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Will Justice Seek John Yoo’s Disbarment?

180px-john-yooThere is growing speculation that the Office of Professional Responsibility will recommend the disbarment of Professor John Yoo who currently teaches at Berkeley law school. The release of new memoranda from the Justice Department has increased calls for disciplinary action. The memoranda concludes that the President can (1) use military forces domestically to deal with any individuals President Bush considers a terrorist threat, (2) suspend free press and free speech rights, (3) arrest citizens without legal process or access to the courts, and (4) a variety of other tyrannical measures. I discussed the memoranda on this segment of Countdown.

A call for disbarment by OPR would be an extraordinary act. Yoo is facing growing opposition at his law school and there is even a website committed to his removal.

What is most disturbing is the contemporary effort to avoid a criminal investigation of war crimes in favor of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. There is, of course, nothing to “reconcile.” We are not some new nation emerging from civil war or dictatorship. We are a nation of laws. Bush officials have already confirmed the acts of torture and we are obligated by treaty to prosecute such war crimes. Whether Yoo is disbar pales in comparison to the need to comply with our moral and legal obligation to prosecute any acts of torture. Otherwise, President Obama’s repeated statements of “no one being about the law” will appear a pretty cynical spin designed to give the appearance of actions while evading our collective international obligations.

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81 thoughts on “Will Justice Seek John Yoo’s Disbarment?”

  1. What mespo said.

    And

    raff,

    Yoo has already suffered organ failure if you consider the brain an organ.

  2. Zactly. Well said, mespo.

    Like most of us here, I care less so about the ‘low-lying fruits’ than I do about the ‘cream’ of this crop, but I also know a smidge about selective cutting AND felling trees…

    I also might point out that JT’s 1999 Criminal Law review article ‘From Pillar to Post’ that I spoke about dsicusses states rights with the second part of the title being ‘:The Prosecution of American Presidents’. And in my conversations in the summer of 2007, I was very much interested in, among other things, impeachment of Bush and Cheney and the possibility of taking the prosecutions out of Washington altogether.

    I would also ask Thingum Bob Esq, again, if he’s ever phoned the NY AG’s office to inquire about the possibility of bringing state actions before a grand jury in the State of New York or any other state for that matter.

    I await a reply.

  3. “You don’t know the power of the NY CPLR.”

    Yes that is absolutely accurate. As an aside, I married into a family of five lawyers. When they divorce, they remarry lawyers. So the total is actually seven, I continue to hug the outlaws too. No one in the family speaks or seeks prosecution the way this blog demands. Credit the genius of JT, et all!

    “While I’m aware you’re awaiting specific procedural details as to how one can compel prosecution of a federal official within a New York State Court via an Article 78”

    Hmmm… the Bugliosi, Esq. declares that is one avenue to justice. I was unaware until your replies that any activity was advancing at the state level. It is a terrific thing that awareness is elastic. Mine does not require specific procedural detail, it won’t stretch that far. I have to strap on my Mae West every time I press submit in this deep end of the ocean. Patient centeredness combined with trust in the one pledged to the Frog Order will suffice.

    “The frog/Aquarius montage”
    Good to get two pigeons with one shot, and happy to oblige.

    My July 5th beer ration goes to Seamus for his vital and ongoing contributions.

    PS
    At the moment I don’t have the resources to forgive Bush for taking off the entire month of August 2001. Not once speaking to Tenet while at the ranch, repugnant indeed. His laziness lead to deathly destruction and criminal behavior, the rat bastard.

  4. adel:

    All in good time, my dear. Small fish lead to bigger fish; bigger fish lead to whales.

  5. hello : i agree mr.yoo should be disbarred and not allowed to practice law, however what we are doing here is going after
    small fish , the bigger fish is chenney’s lawer DAVID
    ADDIGNTON that is the more sinster criminal and better yet chenney him self.
    adel m belazi.

