Thursday, April 4, 2024

Battleground states' lawyers and ABA Task Force for American Democracy

Email to Michigan bar associations
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: tcooley@detroitlawyer.org <tcooley@detroitlawyer.org>; pgroth@varnumlaw.com <pgroth@varnumlaw.com>; jen@jlawlegal.com <jen@jlawlegal.com>
Cc: Brannon Buck <bbuck@badhambuck.com>; Terri B. Lovell <terri.lovell@alabar.org>; Jennifer Buettner <jbuettner@birminghambar.org>; mckinney@watsonmckinney.com <mckinney@watsonmckinney.com>; suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org <suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org>; flatta@burr.com <flatta@burr.com>; bill.ide@akerman.com <bill.ide@akerman.com>; marty@mitchellmeadows.com <marty@mitchellmeadows.com>; emyang@wstrongllc.com <emyang@wstrongllc.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2024 at 07:00:02 PM CDT
Subject: Lawyers in the battleground state of Michigan and the rule of law
Dear State Bar of Michigan President Quick, Detroit Bar Association Executive Director Cooley, Grand Rapids Bar Association President Roth, Washtenaw County Bar Association President Lawrence and Ingham County Bar Association President Sinas:
As indicated at the link Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Interim Alabama report to ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com), lawyers in the non-battleground state of Alabama have not taken up the mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy to:
(i) bolster voter confidence in elections by safeguarding the integrity and non-partisan administration of elections, and by providing support for election workers and officials; (ii) educate Americans on democracy and the rule of law and why they are foundational to every aspect of American lives; and (iii) suggest ideas to the American people for improving and strengthening our democracy and our elections. Our Work (americanbar.org).
The foregoing lapse of the legal profession in the non-battleground state of Alabama is lamentable.
With six months to go in the 2024 elections, it is hoped that the legal profession in the battleground state of Michigan has taken up (or will take up during the next six months) the foregoing mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy.
Thank you very much for your attention to this email. (This email is being sent to some of the intended recipients via bar association website contact forms.)
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL
(for filing in Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Battleground states' lawyers and ABA) Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com))
[4/7 emailed to State Bar of Michigan media relation contact  mraymer@michbar.org; sent to Ingham County Bar Association using contact form Contact Us | Ingham County Bar Association (inghambar.org)]

Email to Wisconsin bar associations
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: ddietrich@weldriley.com <ddietrich@weldriley.com>; emil@ovblaw.com <emil@ovblaw.com>; fitzpatricka@corneillelaw.com <fitzpatricka@corneillelaw.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 7, 2024 at 06:23:27 PM CDT
Subject: Lawyers in the battleground state of Wisconsin and the rule of law
Dear State Bar of Wisconsin President Dietrich, Milwaukee Bar Association President Ovbiagele, and Dane County Bar Association President Fitzpatrick:
As indicated at the link Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Interim Alabama report to ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com), lawyers in the non-battleground state of Alabama have not taken up the mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy to:
(i) bolster voter confidence in elections by safeguarding the integrity and non-partisan administration of elections, and by providing support for election workers and officials; (ii) educate Americans on democracy and the rule of law and why they are foundational to every aspect of American lives; and (iii) suggest ideas to the American people for improving and strengthening our democracy and our elections. Our Work (americanbar.org).
The foregoing lapse of the legal profession in the non-battleground state of Alabama is lamentable.
With six months to go in the 2024 elections, it is hoped that the legal profession in the battleground state of Wisconsin has taken up (or will take up during the next six months) the foregoing mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy.
Thank you very much for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL
(for filing in Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Battleground states' lawyers and ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com))

