No, Aaron Schlossberg Will Probably Not Be Disbarred For Rant
Aaron Schlossberg, center, at a May 2017 rally. Image by Twitter Screenshot
Despite a massive backlash from his viral racist rant, Aaron Schlossberg likely won’t be disbarred for the outburst.
Lawyers facing complaints for incidents like the one involving Schlossberg, who went off on people speaking Spanish in a deli, generally result in reprimands, experts said.
“Mr. Schlossberg could be disciplined for this conduct but it will not lead to disbarment,” said Stephen Gillers, a professor of legal ethics at New York University.
“Factors a disciplinary committee will consider in deciding what if any discipline is warranted include extenuating circumstances and whether Mr. Schlossberg has prior discipline. If he does not, I think the most serious discipline he could face would be a private admonition if he has a clean record. That means the discipline will not become public,” he said.
Social media lit up with calls for Schlossberg to be disbarred after the video of his outburst went viral Wednesday. Many Twitter users posted information for the New York State Bar Association and urged followers to file complaints.
Adriano Espaillat, who represents New York’s 13th Congressional District, tweeted that he will file a formal complaint against Schlossberg.
My office will be filing a formal legal grievance to the State Grievance Committee against #AaronSchlossberg due to his misconduct. @ShaunKing @NYSBA https://t.co/FnCvM88N5M
— Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) May 16, 2018
The bar association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Real Justice PAC co-founder Shaun King wrote on Twitter that 13 people have reported being harassed by Schlossberg since 2015.
Contact Alyssa Fisher at fisher@forward.com or on Twitter, @alyssalfisher
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