Attorney Representing “Mancow” Miller in James MacDonald Lawsuit Disqualified

An Illinois judge has disqualified an attorney from defending former radio personality Matthew Erich “Mancow” Muller in a defamation lawsuit brought by James MacDonald, former pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, because of a possible conflict of interest.

Cook County Judge Eve M. Reilly ruled that attorney Michael Young is ineligible to defend Muller because Young represented MacDonald and the church in a defamation lawsuit in 2018, the suburban Chicago Daily Herald reported.

Young had previously represented Muller in a 2007 case when he sued his former employer for emotional distress, per the Herald, and had recommended him to MacDonald and the church. Muller had been a Harvest parishioner and was friends with MacDonald.

MacDonald’s attorney, Philip Zisook, asked for the disqualification in the current lawsuit, contending that Young was privy to confidential information in the 2018 case that could be used in the current suit.

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Young said MacDonald was present at only one meeting with him during the earlier case and that he had had no confidential communications with him.

MacDonald was fired by Harvest in early 2019 after a recording of him making lewd comments on a hot mic aired on Muller’s show on Chicago radio station WLS. MacDonald filed a lawsuit against Muller and his employer, Cumulus Media, asking for $50,000 in damages. He said he had been unable to find a job with another church “in whole or in part” because of Muller’s program and had lost more than $2.5 million in potential compensation as a result.

Harvest Bible Chapel has about 6,000 members who worship at six campuses in the Chicago area.