Latest Scandal! Comic Book Dealer Disbarred As Lawyer!!!!

[esquirecomics]

Mark, all i am saying is that to me, he has redeemed himself over the past two years i have known him...how long does redemption take? Have you got a timetable for that as well?

You are in his circle, so you have a different perspective on this than i do. To me it's a job and i expect the same from every level of employee, from garbage man to laywer man. If i did not make any points worthy of the forum, so be it.... i am tired (full day at work), rushing (going to pick up my daughter) and trying to process all the posts and put in my 2 cents. to re-iterate....happened years ago, did it not? It's just that we found out about it today. To me it's a relic that will haunt him...I'm still gonna deal with the guy as i believe in 2nd chances.

 

I understand what you are saying. It is not clear from the decision what period of time we are talking about but I presume it is more than 2 years ago as that was approximately when Doug moved to FL and abandoned his NY law practice.

 

I don't know if he has redeemed himself or not. Has he done anything suspect, unethical or illegal with respect to his comic book practice? I don't know. He presses. He resubs. He discloses neither unless, apparently, asked. I don't like either, and I might consider them to fall within a suspect or unethical category, but that is totally a personal opinion and reasonable people clearly differ.

 

Personally, I don't think anything Doug has done since leaving NY serves to redeem himself for these actions. The clock for redemption started ticking yesterday when we found out about the decision and the conduct. Now, I, for one, would certainly take into consideration his conduct, to the extent I know it, and his dealings with people since the time he left NY, but that by itself is not even close to being sufficient.

 

The trust we had for Doug did not erode until yesterday. So his past actions cannot truly repair the damage. Time is a mitigating factor only. Just recently the US Army punished a deserter who fled back in the 1960s and was just recently identified. The sentence was mitigated due to the passage of time, but he was still punished. Part of what is taking into consideration is the life he spent and contributions he made during the time on the run. But even if he had been a priest or rabbi, he would still have received some level of punishment b/c that is how our system does and needs to work.

 

As I said, I also agree on giving second chances. But those are earned, not awarded. There is ample room for Doug to start earning his integrity and respect back. I hope he does.

[WallStreet Trader-migratio]

Mark,

If he was only recently disbarred, would there be a possiblity (or probability) that he is currently being pursued from a Legal standpoint.... ie.....Civil or Criminal Suits How would that fit into the equation ?? That would explain some of his recent sales. I always wondered "WHY" he would sell the books, after spending so much time and energy finding them

Thanks

[Aces]

I'm still mulling over the "Spoken like a true Liberal" quip. I guess spoken like a true conservative would be to change the words" theft of funds" to "relocation of assets", and then say anyone who disagrees is " aiding the terrorist".

 

Hey, first chance I had to vote, in 1972.....I voted for Nixon!

 

Very few people didn't vote for Nixon in '72.

That was a whopper of a landslide.

 

Oh and back on topic.

 

All I can say is....

[EastEnd]

One somewhat related issue that this brings up for me is the growing need for a dealer approval organization, much like the "Good Housekeeping" stamp of approval in other industries. I hope that this is something that the new standards organization accomplishes.

 

I agree with this one thousand percent. We desperately need a "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" process for this hobby.

[Aces]

I like reading comic books.

 

It's taking me more time to read this thread then it does for the typicial modern comic.

 

What a bunch of dang long-winded lawyers we got around here.

 

[jimjum12]

CBG used to have a seal of approval system,that was fairly reliable.I think it was based around unresolved customer complaints.They actually banned a long time dealer although I don't remember who it was.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[ronm3-migration]

One somewhat related issue that this brings up for me is the growing need for a dealer approval organization, much like the "Good Housekeeping" stamp of approval in other industries. I hope that this is something that the new standards organization accomplishes.

 

I agree with this one thousand percent. We desperately need a "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" process for this hobby.

 

 

I think very few current dealers would get the approval. Now how would a dealer get a

"Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval?"

I would love to hear the criteria.

[Tomega]

I think its a good time for Doug to intitute a one time only "Mea Culpa - - All Is Forgiven" Sale of 50% off all Vault books!! I know I would forgive him??? How about all of you?

 

Finally, something we all can agree on 100%

So its okay if someone commits morally reprehensible acts, as long as we can profit or benefit from it?

Or am I taking a tounge-in-cheek comment out of context

 

Duh........

