We've known for some time now that Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) had no intention of engaging in the hard work of moving this country forward. Instead, Wolf has been content to simply take cheap shots from the sidelines. So I guess that it comes as no surprise that with all the free time that comes with not doing your job, Frank has decided to sink to a new low by joining Liz Cheney and dragging the good names and reputations of 9 Justice Department lawyers through the mud. It comes as no surprise to those of us who have been closely watching Mr. Wolf and his criticisms of President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder. The attack by Cheney and Wolf on these lawyers - and, more broadly, on our nation’s legal system and rule of law – was over the line and unacceptable, modern-day McCarthyism at its worst.
Yes, it’s horrifying to think that anyone would defend an outright assault on our legal system; but that’s exactly what Frank Wolf has done here. As the Wall Street Journal reported several days ago, Frank Wolf sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder saying, "the decision to allow attorneys who advocated for terrorists held at Guantanamo to craft detainee policy during the war on terror would be akin to allowing attorneys for the Mafia to draft organized crime policy during the 1960s.”
First, a bit of background on how bad is this situation really is. This morning, Eugene Robinson wrote in the Washington Post:
The word "McCarthyism" is overused, but in this case it's mild. Liz Cheney, the former vice president's ambitious daughter, has in her hand a list of Justice Department lawyers whose "values" she has the gall to question. She ought to spend the time examining her own principles, if she can find them.
Also, this past Friday, the Wall Street Journal published a story entitled, "Did ‘Department of Jihad’ Language Go Too Far?" The gist of it is that “a group called Keep America Safe, which is affiliated with Dick Cheney’s daughter, Elizabeth (pictured) and pundit William Kristol…released a video featuring the headline 'DOJ: Department of Jihad?' and asked, 'Who are these government officials?…Whose values do they share?'" If you haven’t seen it here’s the video:
Nasty, wouldn’t you say? Or worse? The Wall Street Journal article quotes GW professor Orin Kerr calling it something “former Senator Joseph McCarthy would have used...if he were alive today.” Former solicitor general Walter Dellinger added, "The only word that can do justice to the personal attacks on these fine lawyers — and on the integrity of our legal system — is shameful." Heck, even "former Bush White House lawyer Reginald Brown called the video ‘beyond offensive.’"
In short, this is some really, really bad stuff right here. So who would defend this McCarthyist attack on our legal system? You’d think only the most extreme of right-wing extremists, right? But certainly not a fine, upstanding, self-proclaimed “moderate” Republican like my opponent, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10)! Except…hold on here, what does that Wall Street Journal article say again?
Nonetheless, some members of Congress are still voicing suspicions. According to the WaPo, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA.) sent a letter to AG Holder earlier this week saying "the decision to allow attorneys who advocated for terrorists held at Guantanamo to craft detainee policy during the war on terror would be akin to allowing attorneys for the Mafia to draft organized crime policy during the 1960s."
That’s right, Frank Wolf is siding with the most extreme, McCarthyist elements in his party, people like Liz Cheney, and is defending their outrageous claims in an official letter sent to the Department of Justice. This is the guy I’m running against in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District. Wolf’s behavior is inexcusable, which is why we need to send a message to him loud and clear. If you find Wolf’s assault on our legal system and defense of Liz Cheney’s McCarthyist tactics as deplorable as I do, please help me send a message to Rep. Wolf that this kind of rhetoric will not be tolerated. How about $9 for the 9 DOJ lawyers ($1 for each of them) who have been unfairly slimed by Frank Wolf's attacks? Thank you.