The bastard defended the Constitution. Off with his head!

[madmusic]

Hamdan Lawyer Forced Out of the Navy

(Guest Post from Big Tent Democrat)

This is a disgrace:

The Navy lawyer who took the Guantánamo case of Osama bin Laden's driver to the U.S. Supreme Court -- and won -- has been passed over for promotion by the Pentagon and must soon leave the military.

Lt. Cmdr. Charles Swift, 44, said last week he received word he had been denied a promotion to full-blown commander this summer, "about two weeks after" the Supreme Court sided against the White House and with his client, a Yemeni captive at the U.S. Navy base in southeast Cuba. Under the military's "up-or-out" promotion system, Swift will retire in March or April, closing a 20-year career of military service.

This disagraceful vengeance upon a Navy lawyer committed to the ideals he swore to uphold is just as much as taint on our country as the detainee bill. Why? Because it puts into grave doubt the whole idea of military tribunals, and the independence and commitment of la(w)yers appointed to defend detainees. The Navy reward for a job well done is to be busted out of the service. An outrage.

In the opinion of Washington, D.C., attorney Eugene Fidell, president of the National Institute of Military Justice, Swift was "a no-brainer for promotion," given his devotion to the Navy, the law and his client.

But, he said, Swift is part of a long line of Navy defense lawyers "of tremendous distinction" who were not made full commander and "had their careers terminated prematurely."

"He brought real credit to the Navy," said Fidell. "It's too bad that it's unrequited love."

And the Navy brings great discredit on itself and on the United States for this.

http://talkleft.com/new_archives/015978.html

The subsequent posts over at TalkLeft are worth a read.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. IIRC, He Knew This Would Happen - And So Did Everyone Else

I believe that I remember an interview with him right after the Hamdan decision where he said that he needed to start looking for options outside the Navy, because he'd be a marked man. Several others interviewed said the same thing.

The man has done a great serice to our nation - hopefully the "Battlin' Congressional Dems" can learn something about vertebrae from him. Heck, hopefully he'll be replacing one of them in the near future.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

2. You read my mind

Congressman Swift. Gotta nice ring to it :thumbsup:

[MannyGoldstein]

3. The Swift Swift-Boating of Swift

Yes, has a good ring...

[madmusic]

4. The good news is...

Who knows? Maybe he'll got to work for the ACLU.