Email to Pennsylvania bar associations
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: mjm@mmmmlaw.com <mjm@mmmmlaw.com>; jcoatsworth@margolisedelstein.com <jcoatsworth@margolisedelstein.com>; Marla.Presley@jacksonlewis.com <marla.presley@jacksonlewis.com>; jonathan.koltash@gmail.com <jonathan.koltash@gmail.com>
Cc: Brannon Buck <bbuck@badhambuck.com>; Terri B. Lovell <terri.lovell@alabar.org>; Jennifer Buettner <jbuettner@birminghambar.org>; mckinney@watsonmckinney.com <mckinney@watsonmckinney.com>; suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org <suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org>; flatta@burr.com <flatta@burr.com>; marty@mitchellmeadows.com <marty@mitchellmeadows.com>; emyang@wstrongllc.com <emyang@wstrongllc.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 06:42:21 PM CDT
Subject: Lawyers in the battleground state of Pennsylvania and the rule of law
Dear Pennsylvania Bar Association President McDonald, Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Coatsworth, Allegheny County Bar Association President Presley, and Dauphin County Bar Association President Koltash:
As indicated at the link Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Interim Alabama report to ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com), lawyers in the non-battleground state of Alabama have not taken up the mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy to:
(i) bolster voter confidence in elections by safeguarding the integrity and non-partisan administration of elections, and by providing support for election workers and officials; (ii) educate Americans on democracy and the rule of law and why they are foundational to every aspect of American lives; and (iii) suggest ideas to the American people for improving and strengthening our democracy and our elections. Our Work (americanbar.org).
The foregoing lapse of the legal profession in the non-battleground state of Alabama is lamentable.
With six months to go in the 2024 elections, it is hoped that the legal profession in the battleground state of Pennsylvania has taken up (or will take up during the next six months) the foregoing mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy.
Trump and allies plot retribution campaign against the Biden family, rivals
Thank you very much for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL
(for filing in Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Battleground states' lawyers and ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com))

Email to the Birmingham Business Journal
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: srebman@bizjournals.com <srebman@bizjournals.com>
Cc: Brannon Buck <bbuck@badhambuck.com>; Terri B. Lovell <terri.lovell@alabar.org>; Jennifer Buettner <jbuettner@birminghambar.org>; mckinney@watsonmckinney.com <mckinney@watsonmckinney.com>; suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org <suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org>; flatta@burr.com <flatta@burr.com>; marty@mitchellmeadows.com <marty@mitchellmeadows.com>; emyang@wstrongllc.com <emyang@wstrongllc.com>; hduncan@bcatoday.org <hduncan@bcatoday.org>; sammons@birminghambusinessalliance.com <sammons@birminghambusinessalliance.com>; srose@montgomerychamber.com <srose@montgomerychamber.com>; nhewston@mobilechamber.com <nhewston@mobilechamber.com>; wes.allen@sos.alabama.gov <wes.allen@sos.alabama.gov>
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2024 at 05:08:33 PM CDT
Subject: Birmingham Business Journal's 2024 Best of the Bar honorees
Dear Birmingham Business Journal Editor-in-Chief Rebman:
This email is not about the 2024 BBJ Best of the Bar honorees.
This email is rather to inform the Birmingham Business Journal of the failure of the Alabama legal profession to take up the ongoing current mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy to:
(i) bolster voter confidence in elections by safeguarding the integrity and non-partisan administration of elections, and by providing support for election workers and officials; (ii) educate Americans on democracy and the rule of law and why they are foundational to every aspect of American lives; and (iii) suggest ideas to the American people for improving and strengthening our democracy and our elections. Our Work (americanbar.org).
This failure of the Alabama legal profession is detailed at Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Alabama lawyer's pledge re ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com) and Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Interim Alabama report to ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com).
A prime aspect of this failure of the Alabama legal profession concerns voter confidence in our elections.
For four years Donald Trump has been endeavoring to destroy voter confidence in our elections. In furtherance of this effort of Trump, tomorrow Speaker Johnson will travel to Mar-a-Lago to hold a joint press conference with Trump on "election integrity." https://apnews.com/article/congress-speaker-johnson-trump-meeting-19b923809fecfeeb4a1d232faefbdaed.
In a September 16, 2023 email that I have posted in Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: American Bar Association "Task Force for American Democracy" (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com) under the caption "Email re parties refusing to try to agree on how elections will be conducted,", I say:
I think for five years those who are involved in determining how elections shall be conducted have harmfully refused to try to agree with one another about the same, and the resultant absence of agreement contributed to and will continue the serious problem in the United States of election outcomes not being accepted by candidates and voters.
Instead of trying to agree on how elections shall be conducted, each side only talks up to its base either that the other side seeks massive voter suppression or that the other side seeks massive election fraud.
Take, for example, practices like mail in balloting, ballot drop off boxes and "ballot harvesting." I submit that contentiousness over those practices has little to do with actual fraud that is associated with such practices and is almost exclusively about beliefs about whether one's side will be benefitted or disadvantaged by the there being more votes cast or less votes cast if the practice is in effect or not in effect.
The two sides refusing to make reasonable efforts to reach reasonable agreements about how elections shall be conducted enables and keeps enabled "irresponsible and extremist rhetoric and positions among elected officials and candidates for elective office" regarding elections in America.
[Edit: To clarify, different states can reasonably have different election practices and voter confidence in elections need not require that all the states have all the same practices.]
I contend that Alabama Secretary of State Wes Allen has no interest in building the voter confidence in our elections that Trump is trying to destroy, and Secretary Allen has only taken near meaningless steps for "election integrity" in Alabama (which Trump can approve of) and has stayed clear of working with Democratic Secretaries of State to collectively inform the American people about whether the 2020 election was "stolen" from Trump as Trump alleges, and as millions of his followers believe, and further give reassurances that Americans can have confidence in our elections, including the 2024 elections (which Trump would disapprove of Secretary Allen so doing).
A main thing i thought the Alabama legal profession should have done (and should do) in furtherance of the mission of the ABA Task Force for American Democracy was (and is) to have engagement with Secretary of Allen regarding the foregoing, in which case I don't think Secretary Allen would be able to ignore the Alabama legal profession the way Secretary Allen has ignored me.
In the face of the foregoing failure of the Alabama legal profession, I have been contacting bar associations in battleground states, as set out at Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Battleground states' lawyers and ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com).
Further, with the Alabama legal profession doing nothing in Alabama to support the ABA Task Force's mission, I have importuned the Alabama business community to try to take up the slack. That community has not responded to me either.
I hope the information I provide in this email is worthy of the interest of the Birmingham Business Journal.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook

