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Pentagon Official's Anti-American Charges Hit Cheney Aide's Law Firm
So, a senior Pentagon official is calling for a boycott of all law firms who aid Guantanamo prisoners. The call has been repeated by conservative talk show hosts.
Funny thing: among the practices working for accused terrorists is New York firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. The lead lawyer for former Cheney aide Lewis "Scooter" Libby's defense team is a Paul Weiss man. Who knew? (Probably not Charles D. Stimson, the Pentagon official whose comments have now been officially disavowed by the Defense Department.)
Paul Weiss' lawyers weren't just on the sidelines of the Guantanamo issue; they achieved some notable victories in changing conditions at the prison, and have even traveled to the Middle East to meet with the detainees' families.
As it happens, Libby's case heads to trial on Monday. Who, pray tell, will be the Pentagon official to demand Libby give up his lead defender -- immediately? Who will be the first radio talk show host to denounce Cheney's former chief of staff as an aider and abettor of terrorism?
Quote: Who will be the first radio talk show host to denounce Cheney's former chief of staff as an aider and abettor of terrorism?
Ha, ha, ha! You're funny, Justin! A rightwing blowhard criticizing Libby, former member of Cheney's inner circle? Good one.
January 13, 2007 11:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
So they defend traitors, too?
January 14, 2007 6:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, defenders of terrorists and traitors. Nice.
January 14, 2007 10:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
The lesson to be learned here is that every individual accused of wrongdoing, whether a well-connected political player or a powerless Gitmo detainee, deserves competent legal representation. Being a lawyer is not about just representing "good guys," however one might want to characterize that. In this country, at least theoretically, we're all innocent until proven guilty. That goes for Gitmo detainees. That goes for Scooter Libby. The fact that Paul, Weiss is defending both proves the point. Stimson, as a lawyer, should not have been in need of having the point proven to him.
January 14, 2007 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Even Republicans who are for it admit that the "tried and failed" plan of surging with only 20,000 troops represents a desperate attempt that is likely to fail. It's obviously a just plain terrible plan. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16583889/ Bush knows this. He is hiding his real plan, which is really scary given how bad he has been as our Commander in Chief these days.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/1/14/144743/617
January 14, 2007 3:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nice to know that "innocent until proven guilty" is no longer a valid statement in the U.S. After all, since none of the 'terrorists' in Guantanamo have been convicted of anything, they must still be considered innocent. Therefore, absent any convictions, the lawyers are defending innocent people...
Boy, I hope that official runs into problems with the law someday... I wonder what lawyer would be willing to represent him...
January 14, 2007 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I do believe Mr Stimson has broken the extortion laws. He has "threatened" the law firms representing clients in judicial proceedings in order to influence the outcomes of those proceedings. This should lead to his arrest and disbarment, no officer of the court is allowed to make threats of this nature.
January 14, 2007 7:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
There are many instances of this administration wiping its collective arse with the Constitution. This is probably just one more. Several months there was a list of about 100 of America's biggest companies, who had all decided they didn't want their products advertised on Air America.
Well, what if people in the administration and Congress had approached, oh, say, their lobbyists on K Street and suggested one way to strangle that voice of dissent? It would be a little thing the lobbyists could do for the administration and it wouldn't have cost them as much as, say, a political contribution.
Maybe Congress ought to ask how it came to be that all those companies have decided not to do business with an outfit that the Bushies are uncomfortable with.
January 14, 2007 10:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Top Dems and other leaders should call for Charles D. Stimson to be fired immediately and then disbarment proceedings should be brought against him, since his statements reflect a complete lack of understanding of legal ethics and our legal system.
I also have serious doubts that corporate leaders are in his corner these days as he seems to believe by requesting that CEOs take their business to other firms. Given the number of top firms that are representing Gitmo detainees, especially in NYC/DC, CEOs don't have much choice if they want to work with the best firms anyway.
January 16, 2007 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hi
Nice work from your side... have a nice time with yoru blog :)
Bye
January 10, 2008 7:12 AM | Reply | Permalink