Seen a Rogue on the loose? Get in touch with our Roguemeister: JOHN SCHRAG jschrag@wweek.com (503) 243-2122 FAX: (503) 243-1115 Ed Snook is a man with a great name and a crusading spirit. But the publisher/legal sleuth has managed to sully the reputations of two trades--journalism and jurisprudence--that aren't exactly suffering from an abundance of public adoration. Snook is the owner of The Oregon Observer, a Grants Pass- based monthly newspaper dedicated to property rights, judicial reform and the ideals of the citizens' militia. His politics are not what led him down the road to roguedom; his practices are. Snook's paper runs ads soliciting the grievances of those who feel wronged by the courts. Those who respond are asked to sign retainer contracts "hiring" Snook, who also serves as the paper's self-described "Head of Investigations," to represent them on retainer. (It seems, according to documents obtained by WW, that Snook charges only $1.) Then Snook sends threatening letters to the enemies of his "clients," alerting them to the possibility of an Observer exposé and/or legal action focusing on the accused's purported wrongs. In March, for example, executives and shareholders in an Oregon company called Equi=Tech Corporation got letters from the Observer about a situation involving a disgruntled former employee. Snook told one executive that his mishandling of tax issues was serious enough to warrant criminal prosecution; another was told he "can be held personally accountable for any civil and criminal wrongdoing Equi=Tech may be involved in." Snook's ploy raises a couple of red flags. First, he seems to be blurring the distinction between a journalist, who's supposed to be guided by the truth, and a legal investigator, who is guided by the interests of a client. Second, Snook implies that his decision on whether or not to publish alleged wrongdoings depends on whether his clients get some sort of relief. Snook says that, in fact, he has chosen not to publish allegations even when his clients don't get their way, but his letters to Equi=Tech give the impression that the Observer's news pages are for sale. The Oregon State Bar's beef with Snook is even more serious. Investigators for OSB say that even though he is not an attorney, Snook appears to be giving legal advice to others. On Sept. 10, the Bar's Unlawful Practice of Law Committee voted to ask Snook to cease his activities. If he does not agree, he faces a possible court injunction. Snook, who vows to continue his practices, sees the bar's actions as proof of a government conspiracy. "The Oregon State Bar is nothing more than a bunch of perverse bastards that can't change a tire," he tells WW. "The judges and lawyers have absolutely stripped this country of justice. They're all in it together." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published September 15, 1999