Watch the Video: Would-Be AG Says She's Qualified Despite Zero Trial Experience
A deposition that has made headlines in Connecticut–especially after counsel for the deponent, secretary of state and would-be Democratic attorney general candidate Susan Bysiewicz, briefly sought a protective order to prevent disclosure of the transcript and video of the three-day session–has now been made public.
As her testimony on March 31 concluded, the Duke University law graduate, although obviously not a trained as a television professional, appears relatively composed as she explains why she is qualified to serve as Connecticut’s AG despite admittedly having zero trial experience: “I run a large constitutional office, I supervise lawyers, I give legal advice,” she states in a video clip linked to a post in Capital Watch blog of the Hartford Courant.
But by April 5 the situation clearly has deteriorated. An obviously uneasy Bysiewicz pauses between answers, looks around the room repeatedly, blinks, fidgets with her fingers, bites her lower lip and takes a drink out of a styrofoam cup within a brief period she is questioned about what constitutes retirement from the practice of law.
Meanwhile, fireworks erupted earlier between the lawyers in the case as Bysiewicz’ counsel, midway through the day on March 31, objected to what he described as “harassment” of the witness. That led to an angry challenge by the lawyer on the other side of the table (apparently Republican party counsel Eliot Gersten).
“I’m telling you stop it, or you call the judge and you tell him that I’m engaging in that kind of behavior,” he says in response to the objection, “because I think you’re harassing me and interrupting me.”
As discussed in an earlier ABAJournal.com post, a candidate for attorney general in Connecticut is required to have actively practiced law for a decade, and Bysiewicz’ claim that her work in state government counts, along with her time in private practice and as in-house counsel, to meet this requirement is being challenged.
Additional coverage:
Hartford Courant: “Could A Rock Musician Be A Practicing Lawyer, Too?”
Updated on April 9 to link to subsequent Hartford Courant article.
