Gitmo lawyers’ firm just saved the Saudi monarchy a cool TRILLION dollars in dismissed Sept. 11 suit
I’ve been griping about the Gitmo lawyers for over a year now–I first started noticing the problem back in this post when I first guest-blogged for Michelle back in January 2007. Back then I quoted Rob Pollock’s interview with a Gitmo official we now know to be Cully Stimson*:
Guantanamo detainees don’t lack for legal representation. A list of lead counsel released this week in response to a Freedom of Information Act request reads like a who’s who of America’s most prestigious law firms: Shearman and Sterling; Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr; Covington & Burling; Hunton & Williams; Sullivan & Cromwell; Debevoise & Plimpton; Cleary Gottlieb; and Blank Rome are among the marquee names.
A senior U.S. official I spoke to speculates that this information might cause something of scandal, since so much of the pro bono work being done to tilt the playing field in favor of al Qaeda appears to be subsidized by legal fees from the Fortune 500. “Corporate CEOs seeing this should ask firms to choose between lucrative retainers and representing terrorists” who deliberately target the U.S. economy, he opined.
Some of the Gitmo Lawyers really are “pro bono” lawyers working for free (although their expenses are often paid by some very interesting sources.) Sometimes, on the other hand, they’re not pro bono at all but are working on behalf of a government like Kuwait’s, which sponsored a major PR effort on behalf of the Gitmo detainees. And that firm isn’t the only one representing shady middle eastern states.
Which brings me to my point: when your client is a Saudi Arabian prince, and you’re defending him from a trillion dollar lawsuit filed by 9-11 victims, this politicized “pro bono” crusading on behalf of the Gitmo detainees starts to look a little less altruistic and a little more like “client relations”.
WilmerHale, one of the big law firms listed above, is in exactly that position. They’ve won awards for fighting for the Gitmo detainees–but that’s not all that WilmerHale is fighting for. Today these Gitmo lawyers secured a dismissal of the trillion dollar claim against their client, Prince Mohammed al Faisal al Saud.
I’m not even saying that Wilmer Hale has done anything wrong. But when the net effect of their pro-bono representation of accused terrorists in Gitmo is to frustrate the gathering of information about terror networks and financing by the U.S. government…well, that’s not altruism. That’s legal strategy.
*Stimson lost his job over these remarks and then motions were made for him to be disbarred. My, how tolerant the left is of those who disagree.
________
{Post by See-Dubya. H/T to LGF. More on the Gitmo lawyers here, and here, and here. Also see this one and this one.}
See what others have said
Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.
Trackbacks
- Michelle Malkin » What makes Gitmo so sexy?
- The Horrors of Holiday Camp Gitmo - What Guantanamo Bay is Really Like « BUUUUURRRRNING HOT
- Michelle Malkin » Who says conservative bloggers don’t do reporting?
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Categories: Gitmo, Uncategorized
Power Line
» More From the East Anglia Archives

Doug Ross @ Journal
» ACORN pwnage part II: Breitbart's BigGovt Lowers the Boom
Big Government
» BREAKING: San Diego ACORN Document Dump Scandal
Villainous Company
» Amateur Hour in the Oval Office Continues....
Green Room
» Times Slimes Obamic Climes
Legal Insurrection
» Nation Mag Outs Secret U.S. Anti-Terror Program










And lawyers wonder why the American public view them less trustworthy as used car salesmen.
Found your core values: $$$$$$$$$$$$
“defenseless and the oppressed” works for illegals as well.
Good stuff See-Dubya
Defending the oppressed and helpless is one thing. Defending a nation that sponsors terrorism oppresses the majority of its people is entirely another.
These ‘defenders’, I dare say, are pro bono on the surface, but when the lights go out, their pockets will bulge with something more than sand. They don’t work for free.
As the song says, “Bo Didley was right….” Nuff said. I see how our prisoners were treated and I observe this. Solution? If they never survive to see Gitmo, we do not have the problem. Fine by me.
Sleazy, ambulance chasing, shysters. And no, It’s not meant to be a compliment.
I agree with:
We don’t have to bring them to Gitmo.
It would be a shame if terrorists would rather off themselves than be captured, wouldn’t it? “You’ll never take me alive, Green Beret!”
Just more Americans selling out their own country.
Good post, see_dub!
Nail….head.
This reminds me of the joke about labs using lawyers instead of rats for experiments. They’re more plentiful, you don’t get as emotionally attached, and there are just some things you can’t get a rat to do.
It’s a very simple solution that works every time: follow the money…
watch what you say, the internet lawyers here are waiting and ready to pounce.
Good Golly Miss Molly, I’m losing hope for our ‘justice’ system. And the HITS just keep on coming.
Just because you can, does not mean you should.
Just because something is ‘legal’, doesn’t make it moral.
Indeed, I agree with you. Putting moral in the same sentence as a lawyer who would defend a Gitmo terrorist does make for the most humorous of contradictions of terms. But then again that could be said of the majority of lawyers, so I digress.
Satan will have a special branding iron for the honeyed tongues of these Gitmo lawyers. Core values indeed!
Time to cut the Saudi-mi-East $$$ supply—drill for our OWN oil….
Also-time to help statesmen get into office:
Russell
West
McClintock
Manion…
If any of you know of one..add his or her name…..
When will Americans involved in the “free-the-Gitmo-detainees” movement ever realize they are being duped out of a free-pass on accountability by the Saudi royal family?! When Americans choose to be willfully naive, they are superlative!
