A.G. Gancarski
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown and Ronnie Simmons, her chief of staff, will be at the federal courthouse in Jacksonville Wednesday for separate hearings regarding their counsel — or lack thereof — in the blockbuster One Door for Education case.
Simmons’ lawyer, Anthony Suarez, may have a conflict that precludes him from representing Simmons. In a different matter, Suarez represented a prosecution witness, and the feds assert this would disqualify the Orlando barrister from cross-examination.
Simmons’ hearing is slated for 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
Brown, meanwhile, lost her third set of lawyers days before she lost her primary.
Though Mark NeJame, the lead of the last firm to abandon the defense of the embattled congresswoman, took great pains to represent the quickly dissolved legal relationship as an amicable parting of the ways, the court filing preceding NeJame leaving the case told a different story.
“The relationship between the undersigned and Corrine Brown has quickly deteriorated to the point of having irreconcilable differences. The nature of these communications are confidential, but suffice to say, irreconcilable differences exist and the relationship is strained where effective representation is compromised,” wrote David Haas, who was representing Brown, along with NeJame.
“As a result, it has created an atmosphere of hostility and distrust not conducive to further representation. Furthermore, a material and significant difference of opinion exists as to case management and the needs of counsel to properly prepare with the client and the client’s availability,” Haas added.
NeJame and Haas claimed last month that they were helping Brown get new lawyers, as part of what the congresswoman has called a “lean, mean” team.
Brown will be in court at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
