Seattle P-I: Gitmo win likely cost Navy lawyer his career

[Newsjock]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/276109_swift01.html

By PAUL SHUKOVSKY
P-I REPORTER

Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift -- the Navy lawyer who beat the president of the United States in a pivotal Supreme Court battle over trying alleged terrorists -- figures he'll probably have to find a new job.

Of course, it's always risky to compare your boss to King George III.

Swift made the analogy to the court, saying President Bush had overstepped his authority when he bypassed Congress and set up illegal military tribunals to try Guantanamo detainees such as Swift's alleged al-Qaida client, Salim Ahmed Hamdan.

... Despite his spectacular success, with the assistance of attorneys from the Seattle firm Perkins Coie, Swift thinks his military career is coming to an end. The 44-year-old Judge Advocate General officer, who was recently named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the country by The National Law Journal, was passed over for promotion last year as the high-profile case was making headlines around the world.

more

[ShockediSay]

1. How the Reich Wingers deal w/ those

who have a mind of their own.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

2. How sad is this?

A man standing up for the principles of the US Constitution, the weekend before the we celebrate the 230th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

What has our country become?

:cry: :scared:

[saigon68]

14. Its a Rotten Corrupt Empire Ruled by Strong Rich Men

Whose values are greed, avarice and envy.

They are motivated by wealth and the search for wealth

They will kill and murder to acquire more

[Syrinx]

3. We simply cannot allow that to happen!

:grr:

[tired of the right]

39. Bama fan

Meet another! Do you live in Alabama? If so, are you an island of liberalism unto yourself? I live in TN, but was born in Alabama. In TN, I know very few liberals. Although the state was once smart enough to support both Gore, Sr. and his son the VP.

[caligirl]

43. So the honor code has no real meaning, you see a wrong,

you try to right it, you try to do the right thing when a senior person is in the wrong and AGAIN the senior brass make you their sacrificial lamb. The upper brass should have supported this officer and instead they chewed him up and spit him out. Political senior officers screwing with the junior ones.

[Syrinx]

58. Hi!

Yep, I reside in the very heart of of the Vast Crimson Conspiracy! ;) Just a few miles from Bryant-Denny Stadium!

My closest friends are pretty much all liberals. Or at least liberal-leaning moderates.

I have some frighteningly rabid right-wingers in the extended family, but I don't really associate with them much.

Judging from personal experience, I think things may be looking up somewhat. I've taken to wearing my Bush "Worst President Ever" shirt around a lot, when I go shopping and stuff. I bet I've had about 100 positive comments, and not a single negative one. (Though, one day, in a Mexican restaurant, I thought I heard another diner mumble something about "the president" while he gave me a shifty look.)

Just tonight (last night, really, I guess) I went to Pizza Hut (yeah, I know it's not that great) a middle-aged white guy said to me as I walked in the door, "Hey where did you get that shirt, I need five or six of them." I told him about the DU store. That stuff makes me smile.

I don't know what to make of the Tide's rising team. We should have a better offensive line, especially considering Andre Smith. But our defense has taken big hits due to graduations. And I'm not sure what to make of John Parker Wilson, the incoming starting QB. And Prothro, well I'd be surprised if he ever plays again, much less in 2006. But we seem to have a pretty good crop of running backs. The SEC schedule seems pretty brutal, playing Arkansas, Florida, Tennessee, and LSU away. I guess we'll just have to see. Shula seems competent. He has improved each season. Hopefully, he'll start to show that he's inherited his dad's "greatness" gene.

Unfortunately, I missed the spring scrimmage, but I plan on clearing my afternoon schedules to attend the "fall" scrimmages at BDS.

Nice to meet you. Roll Tide and Impeach Bush! :hi:

[tired of the right]

61. I go to T-town at every opportunity

I usually manage to make it 3-4 times in the fall. Most of my relatives still live in N. Alabama. I was born in a little town called Hartselle. Never lived there much. I am glad to hear they are finally wising up to Bush down there. I think they are here too, but I lost my job of 33 years in the fall due to a plant closing and I just don't see as many folks as I did when I was working. I need a job, but the Bush economy doesn't seem to me to be all it's cracked up to be. I am anxiously awaiting regime change in our own country. Is there significance to the name Syrinx? I am as my name says simply tired of the right. Maybe we'll see each other at a game in the fall. As always,Roll Tide!!

