But if anyone's confused about whether a bill now before the State Senate that guts the State Bar would be a good idea, just look at who loves the bill: lawyers who have been stripped of their bar licenses.

House Bill 2221 already has passed the state House of Representatives and is worrying the State Bar enough to oppose it actively.

Rick DeBruhl, State Bar spokesman, alerted New Times about the bill after reading our Thursday article about a failed lawsuit filed by Lisa Aubuchon and Rachel Alexander, two former acolytes of disgraced former Maricopa County Andrew Thomas who lost their law licenses.

Last year, Aubuchon and Alexander testified in support of a bill that essentially would have eliminated the State Bar, making it a voluntary association of lawyers with no regulatory function or mandatory fee. Because of their involvement — and, presumably, the support of Thomas — opponents dubbed it the "Andrew Thomas Revenge Bill."

This year, the two have sat in on legislative hearings for the latest version of the Revenge Bill.

Their support of the legislation alone should raise legitimate concern about its worth.