This is just what we need. The counsel for the Department of Defense who advised Rumsfeld about the abuse and torture of prisoners sitting as a judge on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.
President Bush has nominated Haynes to be a judge on the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. This is a lifetime appointment. His nomination is beyond concerning. It is terrifying that someone whose legal opinion was that the United States not only COULD but SHOULD torture prisoners may end up being able to rule in favor of all of these policies as well as having the last word on many other important issues.
Do we want a man who believes in torture as a judge?
From Human Rights First:
When Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld authorized the abuse of prisoners in U.S. custody - including keeping prisoners naked, forcing them into stress positions, and using dogs to terrify them - he acted on the advice of William J. Haynes, the General Counsel to the Department of Defense. When the top military lawyers raised objections, Mr. Haynes ignored them and instead embraced the now-discredited "torture memos."
This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee will have a chance to question Haynes in order to determine if he is the most appropriate person for the judgeship. You can help make sure that the committee gives this serious consideration and doesn't just "rubber-stamp" his appointment.
Click here to take action: http://action.humanrightsfirst.org/...?
As we all know, the SCOTUS recently ruled in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld that the Guantanamo military commissions, which were recommended by Mr. Haynes, are illegal. It also ruled that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions applies to detainees in the "war on terror," CONTRARY to the arguments sort forth by Haynes.
Please ask the Senate Judiciary committee members to aggressively and unrelentingly question Haynes about his position on torture. Let's remind them that we are paying attention. Enough is enough.