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Yoo Fights Back on Torture

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 27, 2009 7:13 AM CDT

(Newser) – The embattled Bush administration lawyer who drafted memos justifying waterboarding and warrantless wiretaps is fighting back as his role comes under greater scrutiny, the Washington Post reports. John Yoo, now a University of California law professor, has been giving speeches around the country defending the tactics and his view that their use came under the president's authority.

Yoo, who has held onto his university job despite protests on campus, faces a number of legal challenges over his time at the Justice Department. A government report is expected to recommend that Yoo be referred to his state bar associations for discipline, and a lawsuit from a detainee claiming Yoo violated his rights has been allowed to proceed. Government lawyers who had been representing Yoo say he will now have private counsel, a move that will spare Justice from having to defend his memos.

John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California at Berkeley, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington.
John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California at Berkeley, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)
David Addington, chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, left, and John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California at Berkeley, right, wait to testify on Capitol Hill last year.
David Addington, chief of staff for Vice President Dick Cheney, left, and John Yoo, a law professor at the University of California at Berkeley, right, wait to testify on Capitol Hill last year.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 12 comments
kokuaguy
Jul 28, 2009 12:52 PM CDT
Yes, but, lke Alberto Gonzalez, he was a necessary cog in the mechanism. Interestingly, there were limits even a political hack like John Ashcroft would not cross.
Snarfeh
Jul 28, 2009 5:31 AM CDT
Yep. He will be the scapegoat if anything at all happens. Maybe they'll waterboard him at some point....
riffran
Jul 27, 2009 12:59 PM CDT
awwww man I was gonna say that

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