[NorthernSun]

4. A profile in courage

[MADem]

5. JESUS H. CHRIST...they STILL haven't FIXED the selection board

process. That's DISGRACEFUL.

The only bright spot is that the guy could probably make a fortune at a private law firm, and his story would make a brutally compelling book and film.

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

6. I believe this part of the article from the Seattle P& I says it all...

"He's doing a fantastic job," said Swift's current boss at the Office of Military Commissions (tribunals), Marine Col. Dwight Sullivan.

Sullivan spoke of the crucial importance of the case decided Thursday by the Supreme Court. "It's a fundamental constitutional question about the powers of the president," Sullivan said. Asked about Swift's aggressive legal challenge of the commander in chief, Sullivan saluted Swift's "moral courage."

"He has been absolutely fearless is pursuing his client's interests. And also he has exhibited an extraordinary level of legal skill. His legal strategy has been brilliant.

"We all take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and he has certainly done that, literally."

IMHO, "nuff said"...

[formercia]

21. He would be a good replacement for Gonzalez

especially with all the background that he has on pending cases.

[Posteritatis]

27. Yeah, I gotta tip a hat to Col. Sullivan for saying that, too

There's a lot that goes unsaid in how he describes Swift there, and I can't imagine much of it pleases the administration.

I wonder if he's going to get passed over once too often, too..

[LuckyLib]

49. Col. Sullivan is now officially "toast" himself. He stood up for

the Constitution and his junior officer against The Chimp in Chief. His career has hit a brick wall.

[Up2Late]

7. You should here what this (now retired) JAG Rear Admiral Donald Guter...

...has to say, especially the last minute of the interview, when he says that he thinks the whole GTMO scandal has done the U.S. irreparable harm for the rest of his lifetime, and most likely, his kids lifetimes too:

Senior Military Lawyer Was Leery of Tribunals

Listen to this story...(at link)

All Things Considered, June 29, 2006 · In the weeks and months immediately after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a working group of top military lawyers began meeting at the Pentagon to consider how to handle captured prisoners. The lawyers knew the prisoners would present new challenges.

But the lawyers were not comfortable with a total overhaul of the established military justice system. What the military legal team didn't know is that White House lawyers were working on a plan to create a whole new system of military tribunals for "enemy combatants."

Retired Rear Admiral Donald Guter, the Judge Advocate General of the Navy at that time, was part of the Pentagon group. All along, Admiral Guter says, he had strong reservations about war crimes tribunals. And he says he's not surprised that the Supreme Court has issued a ruling saying they should not go forward.

Guter is currently the dean of the Dusquesne law school.

<http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5521926>

[zonkers]

8. It cost him his job but his integrity is intact.,

[IndianaGreen]

33. It's not a question of intergrity, he did what every ethical lawyer is

supposed to do: provide the best representation for his/her client.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

69. It's all about integrity

Yes, lawyers are supposed to do this, but that doesn't take anything away from him doing it. A lesser man would have found a way to lose.

He knew he was committing career suicide and did the right thing despite that. If this isn't integrity what the hell is it?

[pnwmom]

9. I hope that he and his wife move back to Seattle,

in the event he has to make a change. He sounds like a great person.

[Vidar]

10. Not a toady, crony or stooge--get out!

[no_hypocrisy]

11. I'm sure that he would rather have this moment in his career rather

than a series of empty "victories" with promotions, recognition, power, and influencne. He made a choice and he used his ability as a diplomat of the judiciary to obtain justice, not only for the inmates at Gitmo, but on the whole, for all of us.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

12. This guy stood in front of the world and did the right thing. Not many

people get a chance in life to do something like that.

He also stayed true to his oath to defend the Constitution of the United States against enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC.

[fasttense]

13. Wow, I'm impressed.

It's no disgrace to be passed over as a LCDR. It only means you have stepped outside of the conservative agenda. As a Navy LCDR he should get a retirement and a great job for having won an argument in front of the dancing supremes. He will join the ranks of retired Navy LCDRs who have gone on to successful civilian careers like Montel Williams.

[ms liberty]

15. He'll be on Washington Journal today at 7:45 AM n/t

[Solly Mack]

16. I admire him. He did what was right and honorable and he did it at the

expense of his career.

