![\"Judge](\"http:\/\/andydawkins.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/SwornIn.jpg\")
<\/a>Judge Ed Wilson swearing me in<\/p><\/div>\n
In 1987, a year later, I was running for the State Legislature and asked all my campaign volunteers to help me write a legislative agenda in case we won. One of the ideas my volunteers came up with was similar to Habitat for Humanity and would allow renters to buy an abandoned house and fix it up with the help of neighborhood volunteers. We won the election (despite my being the underdog) mostly because we had the most volunteers, worked the hardest, and had created a lot of excitement as to what the Andy Dawkins team would do to get things done to make the world a better place. After being sworn-in, I introduced the bill setting up the housing program. The idea caught on and near the end of the session I had a million dollars \u201cbuttoned-up\u201d for the program.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, it had become clear that I couldn\u2019t be both a litigating attorney and a state legislator at the same time, so I gave up my role in the class action law suit (unfortunately before <\/span>I had any idea there would be such a large attorney fees award). Also meanwhile, the lobbyist for the loan industry had found a legislator to introduce a bill that, among other things, eliminated the usury ceiling for the first $1,000 of any loan (like the one my ex-client had entered into). Although I wasn\u2019t on the Commerce Committee and couldn\u2019t fight the bill in the committee process, I did go to the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives (a Democrat), and explained what a bad bill it was for the \u201clittle guys\u201d of the world. She assured me she knew that and would never let the bill come up for a floor vote.<\/p>\n Tomorrow: Killer Amendments<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is there anything we can do to get your support? In 1986 I had a client who borrowed money from a \u201cfly-by-night\u201d loan company to buy a new washer and dryer. She had lousy credit and a minimum wage … Continue reading