[Ninong]

A Bush appointee in the Defense Department has formally apologized for his reprehensible, unamerican, Cheneyesque threats against law firms that provide pro bono legal assistance to detainees.

A McClatchy news article summed up the controversy earlier this week:

"Speaking to a morning radio talk show Thursday, Cully Stimson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs, rattled off a list of some of the most prestigious law firms in the nation.

"Each apparently has attorneys providing pro bono, or no-charge, legal representation to captives at the U.S. Navy base, where the Bush administration is holding some 395 men and teens as so-called enemy combatants.

"I think quite honestly when corporate CEOs see that those firms are representing the very terrorists that hit their bottom line in 2001," he said, "those CEOs are going to make those law firms choose between representing terrorists or representing reputable firms."

The following letter was printed on page A18 of Wednesday's Washington Post.

An Apology to Detainees' Attorneys

Wednesday, January 17, 2007; A18

During a radio interview last week, I brought up the topic of pro bono work and habeas corpus representation of detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Regrettably, my comments left the impression that I question the integrity of those engaged in the zealous defense of detainees in Guantanamo. I do not.

I believe firmly that a foundational principle of our legal system is that the system works best when both sides are represented by competent legal counsel. I support pro bono work, as I said in the interview. I was a criminal defense attorney in two of my three tours in the Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps. I zealously represented unpopular clients -- people charged with crimes that did not make them, or their attorneys, popular in the military. I believe that our justice system requires vigorous representation.

I apologize for what I said and to those lawyers and law firms who are representing clients at Guantanamo. I hope that my record of public service makes clear that those comments do not reflect my core beliefs.

CULLY STIMSON
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affairs
Defense Department
Washington

[schrocat]

Dude's toast.

[zhenya]

I apologize for what I said and to those lawyers and law firms who are representing clients at Guantanamo. I hope that my record of public service makes clear that those comments do not reflect my core beliefs.

What?

Can someone explain to me what this dude is tryong to say? I get really confused when someone says something really stupid and then says that in the core he is much better than what he may appear to be at that moment...

Now where is the logic? I think you are right, schrocat, the dude's toast!

[schrocat]

Yeah man.

When your boss gets 50 of these...the burnt bread smell is undeniable.

[Ninong]

The Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Detainee Affaris who urged companies to boycott law firms providing legal services to Guantanamo detainees has resigned.

"Stimson said he was leaving because of the controversy over a radio interview in which he said he found it shocking that lawyers at many of the nation's top law firms represent detainees held at the U.S. military prison in Cuba."


__________________________________________________ _____

“The federal government and the state government must not fear programs who [sic] change lives, but must welcome those faith-based programs for the betterment of mankind.” --George W. Bush, explaining why it is OK to ignore the Constitution, Aug. 23, 2003.

[schrocat]

Cool.

That didn't take long.