Fieger Trial as "David v. Goliath" Story
May 22, 2008
I've been following Norm Pattis' excellent coverage of the Geoffrey Fieger. Many of the comments to his post express this theme:
Fourtunately for [the prosecutor], the government doesn't need a verdict to win the trial. Just the fact it's in trial is their victory; the message read loud and clear not f--k with our powerful masters as they gobble up what's left of our country's wealth.
I'm about to barf reading about the "David v. Goliath" theme. Fieger is a very powerful and rich man. He attempted used his wealth to get around campaign contribution laws. That's all the case is about.
Under federal law, you can only donate $2,300 to your preferred presidential candidate. Fieger donated $2,300 on his own behalf. He then solicited employees and others to donate an additional $2,300. Fieger reimbursed his employees for making their contributions. He even paid the income taxes they'd be liable to pay for the $2,300 he gave them. So it's pretty clear what was going on. Fieger had a pile of money. He wanted to give as much of this pile of money to John Edwards' campaign as he could. So he had his employees help shovel this money to Edwards.
Since when are the wealthy such underdogs?Incidentally, I'm willing to bet that if I took a poll of Fieger supporters, they'd say they agree with campaign contribution limits.They'd should to the heavens that limiting campaign contributions prevents the wealthy from having too big of a voice.
If the GM Corporation were on trial for what Fieger did, would we have this weeping and gnashing of teeth from Spence groupies? Of course not. We'd hear how great it is that the powerful are being made to follow the same laws as the powerless.
The Fieger prosecution is not a David v. Goliath story. It's a Goliath v. Goliath story.
Far from being a hapless victim, Fieger had the wealth to hire a team of top lawyers, and the profile to draw major press attention to him. No one brought him to his knees. He's indignant to this day.
I don't understand why corporations are villains for trying to buy access, but trial lawyers are heroes for doing the same thing. And I'll never understand why rich corporations are Goliaths but rich trial lawyers are helpless Davids.
Money is money, people. And Fieger has a lot of it. If you're looking for a sob story or for a story to fire you up, look elsewhere.