s preference because the lawyer would not be practicing law.