In an election year, Democratic-friendly attorney licensing boards are suing two Republican attorneys general under the excuse of filing “grievances” by political opponents. The years-long state prosecution against Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has racked up six-figure lawful costs for citizens while punishing these elected leaders for common statement on behalf of their citizens ‘ interests.
Christian Corrigan, one of Knudsen’s attorneys as Montana’s lawyer general, stated to The Federalist,” Every moment I’m defending the AG from this is one minute I’m no spending defending laws passed by the legislature.” The discussion begins with conservative AGs, but it wo n’t go away from that.
These two proceedings are among the most extensive in a large lawfare campaign to deprive right-leaning Americans of skilled legal defense, destitute them with lawful liabilities, and sandbag effective officials, many of which are lawyers. A group of Texas Republicans attempted to defenestrate Attorney General Ken Paxton in yet another protracted situation because they opposed Big Tech and Big Pharma.
Republican attorneys general have been at the vanguard of the Harris-Biden president’s power abuses, including requiring girls and boys to take showers up, seizing personal property through economic laws, encouraging children to receive unsafe sex treatments, and outlawing Trump from talking about the lawfare against him.
Knudsen and Rokita are off for re-election this season, and election has already started in their state. The political opponents ‘ grievances have boosted their reputations, resulting in a constant barrage of attacks and protection of elections year after election. Moderator Dan Spehler made the observation that Indiana’s Supreme Court might revoke Rokita’s laws permit, denying citizens ‘ option of attorney general in a Sunday attorney general conversation.
Speech Issues from Politically Invested Executives
The administrative fee of the Indiana Supreme Court is looking into allegations made against Rokita by Paula Cardoza-Jones and William Groth. The committee investigating Rokita just hired Cordoza-Jones as its workers lawyer. She also filed complaints against three attorneys representing Rokita that are now dismissed. Groth has fought Rokita in jury before, including cases before the Supreme Court that are currently looking into Groth’s grievance against Rokita. She has been a long-time attorney for labour unions and pro-abortion interests, including the state Democratic Party.
Information about these have been covered in state media since before they were also filed, despite the fact that ethics complaints are supposed to keep personal throughout the investigation to protect doctors ‘ identities from armed charges. Rokita attorney Jim Ammeen said in an exam that investigators have many times asked for comment about new dispute advances before Rokita or his staff were aware of them.
Both Groth and Cardoza-Jones ‘ complaints aim to punish Rokita for publicly supporting robust pro-life policies. Groth accuses Rokita of malfeasance for issuing a legal opinion in which it is claimed that the state should keep disclosing information to make sure pro-lifers ensure abortionists adhere to reporting laws. Groth also claimed that noticing his long career of advocating for far-left policies” could also be seen by a reasonable observer to be an attempt to intimidate myself and other critics of the attorney general”.
In a complaint she exposed in public, Cardoza-Jones accuses Rokita of not expressing enough regret over a plea deal he entered to settle a previous grievance. Rokita was specifically critical of that grievance because it accurately described an abortion activist who had an abortion on a 10-year-old as” an abortion activist with a history of failing to report.”
Three attorneys experienced in Indiana’s grievance process told The Federalist that in the last two years the discipline commission has significantly increased the taxpayer resources it expends on investigating before filing charges. Depositions and sifting through the work and personal emails and phone calls of the attorney and his or her staff can be a part of investigations. Even if the complaint is dismissed, such fishing expeditions can cost targeted attorneys thousands of dollars, and for an AG, they could allow media proxies to gather information that is entirely unrelated to the complaint that opened the door to the investigation.
Politically motivated legal ethics complaints are increasing, driven by Democrat organizations urging them as a form of political warfare. The process inflicts its own punishment, even if the charges do n’t stick.
Knudsen is facing legal action in Montana’s legislature over a 2021 law known as SB140, which allows the governor to fill court vacancies without having judges chosen by an unelected commission. Montana’s left-leaning judiciary objected to more involvement from the first fully Republican government in 16 years, and the resulting constitutional crisis consumed state politics and courtrooms.
Judges, judges, and members of the judicial staff at the legislature subpoenaed emails that showed opposition to SB140. Former Democrat candidate for state attorney general was former Supreme Court of Montana Chief Justice Mike McGrath.