  6. Buddha,
    I am a little late to respond, but your earlier posting about thinking the headline mentioned dismemberment, of course the Justice Department could only use dismemberment on Yoo if the process did not cause organ failure.

  7. My goodness, this guy Yoo should of been not only disbarred years ago but he should of been brought to a criminal court.

    I’m just glad to see some real action finally taking place, but I only hope that they are seen through.

  9. Buddha,

    Fishing expedition? After those memos? If he means dynamite fishing, then maybe. There’s dead fish floating all over the lake. All he has to do is scope up some evidence. What an ass!!! That is quite interesting about Dr. K. Thanks!

  11. ….Professor John Yoo who currently teaches at Berkeley law school….

    Nope, currently, he is
    Fletcher Jones Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law
    Chapman University School of Law
    One University Drive, Orange, California 92866

    http://www.chapman.edu/law/faculty/visiting/yoo.asp

    The dean of the law school is
    Dr. John C. Eastman
    Dean and Donald P. Kennedy Chair In Law
    jeastman@chapman.edu

    Gloria Davis
    Executive Assistant to the Dean
    gld@chapman.edu
    (714) 628-2526

    Timothy A. Canova
    Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, and
    Betty Hutton Williams Professor of International Economic Law
    canova@chapman.edu

  13. Well then We the People will need to make it clear that “no” is not an option.

  14. Buddha,

    NPR is saying they won’t go for it. Here’s what I found…

    WASHINGTON March 4, 2009, 02:49 pm ET · Senate Democrats on Wednesday suggested Republicans should join their call for a nonpartisan “Truth Commission” to probe whether the Bush administration abused its power, or face partisan congressional investigations.

    The GOP response: forget it.

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100803675

    BM will crush the mind, even of Xenu!

  16. Buddha,

    I just heard this at about 3:45 or so and your article is from 1:26 p.m. I’ve been trying to check this out and I certainly could have heard it exactly backwards because I was running around (scared of Barry Manilow)! But I wonder if they changed their “minds” in the meantime?

  17. Mike A.,

    I’ve been reading that garbage too. Trying to anyway, but the nausea it induces is substantial. What a hack! If my work in LS (forget afterwards) had been that substandard, I had professors that would have eaten my face Alien face-hugger style and left my corpse on display as a cautionary tale to other students. My big question now is who did he pay off to pass the bar?

  18. From the Center for Constitutional Rights:
    They have a petition to sign at their site. Thanks to Buddha and FFLEO for links and to Mike A. for a good laugh–Yoo wishes he’d used more smiley faces/frowns or something like that!!!

    “Evidence of the criminal activities of the Bush administration is exceedingly well documented. It is apparent in Bush administration memos, FOIA documents, congressional hearings, court documents, the testimony of victims, innumerable investigative news articles and books and direct admissions by intelligence, military and administration officials. The evidence shows that officials at the very highest level including Bush himself, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and CIA Director George Tenet were directly involved in illegal activities, including torture and war crimes.

    In the face of this blatant lawbreaking and institutionalized torture and war crimes committed by the Bush administration, now is the time for accountability. The mechanism exists to hold these officials accountable for their criminal behavior and dissuade future government officials from engaging in torture, war crimes, warrantless surveillance of Americans, and other lawbreaking activities – criminal prosecution of those responsible.

    A full investigation and prosecution of these actions by the Bush administration is necessary for the Obama administration to meaningfully reassert the rule of law in the United States. Government officials are not above the law, and their actions impact the lives of millions of people around the world. Prosecuting these officials for their activities is, in fact, a meaningful mechanism for securing justice for the victims and the survivors of torture and war crimes, as well as for deterring future government officials from repeating this conduct.”

  20. Are indviduals in the US that are not citizens and not under any type of visa guaranteed civil liberties?

    What happened to the Germans that came ashore in the 40’s, they had a trial but it was almost a foregone conclusion that they would be found guilty.

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