Judge Bybee Lawyers Up

It look like things are getting pretty serious for 9th Circuit Judge, part time Boyd School of Law Professor, "Torture Judge," and (as we prefer to think of him) "Protector of the Homeland" Jay Bybee. Bybee is among the former Bush administration lawyers under review for war crimes by Baltasar Garzon , the same Spanish judge who once ordered Augusto Pinochet's arrest.

So, what prominent Nevada attorney has Bybee retained to protect his interests? Yeah, right. Bybee went big for this one, hiring Maureen Mahoney (pictured) from Vault 10 firm Latham & Watkins to negotiate the European inquiry and other probes into his role at the Justice Department, where he signed off on the so-called torture memos in 2002.

We were surprised that a Spanish judge was able to open an inquiry into the actions of a sitting appellate judge in the United States, especially one that the Judge would have to defend. Then again we skipped International Law in school, choosing instead to take Legal Blogging our last semester. You're welcome.

(Cal Law (free registration required) via CityLife Blog; Thanks, asdf)

UPDATE

Here's the article via How Appealing (no registration required). Thanks anon!

Jack Bauer Would Not Be Pleased ...

Does a fate worse than waterboarding await a Boyd School of Law Professor? Someone has it in for 9th Circuit Judge (and part time Boyd School of Law Senior Fellow in Constitutional Law) Jay Bybee. Ivory tower surrender monkey esteemed academic Bruce Ackerman called for Judge Bybee's impeachment yesterday in Slate.  Seems Mr. Ackerman wasn't too keen on Bybee's role in the infamous "torture memos," though our friend from Yale reportedly had no problem with the last 7+ years without another attack on the homeland. 

WWL isn't here to take a stand for or against the torture memos (we'll leave that for you in the comments), but we are adamantly against impeaching Bybee.  After all, Nevada already holds the dishonorable distinction of producing the last federal judge to be impeached.  Why burden the local law school with similar bad press? 

At the end of the day, Ackerman knows Bybee isn't going anywhere.  Impeaching a Judge is about as easy as dislodging a tenured professor.  We're stuck with both of these guys ad infinitum.  Which is why they should settle this like real men instead of writing "memos" and "online posts."  How about a duel (think Hamilton v. Burr), or a no holds barred MMA brawl in the octagon?  We're guessing Bybee would open as a heavy favorite in the sports books. 

(Slate)

Weekend Roundup

U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) is saying that former UNLV law professor and current 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jay Bybee would not have been approved as a federal appeals judge if the Senate had known Bybee signed a controversial memo regarding interrogations of suspected terrorists. (Review-Journal)

A former Washoe County water engineer surrendered to sheriff's deputies in Reno to face charges that he embezzled millions of dollars from the county water division and gambled away more than $1 million of it at a local casino. (Review-Journal)

A federal grand jury indicted a Las Vegas real estate broker and her husband who were charged in March with defrauding federally-insured financial institutions of millions of dollars in order to inflate housing values, using straw purchasers and limited liability companies. The couple is also charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, 13 counts of bank fraud and criminal forfeiture. (Las Vegas Sun) The U.S. Attorney expects more arrests to come. (Reno Gazette-Journal)

Congratulations to California attorney Monica R. Dean, who joined the law firm of Lovaas & Lehtinen, P.C. (PR Web)

The effort to recall two Boulder City politicians is headed towards the Courts. (Las Vegas Sun)

There aren't many fines being issued for violations of the smoking ban. (Las Vegas Sun)

Attorneys on both sides are working on voir dire questions to choose a jury for the O.J. trial [pt 2]. (Las Vegas Now)

An interview with Josh Resiman from Ballard Spahr about oral argument before the Ninth Circuit in the landmark affordable housing/disability rights case. (In Business Las Vegas)

A letter to the editor says Judge Mosely may have some ethical problems, but he's tough on criminals. (Review-Journal)

The Las Vegas City Council may have found a compromise in the marriage soliciting wars: solicitors would have to stand in designed soliciting zones. (Las Vegas Sun)

Federal government attorneys are pushing for U.S. District Judge Philip Pro to intervene and save the possible sale of the Crazy Horse Too strip club. (Las Vegas Sun)

Embattled Ninth Circuit Judge Kozinski has hired Mark Holscher of Kirkland & Ellis to represent him in a pending judicial misconduct inquiry. (WSJ)

Emails sent by University of Nevada-Reno police will be scanned by school administrators to ensure campus police are no longer circulating porn. (Review-Journal)