Rumpole
Diamond Member
- Mar 20, 2023
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- #41
I offer my rebuttal to Meese's declaration:
- Credentials Don't Equate to Infallibility: While Mr. Meese's extensive background in law and public policy is commendable, it does not make his opinions or interpretations infallible. Expertise is valuable, but it does not exempt one from scrutiny or challenge.
- The Role of AAGs: While the 1983 OLC Opinion might suggest that AAGs have flexible roles, this does not mean that any action taken by an AAG is automatically legitimate or beyond reproach. The discretion to reassign roles does not equate to the discretion to act without checks, balances, or accountability.
- Constitutional Authority and Privileges: While the President indeed has the authority to solicit opinions, this does not grant carte blanche to any action taken under the guise of "soliciting opinions." The privileges Meese cites, such as executive and deliberative process privileges, are not blanket immunities. They exist to protect the integrity of the executive process, not to shield potential misconduct.
- Internal Disagreements vs. Misconduct: There's a significant difference between internal disagreements and potential misconduct. While disagreements are natural and even healthy in any organization, they should not be used as a smokescreen to justify or dismiss potential wrongdoing. The indictment's focus isn't on mere disagreement but on actions that might have crossed legal boundaries.
- The Essence of the Indictment: The core issue isn't whether Mr. Clark had the right to draft a letter or hold a particular opinion. It's about the potential implications and motivations behind those actions. Dismissing the indictment based on the idea of internal disagreement or the flexibility of AAG roles misses the broader context and potential consequences of the actions in question.
While the court will take his declaration as worthy of consideration, he is not, by any means, the final word nor only merit worthy point of view on the issue. We shall see how the court rules.