DOJ Attorneys Engage in Quiet Rebellions Against Bush Policies

U.S. News and World Report posted a story on its website on August 30, 2007, that reports on how attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice are refusing to do appeals involving the detention of hundreds of people at the Guantánamo Bay naval base. This is yet one more illustration of the way career lawyers at the Justice Department are opposing Bush and his attempts to subvert Justice.

From leaking stories to the media about the reality of the Bush Justice Department to testifying truthfully to Congress, lawyers have been the source for media stories about what is happening at Justice. Since we have two lawyers in our family, we are proud of the role that lawyers have played in bringing the abuses of this administration to light.

This is not to say that all the lawyers at Justice have opposed Bush. Indeed, one of the sad things about the reign of Ashcroft and especially Gonzales has been that many of the abuses of power associated with this administration have been defended by lawyers. John Yoo comes to mind, as well as good ol' Alberto himself, but there are plenty of others.

Still when the sad history of this administration is written, one of the bright spots will be the willingness of many attorneys in the Justice Department willing to risk their careers or worse to expose this administration's war on the rule of law.