Bonar admitted that she had made multiple misrepresentations to substantiate the removal of four members of the bar's ethics committee, as she was under the impression that their terms had expired. In actuality none of the bar members removed by her had expired their terms, but all had strong ties to former lawyer Stan Chesley. Bonar had been unsuccessful in her attempt to sue Chesley's firm over fees tied to the Northern-Kentucky priest-abuse litigation.
The court, in a 6-0 opinion said Bonar's actions as bar president was "deeply troubling" and unprecedented.
Records in her disciplinary case showed that this lawyer, even being the lead lawyer for the 380 victims, had attempted to create negative news stories to derail the cause of the victims, while working behind the scenes. She had also helped write an objection to the settlement for a former client of hers.
Bonar had sued Chesley's firm to have a share of the $18.5 million in attorney fees. In fact, she wanted half of it. But the judge said she didn't deserve any share of the fees because of her ethical violations, some of which, by then, was out in the open.
Then she mysteriously thought the terms of Chesley's acquaintances on the ethics bar had expired, and removed them promptly and without much ado.
Chesley was disbarred for taking excessive fees in the fen-phen case.
Bonar is the second former bar president in Kentucky who has been sanctioned after leaving office.
The first case was that of Steve Catron, who has been permanently disbarred for using more than $500,000 in public funds for his private designs.
