E-mails back claim that Sen. Rand Paul ‘stole’ NSA lawsuit

[DonViejo]

BY DANA MILBANK

The intrigue over the authorship of Sen. Rand Paul’s NSA lawsuit continues. In a column posted Wednesday, I wrote that constitutional lawyer Bruce Fein had been unceremoniously dropped from the complaint after writing it, that he had been replaced on the complaint by former Virginia attorney general Ken Cuccinelli, and that Fein had not been fully paid for his work. I quoted his spokeswoman and ex-wife, Mattie Fein, accusing Cuccinelli of stealing Fein’s work.

After furious complaints from Paul advisers, Fein issued a statement Thursday saying: “Mattie Lolavar was not speaking for me. Her quotes were her own and did not represent my views. I was working on a legal team, and have been paid for my work.”

However, Mattie Fein has routinely been identified as Bruce Fein’s spokeswoman in media reports, and e-mails I sent to Bruce Fein this week were answered by Mattie Fein, who again identified herself as his spokeswoman and who relayed information between Bruce Fein and me. The e-mails, which I was authorized to publish, also show that Bruce Fein was angry about the way he had been treated by Paul and Cuccinelli and was seeking payment from Paul’s political action committee as late as Wednesday.

In a telephone conversation Thursday evening, Cuccinelli, joined by Bruce Fein, repeated that Mattie Fein was “not authorized” to speak for Bruce Fein, and said “Mattie sent emails in his name from his account.” But Bruce Fein confirmed on the call that he had, in fact, written one of the two emails forwarded to me from his account, in which he complained about the way he was treated by the Paul team and requested payment. “I was disgruntled with some elements,” he said. Asked about the second email from his account, in which he lists several questions that could be asked at the Paul-Cuccinelli news conference, he declined to comment.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2014/02/13/e-mails-back-claim-that-sen-rand-paul-stole-nsa-lawsuit/

[okaawhatever]

1. OMG These emails are worth reading. Mattie Fein let's Cucc and Co. have it. lol. She admitted to

planting tough legal questions she knew Cuccinelli couldn't answer to show he didn't have the intelligence to do the legal work. Brilliant.

To: “Doug Stafford” dstafford06@*****.com
Subject: Re: class action complaint
Date: Wed, Feb 12, 2014 2:54 PM
Doug it should be noted that Bruce and our firm should have been on the pleading…and lens past experience is the equivalent on FISA as an overcooked vegetable. Seriously, you screwwd him and I called it. Why wasn’t Bruce included on the freedomworks agreement. It’s not about bringing him in later you guys STOLE his work product…petals before swine my friend. Not good enough.Mattie

Then Doug emals Bruce and asks if Mattie spoke to reporters and basically threatens Bruce with losing the work.

To which Mattie jumps back in with this email:

Ken
If you have questions of me ask me directly. You basically stole bruces work product and research, there isn’t a press person friend or no in the world that believe you are a legal giant. You had an opportunity ,as well as that snake Stafford, to do the right thing…..you didn’t. What is your explanation for not being able to answer the numerous FISA suits…..lol I planted that because I know you are dumb as a box of rocks….make this right ken. You have no legal credibility….
M


Bruce
I think this relationship is untenable. Your wife planted a question BECAUSE she believed it would do damage to our clients. Stated differently, she tried to hurt the clients.
I need to think long and hard about this going forward.
Ken

Mattie goes back at Ken Cuccinelli:

No ken,
First I’m not his wife. Second Bruce had the client before you. Third, admit you werent equipped to answer the questions because you don’t have the legal genius. Fourth, you stole the suit .what will you be prepared to pay since you stole the suit from Bruce? Fifth, what do we do with questions about a possible indictment and legal issue and admission on your receiving gifts? Seriously ????
This will go forward with Bruce , ken. The press thinks your an idiot you have too much baggage without the meat and potatoes..and a lingering federal issue still over your head. Have some respect ken, you know Bruce did the work.
Mattie


Seriously folks, it's worth the read. We should all be upset that FreedomWorks cooked all this up just to make the admin look bad. It doesn't have much concern with privacy so the lawsuit may have been a trojan horse anyway.

[randome]

2. Wow.

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