Ex-Journalist Stephen Glass Barred From Practicing Law in California - Still Being Punished For Plagiarizing - While Admitted Plagiarist Fareed Zakaria Still At CNN

Stephen Glass (right) and Fareed Zakaria: Glass has had a hard time restarting his
career since he was caught plagiarizing. Plagiarizing usually ends in the death of
your career as a journalist. Yet when Zakaria was caught plagiarizing, CNN merely
gave him a short "vacation" and then invited him back to resume doing his show,
Fareed Zakaria GPS. (Left: Screen capture from video; Right: Photo by James
Willamor)

By Karen Gullo
Stephen Glass, the ex-journalist who made up quotes and cited sources that didn’t exist and was depicted in the 2003 movie “Shattered Glass,” can’t practice law in California, the state’s highest court ruled.

Glass’s dishonesty “involved significant deceit sustained unremittingly for a period of years,” the California Supreme Court said in a unanimous ruling today rejecting a 2-1 state bar court recommendation that Glass be granted a law license.

“What is at stake is not compassion for Glass,” the Supreme Court said. “Our focus is on the applicant’s moral fitness to practice law.”

RELATED STORY: Fareed Zakaria Suspended For Plagiarism - Editor, CNN Host Apologizes For 'Terrible Mistake'

Glass, 41, was in his 20s when he wrote stories containing fabrications for The New Republic and other publications. He moved to California in 2004. He passed the California bar examination in 2006 and applied for a determination of his moral character in 2007.

A committee of examiners for the state’s bar association challenged Glass’s application. The committee said Glass was a “pervasive and documented liar” and hadn’t gone far enough to repair the damage he’d done.

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