Legal Commentary

Rep. Delahunt to Introduce Companion to Webb Crime Bill

By Jeralyn

Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-MA) told Huffington Post today he is introducing a companion bill to Sen. Jim Webb's bill to create a commission to study criminal justice and sentencing reform.

Delahunt, the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, said that reform of the American justice system should begin with a broad look at drug policy.

"I think it's really time to do an absolute overview of the issue of drugs and come at it with an open mind," he said.

[More...]

Huffpo notes Rep. Delahunt used to be a prosecutor:

Asked how his experience as a prosecutor shapes his thinking on drug legalization, he turned the question around.

"I mean, how long have we been waging the war on drugs?" he said.

Rep. Delahunt was one of the strongest supporters of the 2000 Innocence Protection Act -- the good one before it got watered down in 2004 by pressure from DOJ and Republicans to divert most of the money to testing old rape kits. He worked tirelessly on the bill (along with Sen. Patrick Leahy and others) for five years. As disappointed as I was in the final outcome, Delahunt did everything he could and at least ensured that some money was made available to inmates seeking DNA testing to prove their innocence.

In 2004, he co-sponsored a bill to end Patriot Act Abuses. In 2006, he was one of 72 Congresspersons to file an Amicus Brief challenging NSA warrantless electronic surveillance.

I think Rep. Delahunt is an excellent steward for the Webb companion bill. I've been lukewarm on the Webb Crime Bill because it creates an 18 month commission to study issues I think we already know the answers to and I'd rather see us act now. But, that's not going to happen, so I'm going to support the Webb and Delahunt bills. I just hope they add some criminal defense lawyers to the commission, since that's a curious ommission from the task force composition.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 25, 2009 (boomark / email).