Friday, October 13, 2006
Hey Abbott!!!! Keith Wasserstrom's Defense: City Attorney Said It Was OK
An October 12, 2006 press release from Keith Wasserstrom's criminal defense attorney announces the basis for Keith's (Keith is pictured above right) defense:
Before the vote on whether Hollywood should enter into the contract, Keith obtained clear advice from Hollywood City Attorney, Dan Abbott (pictured left), regarding the potential for ethical conflict and the state of the law as to his involvement with Normandy Group. Attorney Abbott specifically advised Keith that, if he recused himself from voting on the contract, and if he disclosed to the board his relationship with Normandy, he would not breach his ethical duty or violate the law. Keith followed Attorney Abbott’s advice, recused himself from the vote regarding the contract with Schwing-Bioset, and with Attorney Abbott’s assistance, Keith prepared and filed conflict disclosure forms.
It appears Keith is pinning his political and professional future on the advice of Hollywood City Attorney Dan Abbott, who, at least in the opinion of some people, is dumber than a bag of rocks. See also here. What if Abbott's advice was incorrect? Does that get Keith off the hook? Hey Keith, if Dan Abbott had advised you it was legal to rob a bank, would that be your defense to bank robbery?
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