Legal Commentary

A Better Role for Obama

By Jeralyn

I think Barack Obama's greatest contribution to America would be as Attorney General in a Hillary Clinton administration.

• He be terrific as head of its civil rights division.
• He'd go after crooked lobbyists and big time corporate offenders.
• He'd have the ability not to charge non-violent drug possessors with mandatory minimum offenses, while pushing Congress to change the law.
• He'd be the best advocate for a congressional end to the unfair disparity in crack-powder cocaine sentences.
• He could refrain from prosecuting federal death penalty cases until an independent commission has established that the death penalty is no longer applied in a racially disparate manner -- and in any case in which DNA evidence does not conclusively prove guilt.

In accordance with his expressed beliefs,

• He'd direct federal prosecutors not to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries or users in states that have passed medical marijuana laws.
• He'd charge and prosecute suspected terrorists in federal courts, eliminating the need for unfair military commissions.
• He could stay tough on meth labs, an issue he's made a priority.

[More...]

It would be great to have someone other than a career prosecutor as Attorney General. As President, it has been speculated that Obama's choice for AG would be the "tough on crime" Alabama Senator Artur Davis. Davis would be a terrible choice for Attorney General.

Obama could prove his mettle as Attorney General. With the experience he would gain and a strong record of accomplishments while in the position, he'd be a great contender in 2016.

Obama for Attorney General. Sounds great to me.

Update: For those intent on misinterpreting this post, you couldn't be more wrong. It's about getting someone installed as Attorney General who will be favorably disposed to defendants' rights. The rights of those accused of crime remain the chief focus of TalkLeft. Obama has repeatedly mentioned these specific issues in his campaign. I hope he means them. As Attorney General, we'd get a chance to find out. I don't think John Edwards, who sought the nomination and suspended his campaign, and has since frequently been mentioned as a possible AG if Obama is elected, would be a favorable AG for defendants' rights. He wasn't great on crime issues in the Senate and has not shown much interest in them. He could make a much greater contribution in a prospective Democratic administration in the area of reducing poverty and ensuring universal health care.

The Civil Rights division of the Justice Department handles voting rights, employment discrimination, discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation, protecting the rights of the disabled and much more.

I believe Obama, if President, will compromise when it comes to criminal justice reform legislation and Congress. This is based on my extensive review of his record as I've posted many times. If he is not the ultimate nominee, which admittedly I hope he isn't, I see an opportunity here through the charging discretion afforded the AG to effect some real progressive change. Should he not get the nomination, I think this would be a great way he could make a positive difference.

Obama supporters can disagree with my view that Hillary is a better nominee, but their attempt to label this a race-based post is patently absurd and offensive.

Comments now closed.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on May 11, 2008 (boomark / email).