President Obama's statement on Senate's failure to confirm Debo Adegbile

[ProSense]

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2014

Statement from the President on the Senate’s Failure to Confirm Debo Adegbile

The Senate’s failure to confirm Debo Adegbile to lead the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice is a travesty based on wildly unfair character attacks against a good and qualified public servant. Mr. Adegbile’s qualifications are impeccable. He represents the best of the legal profession, with wide-ranging experience, and the deep respect of those with whom he has worked. His unwavering dedication to protecting every American’s civil and Constitutional rights under the law – including voting rights – could not be more important right now. And Mr. Adegbile’s personal story – rising from adversity to become someone who President Bush’s Solicitor General referred to as one of the nation’s most capable litigators – is a story that proves what America has been and can be for people who work hard and play by the rules. As a lawyer, Mr. Adgebile has played by the rules. And now, Washington politics have used the rules against him. The fact that his nomination was defeated solely based on his legal representation of a defendant runs contrary to a fundamental principle of our system of justice – and those who voted against his nomination denied the American people an outstanding public servant.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/03/05/1282374/-President-Obama-s-statement-on-Senate-s-failure-to-confirm-Debo-Adegbile

[malthaussen]

1. Strong stuff, "travesty."

But doesn't the refusal of the Senate to confirm rather disprove the American Dream part of the statement?

-- Mal

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. List of democrats that suck

Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Donnelly of Indiana, John Walsh of Montana and Chris Coons of Delaware voted to block the nomination.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/03/senate-blocks-debo-adegbile-justice-department-104297.html#ixzz2v85amV89

[michello]

3. Why did i just know

That Joe Manchin name would be among that list?

[1StrongBlackMan]

4. Because ...

Debo Adegbile is Black and an advocate for Civil Rights?

[FarCenter]

7. Mumia Abu-Jamal

Some Senators, Democrats and Republicans included, have objected to Adegbile's role representing Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of killing a police officer in 1981 and sentenced to death, although the death sentence later was thrown out because of problems with jury instructions. Adegbile and other lawyers filed an amicus curiae brief with the United States Supreme Court in 2009, arguing that the conviction was invalid because of racial discrimination in jury selection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debo_P._Adegbile

[ProSense]

9. Let's see how they voted on John Brennan

Yeas:

Casey (D-PA)
Coons (D-DE)
Donnelly (D-IN)
Heitkamp (D-ND)
Manchin (D-WV)
Pryor (D-AR)

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=1&vote=00032

Walsh (D-MT) wasn't in the Senate yet

[Laelth]

5. Interesting. Strong words, indeed.

Thanks for the post, Pro.

-Laelth

[PCIntern]

6. The Philly cops are ecstatic...

what can I say?

[JDPriestly]

10. Why do lawyers represent disgusting criminals?

Because it is their job.

Lawyers even represent drug addicts and people who abuse their family members and alcoholics and thieves and murderers and, yes, traitors. Why? Because that is their job.

The Constitution attempts to guarantee a fair trial and the right to the representation of counsel for defendants accused of serious crimes.

John Adams set the example for all American attorneys when he represented soldiers who shot American heroes in Boston.

As noted in the 2008 HBO mini-series chronicling the life and career of John Adams (1735-1826), as a young lawyer the future president served as counsel for the defense in the trial of eight British soldiers accused of murder during a riot in Boston on March 5, 1770. William Wemms, James Hartegan, William McCauley, Hugh White, Matthew Killroy, William Warren, John Carrol, and Hugh Montgomery, soldiers in the English 29th regiment of foot, were accused of murdering Crispus Attucks, Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell, and Patrick Carr. The case was heard at the Superior Court of Judicature, Court of Assize, and General Goal Delivery, on November 27, 1770, by adjournment, before justices Benjamin Lynde, John Cushing, Peter Oliver, and Edmund Troweridge. The Law Library of Congress has copies of reports and transcripts of the court proceedings published in 1770, 1807, and 1824, as well as a history of the Boston Massacre “consisting of the narrative of the town, the trial of the soldiers, and a historical introduction, containing unpublished documents of John Adams, and explanatory notes,” published one hundred years later in 1870. Adams’s impassioned speech in defense of the soldiers resulted in their acquittal: it was reprinted in a “character sketch” by John Willard published in 1903. Details about the publications follow. Where possible, full texts of the documents are provided as PDF documents and the images can be clicked to enlarge.

http://www.loc.gov/law/help/rare-books/john_adams.php

The promise in our Constitution of the right to counsel by a criminal defendant would be hollow and meaningless if lawyers did not step up and accept the sometimes distasteful but always noble task of representing the guilty as well as the innocent when accused of a crime.

Lawyers are required to be honest in their representation of a client, but all people accused of a crime in the US have the right to be represented by a lawyer.

It is unamerican of the senators to have voted against an appointee because of his representation of an unpopular defendant. That's what is really disgusting here.

[spanone]

11. exactly.

[Jim Lane]

12. John Roberts represented a guy who killed EIGHT people

The gist of the story:

Three months ago, John Errol Ferguson was executed for one of the worst mass murders in Florida’s history. After tricking his way into a woman’s home, he eventually bound, blindfolded and shot eight people. Six of them died. While under indictment for those crimes, Ferguson murdered two teenagers on their way to church.

Ferguson might have been executed earlier, but his attorneys, one of whom was later rewarded with a position of unparalleled influence in the U.S. government, argued Ferguson was mentally ill and dragged out the process for years.

What kind of person would defend a butcher with the blood of eight people on his hands? (from "A past client is used against an Obama nominee")

The answer, of course, is John Roberts.

Many of those Senate Republicans who voted No on an Obama appointee had no trouble voting Yes under similar circumstances when it was a Bush appointee.

IOKIYAR, yet again.

[Cha]

13. Kick!