Levi Johnston's lawyer is bristling at suggestions from Gov. Sarah Palin's family that the 19-year-old is a deadbeat dad. "I wish that Sarah Palin's father would get his facts correct, quite frankly," attorney Rex Butler said Wednesday.
Palin's father, Chuck Heath, claims in a story being published Friday in Us Weekly magazine that the unemployed Johnston isn't financially supporting the infant. He said he wishes Johnston would take some money from the interviews and buy diapers for Tripp.
Butler told The Associated Press that Johnston was not paid for the interviews and is tired of the Palin family's characterization of his client.
Heath was "trying to make the young man look like a deadbeat father, and, you know, they may have a rude awakening one day if he tries to get custody," Butler said.
"They don't want to share his child with him like they should," he said.
Palin family spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton responded in an e-mail to the AP by saying, "Bristol is focused on college, advocating abstinence and raising Tripp."
Here's some information about Rex Butler:
Bar Admissions
* Alaska, 1983
* U.S. District Court District of Alaska
* U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit
* U.S. Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit
* U.S. Supreme Court
Education
* Howard University School of Law, Washington, District of Columbia, 1983
J.D.
* University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, 1977
B.A.
* Florida Junior College, Jacksonville, Florida, 1975
A.A.
Honors: Phi Theta Kappa
Honors: With Honors
Classes/Seminars Taught
* Adjunct Professor, University of Alaska Anchorage, 1990 - 2006
* Adjunct Professor, Anchorage Community College, 1985
* Teaching Assistant, Howard University School of Law, 1981 - 1983
Honors and Awards
* Who's Who in America
* Who's Who Among Practicing Attorneys
* Who's Who in American Law
* Who's Who in the West
* Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award
* Major Tony Knowles, Public Service Award
* Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, Certificate of Appreciation
* Featured in Black Enterprise Magazine, October
* Outstanding Young Men of America
* Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities
* Peer selected, Best Lawyers in America, 2007
* Diploma for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy
* Appointed Lawyer Representative, 9th Circuit
Past Employment Positions
* Rex Lamont Butler and Associates, Inc., P.C., 1985 - Present
* State of Alaska, Attorney General's Office, Assistant Attorney General, 1984 - 1985
* State of Alaska, Legislative Assistant, 1984
* Jesse Jackson for President Committee-Alaska, General Counsel, 1984
* M. Ashley Dickerson, Inc., Associate, 1983
* Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Law Clerk, 1982 - 1983
* United States Navy, Hospital Corpsman, 1969 - 1973
* Anchorage Telephone Utility Commission, 1985 - 1986
It looks like Levi Johnston has a much better qualified and respected attorney than Sarah Palin.
WAR is not qualified to shine Rex Butler's shoes.
Go Levi!
Links
Report from ADN
Rex Butler's webpage
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14 comments:
Isn't Levi turning 19 in May? Why do these articles constantly refer to him as 19? Because it sounds better than saying Palin is picking on an 18 yr old?
Regina, you are SO right! There is no comparison between WAR and Mr. Butler. And, good for Levi!!!! I'd want this guy on my side and I'm glad he's willing to help.
Around the blogosphere Levi has a lot of support :)
Team Levi! Yes.
Mrs. Palin has definitely met her match in Mr. Butler.
And hopefully, soon a young father will be able to parent his son...
If 6 million people from all over the globe tune in to watch Britain's amazing new singing sensation, then I bet at least ONE million would send a buck or two to assist Levi with legal fees - I hope he sets up a paypal account soon, I am ON TEAM LEVI!
Another "Team Levi" ... I have to say though, (don't hate me) I feel desperately sorry for these kids.
First, Bristol. Her mom is SP. Do I need to go on with that???
Second, Levi. OK he couldn't keep it zipped. He's no different than any other hormone raged teen guy - and I doubt that Bristol said "no". He seems to want to step up to the plate and be a father.
There is way too much SP in this match. These two need to be able to work out parenting their child if it is their child. They have enough challenges, just with Bristol being SP's daughter.
I hope a good lawyer can manage to get these two to some type of agreement for the good of their child.
If Rex is worth anything at all he needs to get paternity tests on both of those kids. If, heaven forbid, he and Bristol are the supposed parents to Trig, and they signed their rights away for adoption, he should be sure he even signed away his own kid. And without a DNA test on Tripp his case will go no where.
Good Luck Levi, but start wearing a condom until you are ready to be a real parent, not a part time Dad. I feel for this kid, but a piece of latex would of helped him out greatly in the past.
Basheert,
We all feel sorry for the kids.
SP can't think beyond the right here, right now. All her policies regarding wildlife and the environment are terribly shortsighted.
She wouldn't be any different where her family is concerned. Her need for revenge eclipses everything else and the babies will pay the price.
Reg
Reg - ITA with what you say.
I was commenting on the stress on the kids only because that was the thread topic.
If Bristol would stand up for herself to make her own decisions without her mother's influence, she would be a much better and stronger person.
SP obviously has a sick twisted need to control everything. Oh wait, is that another Psychosocial disorder????
May we in Alaska have Rex Butler as AG someday !
I too am on " Team Levi " ... I'll definitely contribute to this young man !
I sure hope this lawyer is well educated on Parental Alienation- because the Palin's are already engaging in that. If it's allowed to continue Levi and Tripp won't have a chance at having any type of normal parent/child relationship.
Levi is telling the truth about living in the Palin home. That makes Granny Governor a Liar!
She could have played it smart and not addressed that issue directly- but stating "over my dead body' leaves her no room to wiggle out of that lie !!! You can't simply turn around an admit that he was living in the home for months and call it 'staying there'. NOpe Palin- that might be a Palin fact but not a Plain FACt.
NOw that Levi has a lawyer he can help him request cell phone records that show which towers his calls used during those months and all the other things to prove that he lived there.
Bristol honey if some how you can get the message- you might be upset with Levi right now - but because of your past together and the fact that you share a son together- put that first before anything your mom wants you to do or say. DO not lie about your child's father- besides being wrong- it's a horrible thing to do to your own child! Be a better mom than to ever lie about the dad. You might feel trapped- but you have options!
Best of luck to Levi, Bristol and Tripp- they are going to need it.
LOL! This quote from Rex ought to send a chill up GINO's spine...""trying to make the young man look like a deadbeat father, and, you know, they may have a rude awakening one day if he tries to get custody," Butler said.
Glad that Levi lawyered up, she thinks she can push him around with her stupid threats, NOT!
And Speaking of Abstinence...GINO always talking about it, Reg you will love this little tidbit.
On Diva's site today while we were waiting for the confirmation of WAR/NOT! :) Joe Schmidt did get confirmed, but Diva enlightened us that Joe "did" Gino in HS and bragged about it to one of her friends. Now couldn't that be a conflict of interest??? You've written allot about him re: Prisongate, file this in Prisongate/abstinence gate!
Chuck Heath never said any such thing about good kid Levi! Oh my. Rex nailed them with the 'rude awakening' statement.
see radar: http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2009/04/exclusive-interview-sarah-palin’s-father-says-he-didn’t-attack-levi
Having watched Rex Butler in action when he defended the murderer of my nephew, I am ecstatic that Levi chose him as an attorney. Butler is an idiot in court. The Johnstons deserve him.
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