Ryan Streeter
It's always refreshing to see principle trump politics, especially among lawyers.
Former Solicitor General Paul Clement resigned his position at King & Spalding today over the firm's decision to drop it's defense of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the face of protests and uncomfortable public criticism.
Clement makes clear in his letter that his views on DOMA are irrelevant. Rather, he insists that a firm has an obligation to complete a representation once it takes on the respective client.
In his resignation letter, he writes:
Much has been said about being on the wrong side of history. But being on the right or wrong side on the merits is a question for clients. When it comes to the lawyers, the surest way to be on the wrong side of history is to abandon a client in the face of hostile criticism
Good for Clement. Conservatives should be taking heart right now that a rising generation of public leaders are behaving like we'd want them to: with integrity, rooted in principle.
Full disclosure: I know Paul, mainly from Bush administration days when we'd visit on the sidelines of our kids' soccer games, or at each other's kids' birthday parties, etc. I've always had a lot of respect for him, and his move today only increases that.
UPDATE: Via Kathryn Jean Lopez at The Corner, Dan Lungren (R-CA), House Administration committee chairman released this statement today on Clement's resignation:
I want to express my gratitude to former Solicitor General Clement. I admire his unwavering commitment to his clients and his dedication to uphold the law – qualities that appear to be inconsequential at King and Spalding where politics and profit now appear to come first.
King and Spalding’s cut and run approach is inexcusable and an insult to the legal profession. Less than one week after the contract was approved engaging the firm, they buckled under political pressure and bailed with little regard for their ethical and legal obligations. Fortunately, Clement does not share the same principles. I’m confident that with him at the helm, we will fight to ensure the courts – not the President – determine DOMA’s constitutionality.
general Paul Clement resigns was very upseting.
Posted by: Solicitors | April 29, 2011 at 04:28 PM