President Barack Obama’s choice to head the Justice Department’s civil rights division has failed a Senate test vote and his confirmation is in jeopardy.
The vote was 47-52, short of the needed majority.
The controversy over Debo Adegbile stems from legal representation of a man imprisoned in the murder of a Philadelphia policeman decades ago.
It was unclear what the next step will be for his supporters. Several Democrats joined all Senate Republicans in voting to prevent confirmation.
Adegbile was at the NAACP Legal Defense fund when the organization began representing Mumia Abu-Jama, who was appealing his conviction in the killing in 1981 of a police officer.
The vote marked the first time a nominee has stalled since Democrats restricted critics’ abilities to block confirmations.
(AP)
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5 Responses
At last, integrity prevails over cop-killer advocacy.
And the chaleria doesn’t understand why. What a tipish.
This is a very bad precedent. Provide legal representation as required by law to an unpopular defendant, and your career gets trashed. Next the people who have been trying to help Jonathan Pollard will be trashed for supporting a traitor.
charliehall, well said. Just because you represent a murderer at his trial does not mean that you share his guilt. As an attorney, you are only doing what is required by the constitution, and that is to represent your client to the best of your ability.
Charlie
Adegbile and the naacp wee not required by law to defend this murderer. They chose to and that is a lack of ethical behavior.