[supapimp]

CBG used to have a seal of approval system,that was fairly reliable.I think it was based around unresolved customer complaints.They actually banned a long time dealer although I don't remember who it was.GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

 

yeah and fantazia collectibles had a CBG seal approval.

[RDK]

One somewhat related issue that this brings up for me is the growing need for a dealer approval organization, much like the "Good Housekeeping" stamp of approval in other industries. I hope that this is something that the new standards organization accomplishes.

 

I agree with this one thousand percent. We desperately need a "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" process for this hobby.

 

But would this "Seal of Approval" only - and should it only - be concerned with someone's comic book dealings? What if someone was a completely ethical and above-board dealer but a pr!ck in his non-comic life?

[Mr. Zipper]

yeah and fantazia collectibles had a CBG seal approval.

 

You gotta give the guy credit for having the most wonderfully smarmy ad copy.

 

If I didn't know better, I'd swear he penned, "rich corinthian leather."

[supapimp]

danny boy needs to wake up and smell what he's shoveling. know if he mentioned something about quality hair plugs, i'd believe him.

[jimjum12]

Not to be funny,but I wonder what ever happened to that copy of Action 1 that they were advertising.Either way the system would have to be based on the accumulation of negatives as most people expect good service to be a given.(cough).GOD BLESS...

 

-jimbo(a friend of jesus)

[Tomega]

My thought is that everyone who feels so strongly about this that they do not do business with him and everyone else go about their business. I have seen many a post that people will not do business with him and I wonder if they ever did in the past. I also wonder if those who said they will never do business with him will hold true in a year from now when he puts up a grail book that they have been looking for years.

 

I find it frustrating the way things degrade around here. Is this a serious incident - absolutely. Is it a scandal - no way. I would continue but my opinion appears to be in the minority and someone else said what I was feeling already. So I will just quote Roy and be done with it -

 

I've loosely read what went on here and have some thoughts. Some may have been covered and some may not. If i get any flak so be it:

 

1) There is not one person posting on these boards that does not have any secrets that they would to keep hidden on some level....like i read once in a book somewhere, some peoples sins are readily apparant before hand, while others are not until later. You show me that you can walk on water and maybe then you can be the exception to this rule

 

2) Although professionals and role models are held to greater accountability than the average person at times, is there anyone here that has been excessively late on credit card payments or the like? Maybe borrowed money from a friend and did not pay it back? If it was personal greed that caused him to indulge in this poor decision making, i would say most if not all of us are guilty of it on one level or another. Don't misquote me. This was HUGE in a negative way and may have caused some people serious grief but how many of us possibly would have done something similar under the correct circumstances?

 

3) After extensive dealings with Doug, i have to say he has been solid in the past two years I've known him. I've met him in person, spoken on the phone numerous times ..etc. Never even a whisp of anything but professionialism and top notch customer service. Also only heard great things about him.

 

Many of us have done some form of wrong and made it right. Everyone has the opportunity to redeem themselves. Some of us have done GREAT wrongs and made them right. I have. As time goes by, we are usually forgiven, and many (not all) things become forgotten. This is life. I will continue to buy from him as i believe in second chances and unless he shows that for some reason he has not repented, i have no reason not to trust him. You can gossip about that.

[Foolkiller]

Years ago? I'm not sure. And as an adult, I am less willing to simply overlook things as past discretions of youth.

 

I want to make something clear. I would not say anyone, Ewert, Dupcak, Doug etc. are beyond redemption. We judge those people going forward by their actions. We judge each other on a daily basis, how much we can trust one another by our individual actions. I would ask anyone to hold me to the same standard I would hold anyone else. What Doug did was not what even an ordinary reasonable lawyer would engage in.

 

Doug was probably first suspended, and why, I suspect, he went to Florida and became a dealer. During the pendancy of this investigation. Perhaps, perhaps not, but it is certainly my suspicion. How long was this going on? Was he only remorseful now because he has been outed? This is beyond "bad bookkeeping". This would require a WILLFUL dipping into the client fund. It's pretty simple to put settlement money into a client account.

 

Roy, if you are friends with someone and they do or have done something ethically questionable, the answer is not to stop being friends with them. I would expect that friends would give Doug a chance to earn his trust back -- prove his honesty. But ask how anyone objective could trust a man who was stripped of his license to practice law for dishonesty reasons? Without proof of it first.