Are you listening, Congress? (I somehow doubt it)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

18. I can hear them now. "traitor, librul pig, raghead lover"

Forget the fact that he served his country honorably, did his duty and suffers the consequences as a result.

[UpInArms]

17. Kudos for an Honorable Man!

To Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift :yourock:

[burythehatchet]

19. I see a very bright future for him

in holding elected office.

[Demeter]

20. Or as a Supreme Nominee

In the event we ever have a President worthy of the title and the office.

[nolabels]

60. No matter what he does or where he goes..........

He already has accomplished more than most generals or admirals. He put his on the line standing up for everybody else. More than most and we all can be proud that there are some worthwhile individuals to represent

[PATRICK]

22. In every scandal

or investigation the public has been stymied by those who, thinking themselves trapped and of no consequence or that "someone else" surely will do the job, put career over duty. And those are people of good will. The other kind rise rapidly in cover-ups(Powell) and doing the king's work.

A world class hero of the law. Doing his duty.

[oneold1-4u]

23. We all take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution

This is the criteria for being a "true citizen" of the US and not just for military!
If every politician that is ever elected or appointed to any office in this nation were a "true citizen", no one person would need to stand out and lose a job!
When the people of this nation become "true citizens" and accept this one responsibility, "to protect and defend" there will never again be anyone willing to attempt what has happened in the past six years!
WAKE UP CITIZENS AND BE TRUE

[grasswire]

36. excellent post

well said!

[applegrove]

24. But every day, and in every way... his life will be so much better

for having fought the good fight and won. All boats around him will be lifted. That is how boats analogy actually works. Connectivity and decency. He has given that back to America in a pretty big way. His actions are bigger than all the economic management of Bush. He has done it. He has done it. He has done it.

He lifted a whole country.

[Jackpine Radical]

25. I suspect that leaving the military will be the best thing that could

happen to LTC Swift. The military tends to force out the best and the brightest, and said B&B tend to build civilian careers that far surpass anything they could accomplish in uniform.

[ArmchairMeme]

26. Thank you Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift you are a man of courage

A man of honor who protected the Constitution and in so doing gave us all hope for the future.

Thank you!

[Child_Of_Isis]

28. "breadth-of-experience" issue.

Snark! :eyes:

[qazplm]

31. you can snark but he's right

its an issue I myself am facing as I contemplate continuing to serve as an Army JAG or getting out.

I dont know about the Navy, but the Army forces you to diversify whether you want to or not. And once we are talking promotion to O-5 and above, if you've been a one trick pony, its going to be a lot harder to get promoted. It tends to happen to guys who spend a lot of time in criminal law because thats the one area you tend to see people concentrating in.

The guys who do claims, legal assistance, criminal law, operational law, and administrative law equally are the ones who get promoted up the ranks. The guys who specialize do in fact get passed over sometimes. Seen it with my own eyes, and these were guys who were prosecutors mostly.

[AnnieBW]

29. If I Were A Partner In Perkins Coie

I'd be offering LCDR Swift a job as soon as he gets out of the Navy. He is obviously a great lawyer with great moral courage. Sometimes those lawyer jokes just don't apply.

:patriot:

[qazplm]

30. I'm going to go against the grain here

as a military defense attorney, I know for a fact that promotions arent tied to the fact that you "stick it to the man".

It sounds to me like this guy was much like me, he liked criminal law, but hated administrative law, operational law, and all of the other non-litigation areas that the military expects you to "put time" in.

The Army I know has a bit of a philosophy that you have to prepare your whole career as though one day you will be a Staff Judge Advocate, a bit of a jack of all trades. They will not allow you to specialize and if you do it will hurt your career. I suspect the Navy is somewhat the same. I will probably get out because this is my second tour as a defense attorney, I love it, but will probably not get a chance to do a third and for Majors/LCDR's, you are more likely to become a manager than an advocate or litigator.

Even if this guy were to be promoted, he'd likely as an O-5 never ever see the inside of a courtroom again in the military.

So I dont think this is necessarily some conspiracy, its just the way the military JAG system works, they are big on being well rounded, especially as you move up in rank.

[JWS]

65. Thanks

It is nice to hear the other side of the story once in a while.