In 2021, California-residing attorney Clara Roberts filed a grievance against Knudsen for defending SB140. An attorney general’s main responsibility is to defend state laws. According to state records, Roberts has given Montana Democrats 13 gifts since 2000. The grievance has been expanded to 127 subcounts, which Knudsen’s legal team says is the highest in Montana history by a factor of at least eight.
The first special counsel in Knudsen’s case, a long-time Democrat donor appointed because the top lawyer for the discipline commission had previously run for attorney general as a Democrat, suggested dismissing it. He resigned when the commission asked him to do more investigation.
Then the commission appointed a second special counsel, Tim Strauch,” a longtime Democrat donor and activist]who] is an active supporter of the Montana Supreme Court, he has contributed to 5 current members of the Court”, notes Montana Republican Chairman Don Kaltschmidt. Strauß has contributed more than$ 5,500 to Democrat and Liberal judicial candidates in total.
In the SB140 lawsuit against Knudsen, Patricia Klanke represented a Supreme Court justice. The job of another panel member, Lois Menzies, was eliminated by SB140. Both served on the panel that threatened Knudsen’s license for the next three years up until one week ago.
Election officials ‘ typically serve as the basis for punishment for ethics violations, with exceptions of obvious crimes and ethical breaches, as in the recent case where an Indiana judge was barred from the bench for 45 days for obtaining the assets of a deceased client. Knudsen’s defense argues that the Supreme Court threatening the license of an attorney general for doing his job unconstitutionally violates the separation of powers.
According to a July court filing on behalf of Knudsen,” the Montana Constitution provides a degree of constitutional independence for the Attorney General in carrying out his official duties of that office,” according to a member of the bar. The Attorney General’s complaint against the Attorney General for discharged his official duties violates the separation of powers enshrined in the Montana Constitution, which is sharpened when he represents the Legislature, another co-equal branch of government.
Unelected Commissions Full of Democrats and Anti-Trump Republicans
Through commissions stacked with Democrats and Never Trump Republicans, the Supreme Courts of Indiana and Montana are in charge of state lawyer licensing and discipline. The AGs are also facing charges against them by the same court that hears the complaints against them and before which they frequently appear to defend state laws.
After The Federalist reported in February that every member of Indiana’s Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission with publicly available records had donated to Democrats, the commission’s membership has changed. A well-known Democrat prosecutor who publicly supports Rokita’s rival, Destiny Wells, abruptly resigned from the commission’s chair in June.
Former Ronald Reagan speechwriter and Never Trumper Peter Rusthoven, who financially supported Joe Biden and Liz Cheney and supported Kamala Harris for president in 2024, is the newly elevated commission chairman. In Politico in February, Rusthoven endorsed removing Trump from the ballot, a legal effort a unanimous Supreme Court voted against in March. In June, Trump endorsed Rokita.
Rusthoven claimed in an Indianapolis TV interview that Harris is more appealing to him because of his” character, integrity, and trustworthiness.” Harris, a serial liar and advocate of child sex mutilation and virtually unrestricted abortion, publicly admitted she advanced her career via sex with a corrupt politician. She later wed a man who denies alleging that he slapped her before leaving his first wife after having a child with his nanny.
According to OpenSecrets, new commission member David Roellgen has been a consistent Republican supporter. org, but he also donated to the campaign of Democrat former governor and U. S. Sen. Evan Bayh. Holly Wojcik, a new member, gave$ 10 in 2018 to Republican in Florida Ron DeSantis and$ 50 in 2004 to a Republican candidate in Michigan. Additionally, she has a storied history of 76 donations to the PAC for trial lawyers in Indiana.
Trial lawyer lobbies are a well-known major backer of the Democrat Party. They and extreme-left bar associations typically have control over the state and federal courts, and they are a key factor in the constitutional amendment movement in red states.
The Indiana Law PAC has long supported state Democrats, and donations have been made to Democrat state Senators Greg Taylor, Democrat state Senator David Vinzant, Democrat state Senator David Niezgodski, Democrat state House Whip Justin Moed, and Assistant Democrat House Floor Leader Earl Harris. In red Indiana, the PAC also contributes to Republicans, especially those known for opposing their voters ‘ priorities.
