Christie heads the Republican Governors Association which aired this attack ad in South Carolina
How thoroughly disgusting is the Republican Governors' Association
new ad attacking South Carolina State Sen. and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Vincent Sheheen for having represented criminals as a defense attorney? It's so disgusting that one of RGA Chairman Chris Christie's own lawyer's—hired to to represent him in the lane closure scandal—is
condemning it:
"I did watch the ad and, wow, it's a disgrace," Robert D. Luskin, a partner at Patton Boggs, told The Huffington Post in an email. "The people who talk incessantly about American exceptionalism ought to demonstrate some understanding -- and some respect -- for what makes our system truly admirable: that includes the willingness of lawyers to stand up for their clients no matter how ugly the allegation. But a lawyer is only, ever an advocate; he's not a co conspirator or an enabler."
As our own David Nir
wrote earlier this week:
I'm never one for Marquess of Queensberry rules when it comes to campaign trail fights. Politics is messy, after all. But these kinds of ads are a direct assault on the very notion of an adversarial system of justice, one of the foundations of our democracy.
The obvious irony here is that the blanket attack on criminal lawyers is coming from a group headed by a guy who may soon need a criminal defense lawyer. If that happens, you can bet your bottom dollar he's going to change his tune on the value of defense attorneys.
Update: Former Republican AG of South Carolina concurs—the ad is a disgrace and should be removed.