Court rebuffs McDermott

[Murdock]

Court rebuffs McDermott
Appeals panel upholds judgment in wiretapping lawsuit

By CHARLES POPE
P-I WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that Rep. Jim McDermott broke the law 10 years ago when he passed to reporters an illegally recorded telephone conservation between then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his top lieutenants.

The 2-1 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia is a potentially crippling blow to McDermott, a Seattle Democrat, and prolongs his losing streak in the long-running case against Rep. John Boehner, an Ohio Republican who now serves as House Majority Leader. Boehner was one of the lawmakers speaking with Gingrich in 1996 about how they should handle ethics charges lodged against Gingrich by Democrats.

A Florida couple illegally recorded the conversation, and a tape of the call eventually made its way to McDermott.

With Tuesday's ruling, McDermott is one step closer to having to pay Boehner more than $700,000 in damages and legal fees. The case began in 1998, when Boehner filed a civil suit against McDermott charging him with violating state and federal wiretapping laws. McDermott is not facing criminal charges.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/264732_mcdermott29.html

[Moderator]

1. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=2193128