[Biernuts]

32. As a 1977 Graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, NY

AKA "THE Academy", my views of our sister services is of interest to me. It was our Electrical Engineering EE-304/Electronics take home exam (open book - individual work only, worth one daily grade) that acted as cataylst for THE Academy's largest scandal and expulsion of approximately 150 classmates (20 of 30 in my company). Under extraordinary procedures, they were allowed to reapply to subsequent classes and many have had brilliant carrers. One was elected presidentof his country, Costa Rica.

Until our scandal, defenders and prosceutors all worked for the base Staff Judge Advocate. They were in competition, not only in the courtroom, but for promotions and assignments as well. Because of the politics surrounding the scandal, Defense Counsels achieved their own Chain of Command whereby they are responsible to only the DoD Trial Defense Service. The convening authority and staff judge advocate (top lawyar to a command) have no say in any defense counsel's performance reports, promotions and assignments.

When an officer is considered for promotion, his/her entire career is being evaluated. It's not enough to be a brilliant attorney, as physical fitness, military bearing, continuing education, individual weapons qualification and the like are all captured in the date being put before the promotion board.

Bottom line - If LCDR Swift was nonselect to CDR, it is ignorant to jump in with the conspiracy theorists and claim it's because he did his job. If you believe this, than you must believe also that Hillary had Vince Foster killed because he was about to go public about her affair with Janet Reno - the likelihood is roughly the same.

[qazplm]

34. yes

I get kudos when I beat the government, if I get an acused murdere acquited, its a feather in my cap.

My Officer evaluation reports are done only by those in the defense rating chain.

The Army really does Trial Defense pretty good, maybe even better than the other services IMO.

[me b zola]

40. He had high overall marks on his e-vals

~from the article:

Swift's first supervisor at the Office of Commissions was Col. Will Gunn, who said Friday that he gave Swift two annual fitness reports and "I gave him very high ratings overall."

[qazplm]

45. I have no doubt he has

Ive gotten nothing but good evals too, but if I were to stay around another ten years, and look for promotion to LTC, if I were to continue to only do criminal law, I might be passed over at least once for promotion. I know a guy right now who had to wait until his second pass to get promoted, not because he wasnt a good attorney, but because he was almost always criminal law.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[qazplm]

48. reading comprehension does a body good

I never said anyone was acquitted, I said that I, me, myself, and...get kudos for getting acquittals, not convictions. The point being that defense attorneys get their best marks when they do well for their clients, the LCDR included.

[me b zola]

42. Oh great, a cyber ring knocker

:eyes:

So who are you calling ignorant? Posters are responding the article which contemplates if Swift was passed over for political reasons, and if this case has ended his career. Yet you are calling posters on this board CTers for discussing what the article suggests? Then, of course, the cherry on the cake is you dragging up Vince Foster, as if that had ANY relevence to the article or this discussion. :thumbsdown:

[erpowers]

59. Out of Context

I think you misunderstood or took his/her words out of context. What the military person was saying was that it is possible that LTCR Swift did not get promoted because he only did one thing in the Navy which was practice one single form of law instead of practicing all forms of law which is what the military likes their lawyers to do. Then the military person made a comparison of this case to the Vince Foster case.

[me b zola]

66. context

What the military person was saying was that it is possible that LTCR Swift did not get promoted because he only did one thing in the Navy which was practice one single form of law instead of practicing all forms of law which is what the military likes their lawyers to do.

No, what the "military person" did was give us all a review of the official military promotion process. Many of us here are quite familiar with, including all of the componants of, an eval. Goody.

Then the poster goes on to assert that to take the position that anyone who believes that LCMDR Swift's chances of promotion have been hurt by this case is,:

ignorant to jump in with the conspiracy theorists and claim it's because he did his job.

Here's some context that is actually relevent to this thread. In military promotions, like most workplace promotions, politics--meaning cronyism, go along to get along, team player--has an effect on promotion. Anyone who has been in the military and says differently is either: lying, disengenuous, or ignorant.

In the article, LCMDR Swift is asked, point blank, if he is being held back because of political considerations. Swift's reply:

"I don't know," he said. "I'm not going to worry about it. I didn't volunteer for this. I got nominated for it. When I got it, I just decided to do the best I could."

