Bysiewicz Deposition Reportedly Not Going So Well

CT Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz is suing the state Democratic Party to determine that she has the necessary legal experience to run for the position of Attorney General. But the Connecticut Law Tribune reports that her deposition "is apparently going very badly, according to lawyers closely watching the case. In mid-stream, her lawyers on Monday sought to have a judge impose a protective order forbidding the public release of the deposition video or transcript." In the deposition, which "started with a grueling five-hour session last week and continued on Monday, Bysiewicz has had to answer deeply embarrassing questions. She has reportedly been forced to admit that she had never authored a legal brief. Furthermore, according to second-hand reports from lawyers connected to the case, she acknowledged she had never participated in a legal strategy session for a case. The sources said Bysiewicz was asked under oath to list the times she had officially appeared in a courtroom. Her answers were minimal -- in law school, when being sworn in to the bar, and when representing herself in a small claims action."

These questions and answers are important because they are linked to a statutory requirement that candidates for state attorney general have 10 years "active practice" at the bar. "Exactly what that term means has been in debate," and the purpose of the case is for a court to decide the issue. "Bysiewicz has had a license to practice law in Connecticut for well over two decades, but has spent only eight years working for law firms and corporate legal departments. Two of the eight years were spend with a New York firm." Bysiewicz argues that her 11 years serving as secretary of the state should count toward the experience requirement "because she oversees lawyers on her staff and makes legal determinations on the elections issues her office oversees." Read more.