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Sunday, September 09, 2007

Shocker: Fred Thompson Provided Colleague Who Was Defending Terrorists With Advice

Back when Fred Thompson was a lawyer he had a colleague who was working on the defense team of two Libyan intelligence agents charged with bombing Pan Am Flight 103.  During the course of that case, Thompson provided his colleague with some advice vis-a-vis his case and billed 3.3 hours for it, something that was perfectly legal and entirely within the scope of practice of an attorney like Thompson.

Now that small bit of work Thompson did on behalf of those Libyan intelligence agents has been leaked (conveniently by the Clinton-affiliated Arent Fox law firm that Thompson’s colleague worked for) and this (from the New York Times) is how the media is covering it:

image

Wonderful.  A headline giving one the idea that Thompson was in on the terror plot with his colleague’s clients.  Of course, you’ll notice in that article that the law firm who actually defended the Libyans (which again has links to the Clintons) doesn’t get any scorn.  Just Thompson.

Which is frustrating.  As someone who has, at times in his career, worked on defense teams on behalf of murderers, rapists, arsonists and other generally bad people, I can tell you that I’m more than a little bewildered at why Thompson is getting any static about this.  Especially from the liberal media, which routinely champions the ACLU for defending child molesters.

Thompson provided a minimal amount of help to an attorney representing two defendants.  That’s it.  In America, we believe that even the most heinous of criminals are entitled to an ardent and vigorous defense.  It seems Thompson feels the same way, and I’m not sure why he should be criticized for it.

What’s more, Thompson’s record in the Senate proves that he’s hardly a lackey for Libyan interests.  He supported the “Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996.” He also supported the Act’s extension in 2001.  He supported a Senate resolution in 2000 which stated that “the travel ban and all other U.S. restrictions on Libya should not be eased until all cases of American victims of Libyan terrorism have been resolved and the Government of Libya has cooperated fully in bringing the perpetrators to justice.”

There’s more too, but I’m not inclined to dig it all up, so let’s leave it at this: This article is a rather shoddy and ham-handed swipe at Thompson motivated (given the likely source of this info) by the Clinton political machine.  Which actually should be something of a compliment to Thompson, given that the Clintons clearly know who the GOP nominee is going to be.

Comments

Typical. This is the same crew who blasts the Bush Administration about Gitmo, splashes every leaked national security issue they can get their hands on all over the front page, and misses no opportunity to side with the enemy.

You’d think they’d want to give him a medal.


Election ‘08 - We Are So Screwed

Pilgrim on September 9, 2007 at 12:54 pm

Nd. Senator Gaylord Conrad grew up in Libya. What connection does he have with the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103? Inquiring minds demand to know!

Kevin on September 9, 2007 at 01:30 pm
Avatar for Bill Mitchell

Let me bottom-line this for any Fred supporters.

Anyone who says that Obama does not have the experience to be President, but then says they are going to vote for Thompson is a complete hypocrite.

Thompson has never been great at anything:
1. He was an average lawyer.
2. He was an average lobbyist.
3. He was an average senator.
4. He was an average actor.

...and yet he will be a great President?

Thompson and Obama are two side of the same coin, only one liberal and one conservative.

Both speak well, neither has the requisite experience.

Bill Mitchell on September 9, 2007 at 01:55 pm

Thompson was a US attorney and chief counsel at the Watergate hearings.

What were you saying again about him being an ‘average’ attorney?

Ken McCracken on September 9, 2007 at 02:11 pm

Way to stick to the subject Bill Mitchell.

likwidshoe on September 9, 2007 at 02:11 pm
Rob
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Isn’t Bill Mitchell the Huckabee troll?  Or is his guy Romney?


When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

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Rob on September 9, 2007 at 02:15 pm

Isn’t Bill Mitchell the Huckabee troll?  Or is his guy Romney?

The guy prefers the socialism offered by Romney.

That helps to explain his out of left field comment.

likwidshoe on September 9, 2007 at 02:26 pm

Actually, the only presidential candidates with any sort of direct executive experience are Bill Richardson for the Democrats (a former governor), and Rudy Giuliani ( mayor of NYC), Mike Huckabee (Arkansas governor), and Mitt Romney (Massachusetts governor) on the GOP side.

Hillary, of course, has no more executive experience than Obama or Edwards, or Dodd, or Biden, or Kucinich…


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on September 9, 2007 at 02:30 pm

Kucinich was a mayor! So make that next to no executive experience!



A troll is someone who only wants to stir up trouble, not have an honest debate.  Some signs that a poster is a troll:
* Dodges questions from other posters * Refuses to give sources
* When one of its arguments is shown to be false, either ignores the proof or moves the goalposts.  Heh. (From the LGF faq)

Proof on September 9, 2007 at 02:36 pm

Thompson’s modest assistance to his colleague in the case of the Libyan bombers of Pan Am flight 103 gives him the edge over Obama in the anti-terrorism field as well as foreign policy.


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on September 9, 2007 at 02:37 pm

Proof,

The fact that the river caught on fire during Kucinich’s tenure as mayor should pretty well disqualify whatever modest executive experience he may have garnered.


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on September 9, 2007 at 02:45 pm

The fact that the river caught on fire during Kucinich’s tenure

Never said he was a good executive!



A troll is someone who only wants to stir up trouble, not have an honest debate.  Some signs that a poster is a troll:
* Dodges questions from other posters * Refuses to give sources
* When one of its arguments is shown to be false, either ignores the proof or moves the goalposts.  Heh. (From the LGF faq)

Proof on September 9, 2007 at 03:14 pm

I think it does show the war rooms are worried about Fred…

WHY if he’s so incompetent? smile

golfmann on September 9, 2007 at 05:26 pm

When a river catches on fire, what do you use to put the fire out?

Everyone is entitled to a legal defense. When an attorney takes a case or assists on a case, it’s not a moral judgement. Defending NAZI war criminals does not mean that you agree with what they did. A good attorney will provide the best defense they can for a case that they don’t personally agree with.

Fred Thompson seems to be the only one running who’s got a head on his shoulders.

ews48 on September 9, 2007 at 08:15 pm

Actually, to be fair, once Kucinich moved on up the political food chain (ah, yes… The Peter Principle) the people of Cleveland cleaned up both their city and their river.


“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Bat One on September 9, 2007 at 09:40 pm
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