Email to Minnesota, Nevada and Arizona bar association Presidents
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: president@mnbars.org <president@mnbars.org>; julie@cblawoffices.org <julie@cblawoffices.org>; BT@taylorgomezlaw.com <bt@taylorgomezlaw.com>
Cc: Brannon Buck <bbuck@badhambuck.com>; Terri B. Lovell <terri.lovell@alabar.org>; Jennifer Buettner <jbuettner@birminghambar.org>; mckinney@watsonmckinney.com <mckinney@watsonmckinney.com>; suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org <suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org>; flatta@burr.com <flatta@burr.com>; wbrewbak@law.ua.edu <wbrewbak@law.ua.edu>; sgarrett@bsol.com <sgarrett@bsol.com>; ccampbell@faulkner.edu <ccampbell@faulkner.edu>; blakehudson@samford.edu <blakehudson@samford.edu>; marty@mitchellmeadows.com <marty@mitchellmeadows.com>; emyang@wstrongllc.com <emyang@wstrongllc.com>; [email addresses of personal acquaintances redacted]
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 04:47:24 PM CDT
Subject: Lawyers in battleground states of MN, NV and AZ, and the rule of law
Dear Minnesota State Bar Association President Floyd, Nevada State Bar President Cavanaugh-Bill, and State Bar of Arizona President Taylor
As indicated at the link Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Interim Alabama report to ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com), lawyers in the non-battleground state of Alabama have not taken up the mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy to:
(i) bolster voter confidence in elections by safeguarding the integrity and non-partisan administration of elections, and by providing support for election workers and officials; (ii) educate Americans on democracy and the rule of law and why they are foundational to every aspect of American lives; and (iii) suggest ideas to the American people for improving and strengthening our democracy and our elections. Our Work (americanbar.org).
The foregoing lapse of the legal profession in the non-battleground state of Alabama is lamentable.
With six months to go in the 2024 elections, it is hoped that the legal professions in the battleground states of Minnesota, Nevada and Arizona, have taken up (or will take up during the next six months) the foregoing mission of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy.
Thank you very much for your attention to this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL
(for filing in Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Battleground states' lawyers and ABA) Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com))

