It is true - 99% of all lawyers give the other 1% a bad reputation.

This link connects to a better explanation of the problems being created by former Front Royal Town Attorney Tom Robinette, now Town Manager and Town Attorney for Onancock, VA.

http://www.opengovva.org/in-the-news-mainmenu-72/current-headlines-mainmenu-71/1562-redaction-for-obvious-reasons

This ongoing unethical conduct supports a local history of implanting an unethical culture of business and politics in Front Royal and Warren County. It will be no easy chore to uproot this deeply entrenched cronyism and corruption.

Yet another example is now being showcased for you. Consider the circumstances sufficient to force the resignation of Doug Napier from county public office. These same circumstances are now being overlooked by the Town Councilmen and their leader, Mayor Darr, when hiring this same offender for a town public office. Do the members of the Town Council consider these circumstances of past moral and ethical lapses have no bearing on his employment as Town Attorney? Were they seeking a Robinette clone?

Many of my contacts agree Robinette was the source of many problems for Front Royal. Perhaps the most egregious was his attempt to have fabrications of bribery brought against the town manager. As you may remember, this attempt involved the Richmond law firm of Troutman Saunders who was provided information verbally by Robinette seeking their written endorsement of wrongdoing. The information recollected later by Troutman Saunders seemed to be a description of a cherry-picked construct of misinformation intended to force a specific conclusion sought by Robinette.

Unfortunately, this real life scenario supports the often told joke - 99% of all lawyers give the other 1% a bad reputation.
**********************************************************************************
Here are the comments I made last night to the Front Royal Town Council:
Speech - Front Royal Town Council 12-12-2011

Mr. Mayor, Town councilmen, good evening.

Mr. Town Attorney Napier, I continue to wait for your answers to the 6 questions I placed before you at Councils public meeting November 28th. Silence is not a viable strategy to solve any problem.

Mr. Napier, don't you find it troubling not a single Councilman rose during that November 28 meeting to speak in your defense?

More troubling is this continued silence. Most troubling is your conflict of interest statement in the matter of Ron Llewellyn and his company, Heptad. Your statement was not dated. What kind of attorney prepares a document declaring a conflict of interest and fails to date it?

Worst of all, Mr. Napier, you were expected to provide proof the Warren County Board of Supervisors gave you their written permission to violate your written employment agreement to become employed by private sector clients during your tenure as full-time Warren County Attorney. May I expect this written permission will be dated and part of the Warren County Board of Supervisor's meeting minutes?

Tied for the honor of 'most troubling' is lack of leadership in this matter by Mayor Darr, whose campaign rhetoric promised if elected Mayor he would get the Town Council under control, support the Town Manager, and not be influenced by outside special interests
.
Which of you Councilmen will admit to being under the control of Mayor Darr? Which of you can rise to defend the leadership of Mr. Darr and the allegations against Mr. Napier?

With regard to the circumstances surrounding Mr. Napier's abrupt resignation in 2006 as Warren County Attorney, if those circumstances were sufficient to motivate demands for Napier's resignation from public office, certainly they weigh against hiring him for another? Do the members of the Town Council consider these circumstances of past ethical lapses have no bearing on his employment as Town Attorney?

Mayor Darr, which Good Old Boy's special interests have you ignored?

Mr. Burke, as Town Manager you have my deepest sympathy for being caught between a rock and a hard place.

Mr. Holloway, on the recent occasion of your conversion to the Democratic Party, would you take the opportunity of giving us your views concerning the principles of ethics and how they apply to the issues I raise concerning Mr. Napier's qualifications to the position he now holds?

Mr. Lauder, will you make a campaign promise to create and follow a Code of Ethical Conduct to guide town employees, other Councilmen, and yourself?

Mr. Tharpe, will you be the first to tell us your views concerning employment agreement violations by Mr. Napier?

Mr. Mayor and Councilmen, as bad as things stand today, the silence of crickets guarantee it can only get worse.