 

For me, because I knew Doug, and not Jason, this is more bitter, and more disheartening. It is more troublesome because I like Doug. I want to stay silent and not say what is right. But in order to be fair, we must maintain the difference between right and wrong that should be universally applied when evidence exists to support those thoughts.

 

It is not minor, it is not something which is minimal. But perhaps unlike Jason, Doug will prove that he will approach this ethical quandry with an aim towards reformation and prove that I those who have publicly supported him are correct in their statements that Doug remains trustworthy and honest.

 

Mark, all i am saying is that to me, he has redeemed himself over the past two years i have known him...how long does redemption take? Have you got a timetable for that as well?

You are in his circle, so you have a different perspective on this than i do. To me it's a job and i expect the same from every level of employee, from garbage man to laywer man. If i did not make any points worthy of the forum, so be it.... i am tired (full day at work), rushing (going to pick up my daughter) and trying to process all the posts and put in my 2 cents. to re-iterate....happened years ago, did it not? It's just that we found out about it today. To me it's a relic that will haunt him...I'm still gonna deal with the guy as i believe in 2nd chances.

[arexcrooke]

It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to one's enemies

It takes a great deal more to stand up to one's friends.

[esquirecomics]

It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to one's enemies

It takes a great deal more to stand up to one's friends.

 

Well said, and very true.

[esquirecomics]

Mark,

If he was only recently disbarred, would there be a possiblity (or probability) that he is currently being pursued from a Legal standpoint.... ie.....Civil or Criminal Suits How would that fit into the equation ?? That would explain some of his recent sales. I always wondered "WHY" he would sell the books, after spending so much time and energy finding them

Thanks

 

I certainly have no knowledge of whether there is or ever was a criminal investigation into what happened. It could have been that the DA's Office was waiting to see the results of the Ethic's investigation before they acted. That is entirely possible.

 

However, if Doug's clients did ultimately receive the funds they are due criminal prosecution is less likely. Although it depends on the amount involved, it is probably not worth the DA's effort particularly in light of the disbarrment.

 

I could be wrong. Time will tell.

[LearnedHand]

Okay, I’ve now read the entire string. As an attorney, I completely agree with Scott (FFB), as it is despicable when an attorney is guilty of an honor code violation. There is no worse offense in my book. He has lost all face and all respect, and being disbarred is absolutely the right result in this case.

 

That said, I’ll take a precarious position here by saying – let’s keep all of this in perspective.

 

To the people like Foolkiller – philosophically (and on a professional level), I think it’s clear that we agree. But, as related to comic book dealing? I’m not 100% sure yet. Presumably, any arm’s-length transaction should require the exercise of prudence. We now have evidence that Schmell is unethical. Said differently, the suspicion I have about many, many dealers is now confirmed about one. So while I will not deal with Schmell ever, there are many other dealers that act unethically on a daily basis (but that are not held to the higher standard to which we attorneys are held) and this does not result in any formal judgment against them, nor does it dissuade people from dealing with them. I don’t advocate dealing with Schmell, all I’m saying is that people do business with people they know to be unethical daily. They just exercise prudence.

 

To the friends of Scmell that want to bury their heads in the sand or think there is another side to the story – there in not. And all I can say is that you may want to reconsider your standard for judgment. Schmell was/is nice to you personally. From a philosophical standpoint - Hitler was probably nice to his friends too. Anyone think defending Hitler on this basis is anything but absurd?

[otherworldsj33]

I feel bad this has happened to him. Most of us understand the collecting fever, and some of us have better discipline then others, financailly speaking. I am not excusing his behavior, but every one deserves a second chance. The comic collector in him clouded his judgement, and as is most usual in these type of situations, he probably did it once saying he would never do it again, and it was a slow slippery downward slope from there on. He was probably conflicted from the start. I am sure he has suffered enough already, personally (did the paper not say his dad was a lawyer?) and proffesionally (disbarred !). Hopefully he has learned from this, and will not make the same error in judgement again. As a lawyer, should he be held to a higher standard, when it comes to other peoples money? Yes, I belive so. As a business person this may put him in a suspect light. That is understandable too. In time, if he continues to do what is right and proper, he should, and deserves to, earn back the respect and trust of others. As a human being, like the Bible says, "No one is sinless, not even one", and "Why do you look at the speck in your brothers eye but do not consider the plank in your own?"