James E. Sharp
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This article is about the 20th century lawyer. For information on the 17th century minister, see James Sharp.
James E. Sharp (born 1940) is a top criminal defense lawyer in Washington D.C., working for Sharp & Associates, probably best known for representing President George W. Bush.
Sharp graduated from the University of Arizona and the University of Oklahoma law school, and has had a successful but private career in law. One of his first cases involved an investigation into a huge fire on the aircraft carrier Forrestal in 1967, during the Vietnam war. Sharp later represented Jeb Stuart Magruder, the deputy director of Richard Nixon's re-election campaign, involved in the Watergate scandal. He was charged with obstruction of justice and was sentenced to four years in prison, although he served less than a year.
Sharp's other high-profile clients have included Clifford Irving, who had authored a falsified autobiography of Howard Hughes; Major General Richard V. Secord, indicted on six felony charges in the Iran-Contra scandal; Senator Daniel Brewster, accused of bribery in a landmark case; Fabian C. Ver, a Filipino general accused of assassination; and Kenneth Lay, the politically well-connected CEO of Enron.
President Bush has announced that he intends to hire Sharp if he is questioned in the investigation regarding the leak of Valerie Plame's name. Although the President already has the service of the White House Counsel's Office, a private attorney is needed to maintain attorney-client privilege, since federal attorneys can be required to give information in an investigation.
Sharp has made many political donations throughout his career, and has donated to more Democrats than Republicans. Sharp's son, Jess Sharp, works for the Bush administration's Domestic Policy Council.
External links
- Breif technical biographical summary (http://www.martindale.com/xp/Martindale/Lawyer_Locator/Search_Lawyer_Locator/search_result.xml?PG=0&STYPE=N&LNAME=sharp&FNAME=jim&FN=&CN=washington&CTY=&STS=&CRY=1&LSCH=)
- Washington Post article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3668-2004Jun24.html)
- New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/05/national/05sharp.html?ei=5007&en=e28dd29b89884feb&ex=1401768000&adxnnl=1&partner=USERLAND&adxnnlx=1089767264-A5mvafHuL0BglOlsUeUimA)
- Analysis from Findlaw (http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20040604.html)