Here's the thing with LCMDR Swift's response. If he had no reason to believe that politics had anything to do with the brakes on his career, he would have stated so out right. That leaves two possibilities; he either knows or is unsure if politics have played a role.

So here's some real nitty-gritty context for you.

Given the abc's of the article and the poster's remarks, the poster may well be referring to LCMDR Swift when said poster stated,

ignorant to jump in with the conspiracy theorists and claim it's because he did his job.

If that is true, if the poster is intending to smear LCMDR Swift, then that coupled with the final statement of his post where he dredges up a very tired rw talking point , then that sheds a horrible light on that poster.

[Biernuts]

68. Perhaps you have heard of Wes Clark, another "Ring Knocker"

and Jimmy Carter, a Ring Knocker from one of the lessor institutions. Stereotyping based on our college is as odious (and as ignorant) as stereotyping based in race.

[me b zola]

73. No stereotyping

Not all graduates of military academies are ring knockers. Wes Clark, Jimmy Carter as well as LCMDR Swift are graduates that built their leadership style around their abilities and accomplishments. I seriously doubt that if I had worked under any of those men that they would have relyed on tap-tap-tapping their academy ring on the desk to remind people of their status.

Although attending and graduating from one of our fine military academies is admirable, real leadership abilities, distinction in service, and how one comports themselves is more important to those who will work under an academy graduate's command. Ring knocking is a non-verbal way in which some will communicate a sense of superiority and usually is indicitive of someone on a power trip or a weak leader.


If I have misread you, then I do apologize. I must say, though, that your reply to my post does seem to support my initial reaction. Saying that the Naval Academy at Annapolis is a "lessor institution" is not only wrong, but it seems to convey a sense of superiority.

[PA Democrat]

35. So prisoners at Guantanamo are allowed to have lawyers as long as those

lawyers DON'T advocate for their rights. Why bother with the sham of giving these prisoners lawyers if they aren't supposed to do their job?

[Pithy Cherub]

37. Swift had an impressive appearance on C-SPAN this am.

He has done a might service to the nation and this is how he is treated by those who don't believe in the Constitution at the Pentagon and White House. At the end of the session on Washington Journal, Swift had a story about meeting Hamdan's family in Yemen and how much the grandmother who had no formal education was using the female navy office attorney with him as an example to say to your girls this is what you too can accomplish if you get an education. You can go to the top. He said that value is also an American value and what we should be encouraging.

Maybe Fitz can use him, that would be the best of poetic justice!

on edit: Swift has also ensured that Rumsfeld's name will forever be part of the American record showing presidential and Pentagon malfeasance.

[Turbineguy]

38. LCDR Swift

is not the only Military Officer who took the oath to uphold the Constitution.

Bush and his buddies should consider that.

[Rex]

41. No that's a good comparison - King George III was rat shit crazy.

This guy was right on the money.

[uppityperson]

44. kick for a good example of our times. nt

[LynnTheDem]

47. Another True American Patriot & Hero.

:patriot:

[nealmhughes]

50. One pass over is not unusual. It takes the hat trick to resign or retire

After the third pass over, the handwriting is on the wall.

[pfitz59]

51. Yep...takes more than one passover; however,....

from his responses I think he's ready to move on. He won a case before the Supreme court! A pivotal case at that! There is no higher aspiration in LAWYERDOM! I'm sure he'll do very well in private practice! Shifting gears: There is one subject area not mentioned re his passover. Could it be the "Religious Litmus Test"? When I was in the service many promotions were held up due to two unofficial criteria: the "Good Old Boy" (Ring-knocker)network, and the "Speaking-in-Tongues" network. Both very powerful, and sometimes over-lapping. What many folks on the outside don't know is there are a huge number of Fundie (Apocalyptic) Xians inhabiting the military. They may have sworn an oath to "Defend the Constitution", but they did it with their fingers crossed. Their first oath was to be fundie "Xian Soldiers" and hasten the Apocalypse! To their minds LCDR Swift committed a grievous sin...he defeated and embarrassed the "Chosen One". I wonder if any of the selection board members are hard-core fundies?

[Alcibiades]

62. There are other groups in the conspiracy as well

namely the Mormons and the Masons, and they overlap with the two you mentioned.

