Right Wing Employs McCarthyite Tactics To Smear DoJ Lawyers

[G_j]

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/02/right-wing-smear-doj-nine/


Right Wing Employs McCarthyite Tactics To Smear DoJ Lawyers As Terrorist ‘Abettors’ And ‘Coddlers’

For the past several months, much to the delight of the right wing, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has been leading an aggressive effort to impugn the motives of Obama appointees in the Department of Justice, whom he alleges are embroiled in a “conflict of interest” because they at one point advocated that Guantanamo detainees be tried according to the rule of law. Grassley has been on a vengeful witch-hunt to identify the names of DoJ lawyers who have “either represented Guantanamo detainees or worked for groups who advocated for them,” with the likely intention of purging them.

Last month, the Justice Department acknowledged to Grassley that at least nine appointees in the agency had previously advocated for the rule of law with respect to detainee treatment in Guantanamo, but Attorney General Eric Holder refused to disclose the names of these lawyers. Grassley dismissed the DoJ response as “bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo” and demanded to know the identities of those appointees.

Employing “McCarthyite tactics,” the crack investigative squad at the Washington Times has undertaken the task of identifying each of the lawyers. Liz Cheney’s neoconservative outfit Keep America Safe has released an ad today ominously warning of the anonymous “al Qaeda seven” in the Justice Department:


In a coordinated assault, a plethora of other right wing voices are issuing similarly irresponsible charges:

– The American Spectator escalates the number of potential terrorist “abettors” in the Department of Justice from 9 to “as many as 13 to 16.”

– David Davenport, a researcher at the conservative Hoover Institution, wrote in an editorial for the San Francisco Chronicle, “The Department of Justice is supposed to be prosecuting terrorists, not coddling them.”

– The Investor’s Business Daily headlines its editorial: “DOJ: Department of Jihad?” “Just whose side are they on?” IBD asks.

– “It’s like they’re bringing al Qaeda lawyers inside the Department of Justice,” said Debra Burlingame, who lost her brother on 9/11 and a board member of Liz Cheney’s group Keep America Safe.

..more..

[gratuitous]

1. Why do Grassley and his supporters hate America?

Or rather, don't they trust our Constitution to function effectively in bringing wrong-doers to justice? Do they have an alternative criminal justice scheme that protects the rights of the accused while trying to ascertain the truth? Because hysterical emotionalism has been shown time and again to be a very poor instrument for achieving the ends of justice.

[Enthusiast]

8. Grassley is right about one thing,

our system of justice has been compromised, they compromised it.

[gratuitous]

10. True enough

For some reason, liberal activist judges take a very jaundiced view of any evidence or confessions obtained through torture, unauthorized wiretaps, violation of attorney-client confidentiality, or other extra-legal methods. Oh well, the Fourth Amendment has only been around for a couple hundred years, so it's understandable that Grassley and his ilk aren't familiar with it.

[zbdent]

2. it really is too bad that the "liberal media" sure as hell did no

investigative journalism when it came to Bush or his nominations ...

[jaxx]

3. Liz Cheney? Are daddy's moles going to out the lawyers?

It isn't just the DOJ, any nominees are being witch hunted. These people are out for blood.

[tom_paine]

4. Well, if there's one thing the Corporate M$M/RW Lie Machine Fusion do well

it is to amplify McCarthyite tactics by laundering the lie into the National Consciousness by 24/7 repetition.

(and then briefly whispering the retraction months or even years later, when the truth comes out)

[G_j]

6. that is quite accurate

sadly

[seattle_blue]

5. What bothers me

These teabaggers and their fellow travelers claim to be so bound to the founding fathers. I'm sure, had they lived back in the day they so yearn for, they would of had a fit at John Adams defending the British Soldiers that were charged with the killings at the Boston Massacre. Their shtick is getting pretty stale, pretty fast.

[G_j]

7. they would have taken sides w/ the King

there is no doubt in my mind whatsoever!

[tom_paine]

11. Yep. RW Authoritarian Followers are RW Authoritarian Followers

hell, if King George III had the RW Lie Machine/Corporate M$M Fusion at his disposal, we would still be speaking with British Accents.

[Supersedeas]

9. when advocated for the 'rule of law' because a partisan issue -- Death Panel Grassley is a true

'Merikkkan.

[DBoon]

12. I'll tell you who is the "terrorist abettor"

It's the folks who advocate eliminating rule of law and centuries of English Common Law justice, to replace it with a police state where enemies of the government disappear to be tortured and murdered.

[G_j]

13. I know it's silly to mention this, but all the recs have disappeared

Liz Cheney, are you there?

[mmonk]

14. Why? Holder's DOJ isn't holding Republican war criminals

accountable for anything. He is their protector from justice. In the long run, it's probably why I won't remain in the party. I have a conscience and it hasn't gone anywhere for political expediency. Flame away but at some point, someone has to have limits.

[G_j]

15. I agree

and had the same questions

[JHB]

16. The Washington Times has a "crack investigative team"?

"on", I presume.

[Enthusiast]

17. Without "their" media

they would have no power.