Washington, D.C.
Law firms that represent prisoners held in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, are aiding terrorism, and their corportate clients should reconsider doing business with them, a senior Pentagon official said last week. Charles “Cully” Stimson, deputy assistant defense secretary for detainee affairs, said during a radio interview that it was “shocking” that top law firms were volunteering to represent suspected terrorists. “CEOs are going to make those law firms choose between representing terrorists or representing reputable firms,” Stimson said. Lawyers’ groups denounced Stimson’s remarks, arguing that the right to a vigorous defense is a cornerstone of the U.S. justice system. After a Pentagon spokesman said Stimson’s comments did not reflect the views of the Defense Department, he apologized, saying that both sides in any legal dispute deserve “competent legal counsel.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Google: A monopoly past its prime?Feature Google’s antitrust case ends with a slap on the wrist as courts struggle to keep up with the tech industry’s rapid changes
-
Patrick Hemingway: The Hemingway son who tended to his father’s legacyFeature He was comfortable in the shadow of his famous father, Ernest Hemingway