According to state campaign finance records, Disciplinary Commission member Daniel Vinovich also made contributions to the PAC.
Even though two of the nine commission members ‘ political affiliations cannot be determined from campaign contributions, the majority of the commission still has donations from Democrats.
While Indiana’s AG targeting involves a Republican Party power struggle between big business interests and its base, Montana’s AG targeting is a more direct case of blue on red. According to state GOP Chairman Kaltschmidt, members of Montana’s Commission on Practice have contributed more than$ 50 000 to Democratic and Liberal judicial candidates.
A decision is expected this week following a public hearing on the matter last week. The five members not recused for conflicts of interest by the latest hearing on Knudsen’s grievance Oct. 9 were Mike Lamb, Carey Matovich, Troy McGee, Elinor Nault, and Randy Ogle.
Democrat donors have been made 24 times by commission chairman Mick Taleff over the years, according to state databases. That includes contributions totaling$ 250 to Ben Alke, Knudsen’s 2024 Democrat opponent, and to Beth Baker and Dirk Sandefur, two Montana Supreme Court justices. Democrat former governor and former state attorney general Steve Bullock has commissioned Taleff to defend Democrat officials.
Democrat candidate for the House of Representatives Brad Belke donated$ 85 to Republican gubernatorial candidate Judy Martz in 2000, according to state records. He has since given smaller sums to judges and a Democrat nominee for the House. Jason Holden, a commissioner ,’s campaign contributions are all to Democrats or technically nonpartisan races. He donated to Democrat candidates for attorney general and state Supreme Court clerk, and every sitting Montana Supreme Court justice except Beth Baker, say state records.
According to state records, board members Cal Mendenhall, Patricia Klanke, Rich Ochsner, and Sheryl Wambsgans have donated only to technically nonpartisan races. Kimberly Dudik, a board member, contributed a total of$ 720 to Democratic attorney general candidate Kimberly Dudik for the 2020 election. Of her 34 campaign donations in state records, all went to Democrats or nonpartisan races except for one Republican. Additionally, she supported the campaigns of Rice, Baker, and McKinnon, the state supreme court justices.
According to state records, Ogle has contributed to Republican, Democratic, and nonpartisan campaigns, including a$ 250 donation to a former Democratic governor. Steve Bullock’s campaign for attorney general in 2008. Additionally, McGee has contributed to nonpartisan, Republican, and Democrat campaigns, including Democrat candidate Pam Bucy for attorney general in 2012, and Democratic candidate Patrick McGrath’s successful campaign for state supreme court.
Matovich has also contributed to Democrat, Republican, and technically nonpartisan races, including those for five sitting Supreme Court justices, Bucy, a former Democrat attorney general, and Democratic Supreme Court clerks. All this means that even with the recusals, a majority of the board threatening Knudsen’s law license are Democrat campaign donors.
Judges Overseeing This Circus on the Ballot
Rokita’s first discipline agreement was rejected by Indiana’s chief justice Loretta Rush and justice Christopher Goff because they wanted to punish him more harshly for his sincere speech in which he explained to constituents how he used his office. Groth, the union lawyer who filed a grievance against Rokita, publicly praised Rush and Goff for siding against the Supreme Court’s more-conservative majority on several cases and advocated against revealing judges ‘ political affiliations to voters, a policy that helps judiciaries hew closer to the Constitution in red states.
This year, Justice Derek Molter, Justice Derek Rush, and Justice Derek Goff will appear on Indiana ballots. Voting against them would allow the next governor to appoint their replacements. If polls indicate the outcome, that governor will be Republican Mike Braun.
Republican Governor appointed Rush. An economic conservative named Mike Daniels, who called for a” truce” on cultural war issues, including abortion. Goff and Molter were appointed by Gov. Daniels ‘ hand-picked successor, Eric Holcomb, praised the importation of Afghans who caused the Indiana National Guard’s barracks millions of dollars in damage. One of these “vetted” refugees, according to the U.S. Justice Department, planned an election-day terror attack a week ago.
Holcomb also spoke at the World Economic Forum and attempted to ban Christians from taking communion during Covid while keeping liquor stores open. He was booed there in 2022, so he decided to skip to this year’s state Republican convention.