| Quote of the Day |
| The Part I took in Defence of Cptn. Preston and the Soldiers, procured me Anxiety, and Obloquy enough. It was, however, one of the most gallant, generous, manly and disinterested Actions of my whole Life, and one of the best Pieces of Service I ever rendered my Country. Judgment of Death against those Soldiers would have been as foul a Stain upon this Country as the Executions of the Quakers or Witches, anciently. As the Evidence was, the Verdict of the Jury was exactly right. |
| - John Adams, patriot |
Defend a client, go to jail?
Via Volokh Conspiracy, an administration official apparently has suggested that law firms representing Guantanamo detainees might want to re-consider that representation because the law firms' collective corporate clients will object to the firms representing terrorists and take their business elsewhere. This is disturbing, if the official is accurately quoted. I agree with VC contributor Jonathan Adler that it is simply wrong to attack law firms who do pro bono work on behalf of clients who may be criminals and terrorists. So far, it is still a principle of American justice that all persons, even organized terrorists from other countries who kill American citizens in cold blood on American soil are entitled to legal representation. The administration official drops dark hints as to the source of funding for the the legal representation. Accepting funds from criminal enterprises, whether the Mafia, drug cartels or international terrorists, is rightly a crime. If there is evidence of such, then charge the law firms with the appropriate crimes. Threatening lawyers with "consequences" for representing clients is against the basic principles of our country. The administration should disown the comments.
Posted by
Joseph R. McFaul
on Monday, January 15, 2007 at 00:00
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