A Virginia state court has disbarred an attorney representing a number of high-profile Capitol riot defendants. On Friday a three-judge panel revoked Jonathon Moseley’s law license.
Politico reports:
Most prominent among Moseley’s criminal clients is Kelly Meggs, an Oath Keeper from Florida who took on a leadership role for the group that breached the Capitol. Moseley also previously represented Zachary Rehl, one of the Proud Boys leaders charged with conspiring to obstruct Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, though he withdrew from that case in December.
Details of the bar discipline case against Moseley were not immediately available, but a summary posted on the Virginia State Bar website on Tuesday said the court found that he violated “professional rules that govern safekeeping property; meritorious claims and contentions; candor toward the tribunal; fairness to opposing party and counsel; unauthorized practice of law, multijurisdictional practice of law; bar admission and disciplinary matters … and misconduct.” The decision was effective on April 1.
Moseley plans to fight the disbarment and immediately filed an appeal.
Moseley’s troubles with the Virginia State Bar could imperil his ability to continue as an attorney for Meggs and in an array of other Jan. 6 litigation. Moseley is not a member of the District of Columbia Bar, but does belong to the bar of the federal court in D.C. handling those cases. Membership in that bar is contingent on bar membership in another state or locality.
The most immediate impact of Moseley’s disbarment may be in the upcoming trial of 11 Oath Keepers facing charges of seditious conspiracy for their role in the Capitol breach, including Meggs. U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta has worked to keep the trial on track for July, while scheduling two other Oath Keepers trials for later in the year. But Moseley’s exit could complicate Meggs’ ability to prepare a defense.