Leo Kallis helps us understand why Circuit Court Judge John L. Brown approved attorney Brandon Taliaferro's request to withdraw from Annette Bosworth's defense. The reason is simple and unsurprising: Bosworth failed to pay him.
In court yesterday, the failed Senate candidate complained that Taliaferro's motion to withdraw was too vague. Taliaferro responded that he had avoided mentioning specific reasons to protect Bosworth from undesirable media scrutiny:
My motion to withdraw was intentionally vague. I did that as a benefit to you so as to limit the amount of information in the record that the press or public could get ahold of. If you consent to my withdrawal, the court likely won't require any additional information on this issue. I believe that to be a benefit to you. However, if you oppose the motion, the court will likely require additional information from me, which will then be in the record. The same goes for the motion you are considering filing. Once you file something with the clerk of courts, it's in the record and available to the press and/or public. I don't see that as benefiting you, but it is your decision to make [Brandon Taliaferro, letter to Annette Bosworth, electronically transmitted 2014.08.03; quoted in Leo Kallis, "Apparently Chad Haber Doesn't Read The Paper Or Think About The Implications Of His Words," The Displaced Plainsman, 2014.08.04].
This August 3 letter shows that even as he is trying to leave the Bosworth circus, he is still trying to serve his client's best interest. The bottom of his letter suggests Taliaferro is even trying to help her line up a new attorney (Taliaferro mentions "trying to secure Mr. Schreiber," perhaps Pierre attorney Brad Schreiber).
But again, in Bosworth's narcissistic world, no press is bad press. She throws another tantrum, and Taliaferro's reasons for withdrawing become public:
As for the obligations you failed to fulfill, they are set forth in various emails and letters I sent to you. Essentially, the obligations were:
- Chad [Haber, Bosworth's husband] withdraws from the AG race before our last hearing which did not occur;
- Lee [Stranahan, Bosworth's paid spokesman] stops mentioning me, you or Mette which did not occur;
- We issue a press release distancing you and your defense from Lee. That occurred, but was completely undermined by the video you and Lee put out hours after the press release; and
- 25,000 retainer by July 25 which did not occur [emphasis mine; Taliaferro, 2014.08.03].
Bosworth promised Taliaferro $25,000. Bosworth did not pay Taliaferro that $25,000. She continues not to pay her debts to those who have worked for her.
Bosworth doesn't pay: the story is almost so predictable as to no longer be news.
Bosworth's exploitation and abuse of her former attorneys proves her toxicity. It's almost as if she's trying to make herself unrepresentable, to drive off every respectable attorney in the state, to force us to pay for a public defender. I could tolerate footing the bill for Bosworth's constitutionally guaranteed defense if she were really destitute and lacked the means to raise money. But her mistreatment of Taliaferro, like her parasitic relations with past employees, indicate Bosworth is just looking for another freebie.
