Fred Thompson advised the lawyer for the Libyans accused of the terrorist bombing of Pan Am 103, reports Jo Becker for the New York Times:
The colleague, John Culver, a partner at the Washington firm of Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn (UPDATE: and also former Democratic Senator from Iowa and father of the incumbent Governor, as noted by The Exposer in the comment section - the error on state ID was mine, sorry!) began advising the two suspects' Libyan lawyer in February 1992. Mr. Thompson, according to a memorandum from that era written by his secretary, held "discussions with Culver re: Libya" that same month.At the time, Libya was facing international outrage for refusing to comply with a United Nations demand that the two suspects be extradited to the West for trial in the 1988 bombing, which killed 270 people. Revelations that American firms were representing Libyan interests provoked a furor among the Pan Am victims' families. Some law firms refused to represent the country or the suspects, while others withdrew.
The involvement of Mr. Thompson, who worked part-time for Arent Fox as a lawyer and lobbyist from 1991 until shortly before his election to the Senate in 1994, never became public.
Read the full article at the link above. My own sense is that lawyers represent and/or advise all sorts of clients, and do not necessarily condone those clients' actions by their legal advocacy. Thompson's involvement appears to have been minimal - just over 3 hours billed, which is about what most Washington attorneys bill for lunch - and to have involved only jurisdictional issues.
Still, having had advised terrorists who killed Americans in any capacity could become a political liability, in the primary campaign or, if he wins the nomination, in a general election.
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Filed under:
2008 Presidential Race, General politics, Legal action, Republican, Thompson
Tags: presidential campaign, Republicans, terrorism, Thompson
Comments (11)
Well, this isn't devastatin... (Below threshold)1. Posted by John in CA | September 9, 2007 6:45 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Well, this isn't devastating, but it's not good, if for no other reason than it's an allegation he'll have to stave off.
Reading the article, sounds like he talked to a lawyer who was talking to some other lawyers who were representing the Libyans. That's like three degrees of separation.
And if it's the general election against Hillary, just dig up those accounts of her defending the, who were they, Black Panthers. She had no three degrees of separation there.
Of course, what Hillary did is laudable in the lefty community. Heck, what Fred did would be laudable in the lefty community. It would have been better if he personally represented the terrorists. 'Cuz, you know, terrorists have rights too.
It's just that in the GOP, even with the three degrees of separation, it won't be looked upon favorably.
1. Posted by John in CA | September 9, 2007 6:45 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 06:45
2. Posted by kim | September 9, 2007 8:37 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Slightly off topic, here, what else is new, but I'd not be surprised to see Libya's caving in about their nuclear program after the fall of Saddam become a prominent part of the Republican candidate's spiel. Libya is now co-operating with us. Just how Libya will play next year as a campaign theme is as unknown as Libya's nuclear program, to the press and the public. Maybe not too much longer.
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2. Posted by kim | September 9, 2007 8:37 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 08:37
3. Posted by bill-tb | September 9, 2007 11:37 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
I assume this was before they were convicted of anything.
3. Posted by bill-tb | September 9, 2007 11:37 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 11:37
4. Posted by kim | September 9, 2007 1:09 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
It is amusing to note two things. Someone is spending big money researching Fred's past. They are coming up with bupkis.
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4. Posted by kim | September 9, 2007 1:09 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 13:09
5. Posted by bryanD | September 9, 2007 2:40 PM | Score: -3 (5 votes cast)
Ha! Another 3 hours given to Fred to help him pay his credit card bills and it bites him in his ass.
"...just over 3 hours billed, which is about what most Washington attorneys bill for lunch...ja"
Exactly. It probably was lunch, two drinks, and windshield time.
This guy is a shuffling joke led by the nose.
5. Posted by bryanD | September 9, 2007 2:40 PM |
Score: -3 (5 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 14:40
6. Posted by The Exposer | September 9, 2007 5:41 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
The terrorists lawyer was none other than John Culver, the former ultraliberal Democrat Senator from Iowa and father of the current Governor, Chet Culver. This hit piece on Fred ought to be a real embarrassment to the Democrats, since it was one of their shining stars representing the terrorists... not Fred.
6. Posted by The Exposer | September 9, 2007 5:41 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 17:41
7. Posted by Scrapiron | September 9, 2007 6:50 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Lets see if I understand this. Any lawyer that represents a murderer is as bad as the murderer. Most of congress will have to be shot.
7. Posted by Scrapiron | September 9, 2007 6:50 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 18:50
8. Posted by John in CA | September 9, 2007 7:36 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
scrappy, That's sort of how I look at it. It's not like he made his career defending terrorists or murderers or drug dealers.
Or, a career, a name and a fortune suing doctors using junk science and Miss Cleo antics.
8. Posted by John in CA | September 9, 2007 7:36 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 9, 2007 19:36
9. Posted by Jim Addison | September 10, 2007 12:37 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
The Exposer ~ Thanks! I knew the name was familiar, but did not make the connection.
Given this, I suspect the fMSM will allow the story to die a quiet death.
9. Posted by Jim Addison | September 10, 2007 12:37 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2007 00:37
10. Posted by The Exposer | September 10, 2007 7:28 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Mr. Addison, you made an error with the state in the addition. Culver is from Iowa, not Tennessee.
10. Posted by The Exposer | September 10, 2007 7:28 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2007 19:28
11. Posted by Jim Addison | September 10, 2007 8:14 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Yikes! I don't know where THAT came from . . . but it's now corrected. Thanks.
11. Posted by Jim Addison | September 10, 2007 8:14 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on September 10, 2007 20:14