[DallasNE]

56. It Depends On What You Mean By Passover

There is a "fast track" date and a normal date. At the lower ranks you had better be with the fast track date. Once you get to the rank of Major you can miss a fast track promotion and still be fine, at least for a while. My former brother-in-law is a retired JAG officer. He was able to fast track until Lt. Col. rank. He had to wait for a normal date to be promoted to the rank of Col. When he again missed fast track again it was a sign to start putting out his resume'. When he retired he had the option of retiring then or two years from then. He retired then because he was able to line up a civilian job. Today he prosecutes Foster Care abuse cases for the State so it has worked out well for him.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

52. From the article

Asked if he believes he was passed over for promotion last year for political reasons, Swift would not speculate.

"I don't know," he said. "I'm not going to worry about it. I didn't volunteer for this. I got nominated for it. When I got it, I just decided to do the best I could."

Those who would damn Lt. Cmdr swift are moral and mental midgets.

[ismnotwasm]

53. My deluded freep-type father

(He would hate the actual freepers, he's an old school Republican)Who still thinks bush is a good president, and has done the right thing in Iraq, tax cuts etc.. told me if this happens, if this man loses his career and job over this, he will concede that bush is a dumbshit idiot who doesn't know what he's doing. He is the one who told ME about this story.

We don't argue anymore, or "I" don't. He simply has no facts to back up his silly little "bush is great" attitude" I just tell him I'm not arguing with him because it's not fun anymore and besides it's pathetic to see him flounder with such shitty ammunition. Shuts him up quick.

We used to have fun in a way, arguing from opposite ends of the political poles. It's not fun, or funny anymore. My Dad isn't stupid, but has been blind-sided with the "Patriotic" republican crap. And almost every single political red herring out there. He's sane on a couple of issues, and makes good points occationally.

Is he starting to see the light? I hope so.

[Lisa]

54. I suppose Swift will be "Swift-boated" if he runs for public office!

Sorry -- couldn't resist the pun. But it does sound like he's just the kind of person who's needed (as an Attorney-General, state or federal) -- and of course the administration would be scared of him.

[DallasNE]

55. It Gives A New Meaning To "Merit"

Nobody should be surprised at the military decision and I don't think Swift was for a second. Swift, after all, was ordered to work out a plea bargin and he refused. But just look at what a former superior officer of Swift's had to say.

"So the question is will Swift lay down his career because of his vigorous defense of a Yemeni tribesman who was Osama bin Laden's driver in Afghanistan.

Swift's first supervisor at the Office of Commissions was Col. Will Gunn, who said Friday that he gave Swift two annual fitness reports and "I gave him very high ratings overall."

Asked whether he thought politics might have played a role in Swift being bypassed for promotion, Gunn focused on Swift's atypical career as a military lawyer. "Charlie has spent a lot of time as a litigator, a trial advocate. That's really unusual in the JAG. You find that people in the more senior ranks have moved around and proved themselves in a variety of settings."

Said another way, Swift spent too much time on this case and that prevented him from punching all of the right tickets. Merit is apparently based on how much you have "moved around". The military will have hounded a good officer out of its ranks.

[krispos42]

57. He'll retire as the oldest Lieutenant Commander ever!

Well, if he toughs it out maybe when we win the White House in '08 he can be the Attorney General.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

70. Up or out promotion system - forced retirement

That is the way the military works. If you're an officer, you're expected to get promoted regularly. If you don't make their schedule, you're out.

[krispos42]

77. LOL well I doubt Bush will 'stop-loss' him!

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

78. Thanks for the chuckles

It's good to laugh at this stuff once in a while. Otherwise, it's just too depressing.

[mb7588a]

63. Support the troops!

aaaaayup. sad.

[JWS]

64. He's gonna be making some money once he leaves the military.

[Seabiscuit]

67. Maybe he and Patrick Fitzgerald could team up and start a law firm.

I'd hire them.

[Secret Agent]

71. With a high profile "win" like this under his belt,

he was surely headed for the private sector anyway.

[Secret Agent]

72. Wrong thread

[Chomskyite]

74. Future Attorney General?

. . . under a Democratic administration?

[samsingh]

75. the American people are his boss

not filthy disgusting george the whore.

[Supersedeas]

76. when integrity is a defect -- Bush family values