Terrorism trials: Holder's middle path?
In deciding how to treat and try terrorists, Attorney General Eric Holder insisted on insulating his department from political considerations but was forced to retreat because of public outcry. What leadership lessons should he draw upon in trying to balance the sometimes-conflicting demands of legal legitimacy and political legitimacy?
Our need to feel protected
Holder should be strengthening the administration by responding to the public's need to feel protected from America's enemies.
Scary Manhattan fly-by
I can understand Holder's desire for autonomy on this issue, but so far he has shown questionable judgment.
Our wrong-headed politics
The public has come to expect that Justice Department decisions should be based on political grounds. That is simply wrong!
Leadership, not lawyer-ship
Eric Holder should have considered the political issue from the beginning.
Politics IS the 'right thing'
Political considerations and the potential consequences of decisions are part of good executive-branch judgment.
Emotional legitimacy
In the case of the 9/11 trial, a deeply personal pain has been unnecessarily politicized.
Save & Share:
John1263: "Dangerously politicized" in the DoJ would be...firing US attorneys when they would not make up phony cases against political opponents. Hol...
rmattocks: When hasn't the Justice Department not been politicized? All you have to do is look at Bush Admin's use of the Justice Department for 8 yea...
fmjk: Holder should have stuck to his guns. Since when does a local mayor have veto power over where the federal government decides to bring a fed...