On August 15th, 2008 at 9:39 am, Christian Soldier said:
The anti-drilling crowd, i.e., Democrats, never seems to have a response to your point, CS. They just prefer to blame President Bush for our energy dependence and oppose drilling on some idiotic environmental stance. And in the mean time, while they “fiddle” around with pointless arguments on culpability, we continue to be burned by feeding our energy dollars to our “good friends” in the Mid East. The Democrats are not serious about solving our nation’s energy problem; they only want to use it as an issue to win elections. They’re a selfish, sad lot!
Without getting terribly philosophical…there are things that are legal which are neither moral or right, things which are right that are neither legal or moral, and things that are moral that are neither legal nor right.
I dont think letting murderers and terrorists go and having them not pay for their crimes is either legal, right, or moral. Nor do i believe defending the known guilty falls into any of those catagories. But it is not for me to decide. Only comment.
Just my 2 cents.
So where does OBAMA put them on his class heirarchy scale?
Do you mean the terrorists or the lawyers? Lawyers first because they are the ruling class, next the terrorists because they are allies and potential voters.
I remember this from a movie. And its never been more true. Lawyers are like nukes. You need lawyers because the other guy has them. But once you use them, they f*ck everything up.
I blame
BooshMichelle.Other People’s Money with Danny DeVito.
And I resent that.
On August 15th, 2008 at 8:59 am, swmbo said:
Just because something is ‘legal’, doesn’t make it moral.
Ah, but you forget that according to the “zeitgeist”, morality is relative. No absolute moral authority means anything is “moral.” Not good, but that’s where we’re headed.
Is there any way we can keep lawyers out of public office? We do it with x cons.
chap,
I believe it though. The main problem is that there are far too many lawyers. And since most law makers are lawyers also, they enact laws to fortify the business of law and lawsuits. Its a stacked deck. Our country has ceased being a representative government:
1) When the congress and the senate became full time jobs.
2) When the majority of congress and the senate are lawyers when lawyers make up only 1% of the population.
3) When the tax code is more than a couple of pages.
Lawyers as law makers
Can we say conflict of interest.
Anyone have a look at the ABA Journal?
In the past year, I have noticed that they have had articles on how to assist and implement Sharia Law for Muslim clients and how to defend terrorists, i.e., “How Would You Defend Osama bin Laden?”. The appalling issue on helping Muslims with Sharia Law in this country completely glossed over the fact that under Sharia Law a woman’s testimony is worth half of that of a man’s, that a woman needs to have four male witnesses in order to prosecute a rape, and other unjust provisions.
No matter to them.
Traitorous. They are a traitorous bunch who will sell this country in a New York second all for one thing: money.
Hell, I’d trust a used car salesman to run this country anyday over a
lawyerPharisee.Thanks see-dubya. Not a hot topic but very significant to the big picture.
Robert Woll
SEDCO:
Connections aplenty.
atheling,
After you are arrested for inciting armed insurrection against the US government, are you going to defend yourself?
I’m with a few other posters here.
Capture an insurgent on the battlefield?
Just put one in em’ and be done with it. Saves time, saves money….and gives the others more to consider before they decide to trade a donkey or their young daughters for that matter….for an AK 47 to take us on. No lawyer bait at Gitmo? Then there is no problem.
150 years ago…these lawyers would be the ones who were behind the chain-link cage fences…..for treason.
Abraham Lincoln.
Sorry chap. I couldn’t resist.
Changing the subject again, Pee Wee?
Huh? This thread has a coherent topic? All I see are a bunch of random posts taking pot shots at lawyers. That’s fine but hardly a “topic”.
But in any case, I am sorry. I forgot your defense will consist of quoting selected writings of Thomas Jefferson. No need for a lawyer to do that, is there?
I’ll let it slide this time, Soap. but only for you.
Uh, yeah, it’s about lawyers and their treasonous activities, like the one I posted here.
Last I heard, the First Amendment still applies, though I’m sure you’re working feverishly to alter that.
Don’t like the heat, get out of the kitchen, Pee Wee.
Someone really needs to teach you what treason really means before you make yourself more a fool. (Hint: It does not mean voting for a democrat)
And, speaking of Sharia the best story I have heard of of someone actually trying to invoke sharia law in a US court is Blackwater. Should we string all of them up too?
Anyway, enough with you. I wouldn’t want to mistakenly show up in your no doubt growing FBI file as some kind of co-conspirator.
Lol! Like I said, you are some lawyer, Pee Wee.
when are Saudi Princes among “the defenseless and the oppressed”?
When are Saudi princes the ones in Gitmo?
Ans: When the testimony of the ones in Gitmo (the little dears) could cost the Saudi princes trillions.
Didn’t they make a movie about these guys?
With Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves?
Wait a minute.
As distasteful as it is to see Americans defending Middle Eastern States or gitmo detainees, no matter what our system of justice provides for to be fair, the results of this lawsuit case have nothing to do with the lawyers involved.
It seems to me it was a pretty straight forward legal ruling on a point of our laws. If we are going to point fingers we need to point them at this administration who solely had the power to allow or prevent this suit from going forward. Shame on them. What kind of commitment to defeating the sources of terrorism is this?
IMO most of those in Gitmo shouldn’t ever been taken there – just questioned “in the field” then a couple 9mms to the back of the head.
And C. Stimson was out of line as a high-ranking DoD official to make his remark while collection a Gov’t paycheck.
Who I’d RATHER see in Gitmo – the likes of MS13 gang leaders and narco-lords; I see these as a more clear and present danger to ourselves.
I believe some of the drug lords might have a notion of acquiring a nuke.
+1