Houston Lawyer Specifically References Donald Trump In Racist Rant

How can you hold anybody to a higher standard than the one set by the President of the United States?

(Photo courtest Wikimedia Commons)

(Photo courtest Wikimedia Commons)

Donald Trump brings out the worst in people. He brings out the worst in me, he brings out the worst in you, our only hope is that our worst is better than the other guy’s worst so that we can harness the bile into something useful.

At least I can take comfort that on my worst day, I do not sound like Houston plaintiff’s lawyer Gary Riebschlager. From the Texas Lawyer:

According to a sanction motion filed against Riebschlager, the Houston attorney allegedly sent emails to his paralegal and opposing counsel on Jan. 19 concerning scheduling for a routine hearing in a business dispute case and referred to the defendant, who is of South Asian descent, by stating: “Deport this POS.”

Riebschlager allegedly followed up that email minutes later with another stating: “I entreat you to begin deportation proceedings” and another an hour later that stated: “I’m sure all involved herein LOVE Trump . . . here’s your chance to DEPORT the POS Your Hero has been talking about. POS Paki.”

I don’t believe that Trump creates bigotry, I believe he emboldens it. I can’t believe that this Riebschlager guy would have put “POS Paki” in an email if Donald Trump had been roundly rejected at the polls. He might have thought it. But pre-Trump, most people understood that racism and bigotry had no place in professional communications.

Now… how can you hold anybody to a higher standard than the one set by the President of the United States? How can you tell some random lawyer in Texas that the President can say whatever he wants about Muslims or immigrants, but he, the unknown plaintiff’s attorney, can’t call a South Asian man he’s angry at a “piece of s**t Paki”? The bar has been lowered so far that bigots can just ooze over it now.

Riebschlager avoided sanctions by voluntarily agreeing to donate $1,800 to the South Asian Bar Association. I’m not making that up. In response to a racist rant, State District Court Judge Kyle Carter declined to impose sanctions, but seemed very happy when Riebschlager agreed to put $1,800 in the “swear jar.”

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That’s really all you can hope for, in TrumpWorld. The President is allowed to be racist, but individual citizens can still be shamed. And that’s how it’s gonna be for the next four years.

After Racist Rant, Houston Lawyer Agrees to Pay $1,800 to Minority Bar Association [Texas Lawyer]


Elie Mystal is an editor of Above the Law and the Legal Editor for More Perfect. He can be reached @ElieNYC on Twitter, or at elie@abovethelaw.com. He will resist.

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