Email to Dartmouth Lawyers Association President
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: Jeff Carton <jcarton@denleacarton.com>
Cc: ddowd@burr.com <ddowd@burr.com>; cborton@maynardcooper.com <cborton@maynardcooper.com>; jvance@law.ua.edu <jvance@law.ua.edu>; rudipa@yahoo.com <rudipa@yahoo.com>; Linda Dolce <ldolce@denleacarton.com>; "neal.katyal@hoganlovells.com" <neal.katyal@hoganlovells.com>; cdobson@maynardnexsen.com <cdobson@maynardnexsen.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 06:18:15 PM CDT
Subject: Politics and the ABA Task Force for American
Democracy
Hello again, Jeff.
Politics may be engulfing what the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy is trying to do.
The situation in Alabama may be discerned from Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Interim Alabama report to ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com).
With failure in Alabama, I have been attempting forays into the battleground states, per Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Battleground states' lawyers and ABA Task Force for American Democracy (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com). I have no idea what the situation is the battleground states.
In Alabama, I will try to make the Task Force mission an issue in the competitive Alabama 2nd Congressional district election. The Republican candidate is Caroleene Dobson, who is with the Maynard Nexsen firm. Last November I emailed Caroleene about the ABA Task Force. (My email can be found at Be An Alabama Rootstriker* with Rob Shattuck: Bird dogging the AL 2nd Cong'l district election (al6thcongdist-ihaveuntiljan13.blogspot.com).) I appreciate that making the ABA Task Force mission an issue in the 2nd Congressional district election may contribute to the mission becoming infected with politics. I will try to keep that from happening.
Christie Borton, the President of the Dartmouth Club of Alabama, is also at Maynard Nexsen, and I am taking the step of copying both Christie and Caroleene on this email.
I don't know how much Professor Joyce Vance at the University of Alabama School of Law is willing to help with publicizing the ABA Task Force to the Alabama legal community and to other Alabama parties. Joyce is a legal commentator on MSNBC and her trying to be active in Alabama regarding the ABA Task Force may not fit in for Joyce. All I can do is copy Joyce on this email.
Maybe Neal Katyal will weigh in on this.
Thanks for your previously expressed interest in the ABA Task Force mission, even if it is not something that you can act on as President of the Dartmouth Lawyers Association.
Best regards,
Rob

