The John Adams Project

Few things shock me anymore, but last night one did. Fox News ran a story on an outfit called the John Adams Project. The John Adams Project is a concoction of the American Civil Liberties Union and a group calling itself the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The Project"s goal: to out CIA agents engaged in the war on terror, placing them and their families' lives in mortal peril. Take a look:

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The ACLU has a long and spotty record open to public inspection. If you're not familiar with the NACDL one look at their legislative agenda will tell you about all you need to know:

• They continue to press for the right to sue telecom companies whose lines were legally tapped to gain valuable insight into terrorist operations overseas
• They oppose sex offender registration and community notification laws
• They supported the Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007 which sought to replace tough enforcement of anti-gang laws with--you guessed it--throwing more tax dollars at the problem

So it's no surprise that these two far left groups have hooked up. The incoherence of their mission was summed up by Ms. Ginsburg in her impromptu Fox interview:

• She first denies that she was involved in the Project, then speaks intimately of its activities
• She denies the accusation (that they are putting the lives in danger) and instead blames the victims (the agents) saying that it is they who are putting the lives of soldiers in danger
• She denies that their researchers are tracking down these agents, a statement belied by her knowledge of the situation
• She justifies the Project's actions, which may be illegal (disclosing the identities of clandestine agents), on the grounds that the Justice Department won't disclose the details of the enhanced interrogation techniques used in the aftermath of 9-11, even though the actions of the agents have been examined and reexamined over the last 8 years

Perhaps most troubling of all, Ms. Ginsburg says ironically that "people in this country have a right to defend themselves." How about the right of the agents to defend themselves? This group whose mission is defense isn't defending anyone; they are attacking a group of individuals who did their job according to the rules they were given at a time of unparalled crisis in the nation's history. The Adams Project is setting itself up as judge, jury and potentially executioner of these agents. To quote Justice Clarence Thomas, this is nothing but a high-tech lynching.

It's up to Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether the John Adams Project is breaking any laws. But the attorney general has already opened up yet another investigation into the enhanced interrogation techniques that took place after 9-11. It's doubtful he'll do anything. If he wanted to act in the interest of fairness, he'd have the special prosecutor look into the John Adams Project while he's looking into enhanced interrogation for the 99th time. But don't hold your breath. 

The most upsetting aspect of this situation is that groups like the John Adams Project feel emboldened enough to take the law into their own hands. This is the political climate we now have in this country. We've become a country of intolerance on the left and on the right. When a group of militant, self-righteous lawyers ginned up by a Messianic fervor can violate someone's rights with impunity we as a country have lost our moral compass.

Just thought you might like to know.