Rallying Around Habeas Counsel

by digby

The Talking Dog has conducted another interview with one of the Guantanamo lawyers. I recommend reading the whole thing, but I thought one question and answer was particularly interesting.

Lawyers are everybody’s favorite whipping boys and girls in this culture, but there are a lot of them who really do important work. I’ve written about the JAGs who stood up to the military brass. And we know many in progressive politics who work for the causes we believe in.

The civilian lawyers who defend Guantanamo prisoners are among the good guys in this story as well. And you’ll remember last year that the Bush administration made a not so subtle threat to those who agreed to do it:

The senior Pentagon official in charge of military detainees suspected of terrorism said in an interview this week that he was dismayed that lawyers at many of the nation’s top firms were representing prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and that the firms’ corporate clients should consider ending their business ties.

As it turns out that threat didn’t work one bit:

The Talking Dog: We’re a little more than a year or so after the unfortunate remarks made by former Defense Dept. official Cully Stimson. Can you tell me if the Government’s periodic ostracism of pro bono habeas counsel has effected your legal practice in any way, and how your Guantanamo representations have effected your overall legal practice? Wesley Powell: Cully Stimson, if anything, proved ultimately beneficial to habeas counsel. My firm was among those listed in the Wall Street Journal editorial and then on the radio show on which Stimson spoke. The management of my own firm went out of their way to commend me for my representations, and were very offended that this guy would try to intimidate firms into dropping these clients. There are a number of prominent Republicans in my firm and the team I work in, and they have all been very supportive and offended by this as well. So, Stimson’s remarks, if anything, caused a rallying around of the habeas counsel, at least as far as I am aware. No one has had a negative word to me; my corporate clients have been very supportive and think it is cool that I am doing this work. Other than taking time that might otherwise be spent for more business development and more billable hours, this has not effected the remainder of my practice. It’s one of those things– we all make personal sacrifices to be in this profession to begin with– taking on this kind of representation just means more of them.

it gives you a little hope, doesn’t it?

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