8/15/24 email to State Bar of Georgia Executive Committee re ABA Task Force for American Democracy
From: Rob Shattuck <rdshatt@aol.com>
To: icadle@bakerdonelson.com <icadle@bakerdonelson.com>; chris.twyman@cbtjlaw.com <chris.twyman@cbtjlaw.com>; bill@gentrylawfirm.law <bill@gentrylawfirm.law>; javoynestatebarofga@gmail.com <javoynestatebarofga@gmail.com>; tony@dglattorneys.com <tony@dglattorneys.com>; kenneth.mitchell@cobbcounty.org <kenneth.mitchell@cobbcounty.org>; veronica.rogusky.cox@eeoc.gov <veronica.rogusky.cox@eeoc.gov>; brittanie.browning@akerman.com <brittanie.browning@akerman.com>; bert@gatrialattorneys.com <bert@gatrialattorneys.com>; shiriki.jones@coyote.com <shiriki.jones@coyote.com>; jlewis@khlawfirm.com <jlewis@khlawfirm.com>; david@lipscomblaw.com <david@lipscomblaw.com>; gspencer@naacpldf.org <gspencer@naacpldf.org>; martinvalbuenapc@bellsouth.net <martinvalbuenapc@bellsouth.net>
Cc: Brannon Buck <bbuck@badhambuck.com>; Terri B. Lovell <terri.lovell@alabar.org>; mckinney@watsonmckinney.com <mckinney@watsonmckinney.com>; suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org <suzanneduffey@mc-ala.org>; flatta@burr.com <flatta@burr.com>; wbrewbak@law.ua.edu <wbrewbak@law.ua.edu>; sgarrett@bsol.com <sgarrett@bsol.com>; ccampbell@faulkner.edu <ccampbell@faulkner.edu>; blakehudson@samford.edu <blakehudson@samford.edu>; christy.crow@jinkscrow.com <christy.crow@jinkscrow.com>; richard.raleigh@wbd-us.com <richard.raleigh@wbd-us.com>; daoffice@baldwincountyal.gov <daoffice@baldwincountyal.gov>; baldwinDA@baldwincountyal.gov <baldwinda@baldwincountyal.gov>; "baldwinda@baldwincountyal.gov" <baldwinda@baldwincountyal.gov>; bob@schreiberadr.com <bob@schreiberadr.com>; jvance@law.ua.edu <jvance@law.ua.edu>; jws@willsellers.com <jws@willsellers.com>; cdobson@maynardnexsen.com <cdobson@maynardnexsen.com>; jwilson@birminghambar.org <jwilson@birminghambar.org>; Neal K. Katyal <neal.katyal@hoganlovells.com>; Alston Ray <alston.ray@butlersnow.com>; Ross Cohen <rcohen@bakerdonelson.com>; spratling@wskllp.com <spratling@wskllp.com>; Mark Ezell <mee@ezell-law-llc.com>; John Steiner <john@steinerlawllc.com>; spoer@scottdukeslaw.com <spoer@scottdukeslaw.com>; ddowd@burr.com <ddowd@burr.com>; Chris Christie <chris.christie@dentons.com>; Gwen Windle <gwindle@charter.net>; hello@waterssullivan.com <hello@waterssullivan.com>; ryeilding@bradley.com <ryeilding@bradley.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 06:39:50 PM CDT
Subject: State Bar of Georgia and ABA Task Force for American Democracy
Dear State Bar of Georgia Executive Committee:
The yearlong work of the American Bar Association Task Force for American Democracy has wrapped up for now.
ABA President Mary Smith issued an August 2, 2024, statement about the Task Force's work, which statement is posted at https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/news/2024/aba-democracy-task-force.pdf.
Quoting from the statement:
"... it is imperative for the American Bar Association, and the legal profession it represents, to lead the way in fortifying our democratic institutions. We are uniquely equipped to uphold the rule of law, rejuvenate judicial norms, safeguard election integrity and protect the dedicated professionals and volunteers who uphold our legal system.
. . .
Through extensive research, community engagement via listening tours and numerous consultations, the Task Force has identified key issues undermining our democratic institutions. Notably, the rise of misinformation, the normalization of political violence and a growing disillusionment with democratic governance have emerged as critical concerns. Our observations indicate that these issues are exacerbated by a polarization that has infiltrated the very fabric of our society, making reasoned, bipartisan dialogue more crucial than ever."
Accompanying President Smith's statement is a Task Force analysis that reflects the group’s assessment of the current state of our democracy, outlines the Task Force’s activities, and sets forth specific actions lawyers and citizens can take between now and the November election to support democracy and the rule of law.
From a section of the analysis captioned "WHAT INDIVIDUAL LAWYERS CAN DO", I quote the following items:
2. Volunteer:
b. Give talks in your community and offer to write in your local newspaper about the rule of law, democracy and our elections.
c. Check in with your local bar association on where they may need help defending democracy and the rule of law.
3. Be a democracy leader in your community:
a. Stand up for our: i. Judges, court workers and our justice system ii. Election workers and election processes iii. American democracy and the rule of law.
b. Make sure you’re knowledgeable on the Constitution, the rule of law and democracy.
c. Actively dispel election misinformation and disinformation in your community as it arises.
d. Work to improve public dialogue by modeling and encouraging ways for members of your community to engage in civil and respectful discussion despite political differences.
e. Condemn violence or the threat of violence, especially as it relates to our elections and our judicial system.
f. Attend a local Braver Angels or Living Room Conversations session to help bridge the partisan divides in your community and encourage others to do so as well.
4. Share this list with your colleagues and members of the bar and encourage them to get involved in the above activities.
I am a retired lawyer in Alabama.
For a year I have been urging Alabama lawyers to undertake activities supportive of the Task Force's mission. I will continue this effort until the election and am copying on this email a number of Alabama contacts.
With less than three months to go until November 5th, I think the mission of the ABA Task Force needs as much pushing by individual lawyers as they are willing to provide. Please consider this email to the Executive Committee of the State Bar of Georgia to be in that vein.
Thank you for reading this email.
Sincerely,
Rob Shattuck
Mountain Brook, AL

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Helping Biden Harris in battleground states

I wish to get with other Alabamians who want to come up with ways to help Biden Harris in battleground states on a long-distance basis from Alabama.