Ed Martin Either Doesn't Believe in the U.S. Criminal Justice System, Or Doesn't Understand It

Ed Martin, the former chief of staff for failed governor Matt Blunt who had to resign in shame because of an ethics scandal, put out a ridiculous tweet today linking to an NRO article:

This is part of the ridiculous and completely discredited logic that led Liz Cheney's group Keep America Safe to put out a pathetic attack on Justice Department officials who represented people suspected of terrorism. Their absurd suggestion is that somehow, by representing terrorists (or, actually suspected terrorists), the lawyers are sympathizing with their cause.

The argument is the equivalent of claiming that defense attorneys who defend people suspected of murder are pro-murder, and it shows a complete lack of understand of the foundations of our criminal justice system. The whole idea of the system is that the defense and prosecution put forward the best case they can in front of an impartial jury and the best case wins out. As a letter from nineteen prominent conservative lawyers and officials said, "The American tradition of zealous representation of unpopular clients is at least as old as John Adams's representation of the British soldiers charged in the Boston massacre."

Like Liz Cheney, Ed Martin knows better. Also like Liz Cheney, he doesn't care. He's willing to do whatever it takes, including encouraging his supporters to attack effigies of Russ Carnahan, to try to gain political power.