former NYSE chair Grasso takes the 5th

Grasso Took the Fifth In SEC Trading Probe It's always noteworthy when a prominent official feels the need to avail him or herself of the 5th Amendment. In this case, New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer is suing Grasso to force him to return a $139.5 million retirement package, due to the belief that Grasso's compensation was excessive, and that he misled the NYSE board. But what particularly caught my eye in this story were these few words: "Grasso's lead attorney, Brendan V. Sullivan Jr…" Brendan Sullivan was Oliver North's attorney, in the Iran/contra investigation, who adroitly managed to deflect criticism of his client during the congressional hearings - as, after North insisted he "had just followed orders," when Sullivan rudely interrupted Senator Daniel Inouye's observation that this line of defense had been soundly rejected at the Nuremberg Tribunals. And Sullivan then proceeded to redirect attention to Ollie's fan mail instead. Inouye lost his train of thought, or for reasons otherwise failed to continue on the point, and the moment was lost. I was immediately impressed at the time with the certain knowledge that, were I ever to be guilty of a crime, Brendan Sullivan would be my defense attorney of choice. Not at all the guy I'd want if I was innocent and wrongly accused. Just the guy to have if I was really guilty of something.