September 3, 2007, Courage under liar
The courage refers to a group of Justice Department attorneys in the Civil Division's appellate section who have refused to abide by the government's legally and morally indefensible positions vis a vis its litigation against Guantanamo detainees. The liar, of course, which rhymes with fire (instead we got a resignation), refers to their soon to be former boss Alberto the G., who joins John Ashcroft, John Mitchell and possibly Mitchell Palmer (we really should never forget just how horrible Woodrow Wilson and many in his Administration actually were in their day) in the first ranks of "America's worst attorneys general ever." (Sentimental reasons, and because I don't actually that believe he belongs in that peculiar top rank, preclude me from adding Ed Meese--the Attorney General and hence my ultimate boss during my own foray with the Department-- to that group.)
What can I say? One would think that Monica Goodling was around long enough to be sure that there were enough Justice Department attorneys devoid of integrity to continue answering the call of the Emperor... but why have so many simply taken on the mantle of refusenik? My guess is that these are kind of visible, yet thankless jobs that are long on boring writing and research and short on dramatic deal or policy-making, and it was felt that the Christian-soldier-bots that Monica and Alberto were packing the place with would be better placed elsewhere... that, and arguably there were enough of the refuseniks that it might be politically embarrassing to sack their asses, but that seems far less likely than the first explanation.
Unclear what will happen next. Solicitor General Paul Clement, who has had no personal drothers whatsoever about arguing the most outrageously unConstitutional and unAmerican positions in support of the Emperor's detention policy, is now designated as the "Acting Attorney General of the United States". Given that the President has not filled 24 of 93 United States Attorney positions, it does not seem that inconceivable that he will not simply be content to send up crazed wing-nut extremist after crazed wing-nut extremist, forcing Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy to do what Harry Reid lacks the courage to do in any other context, i.e. tell Bush to go Cheney himself, by refusing to allow the maniacs out of, or possibly even into, committee. This would end up resulting in the office remaining vacant, possibly for the remaining 505 days of the President's term. Or he could wait for a chance to make a wing-nut recess appointment.
Then again, since, as Digby tells us here, the President's supporters, who now include pretty much all of our major media outlets, view him as a cross between Abraham Lincoln and Jesus Christ (and I would throw in William McKinley, Karl Rove's favorite president), or they are at least willing to report that he is a cross between Lincoln and Jesus, which is tantamount to their buying it themselves... we should get out of the President's way! Let's face it: any decision the President makes is ex cathedra anyway, and we should support it on that basis alone.
You really do have to admire the courage of the Gitmo-refuseniks under these circumstances... I mean... who could say no to Jesus McLincoln (just because he is ordering them to take positions inconsistent with American constitutional principles)? What is that "man's law" stuff, compared to the Holy Will of Jesus McLincoln? These people aren't just risking their jobs... they appear to be risking their eternal salvations.