Polanski Lawyer and Eric Holder BFF Lobbies DOJ to Drop Extradition
I don’t like this, not one little bit:
Lawyers for Roman Polanski met with U.S. Department of Justice officials to make their case against extraditing the 76-year-old fugitive film director from Switzerland to the U.S., according to court documents released Friday.
Why do I find it ominous that Polanski’s lawyer is talking to the DOJ? The reason can be found in this September 29 New York Times article:
While a backlash emerged Tuesday among French politicians of all stripes about whether their government and others should have rushed to embrace the cause of the jailed film director Roman Polanski, his American legal team picked up an influential new member: the lawyer Reid Weingarten, a well-known Washington power player and close friend and associate of Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
. . . .
Mr. Weingarten is expected to mount a legal effort to block Mr. Polanski’s extradition before the issue works its way through the Swiss legal system, according to people who were briefed on Mr. Weingarten’s involvement . . . . A former government lawyer who once worked in the Justice Department’s public integrity division, Mr. Weingarten is described as one of Mr. Holder’s closest friends, and joined him in founding the See Forever Foundation, which helps disadvantaged children.
A backlash? Oh, you want a backlash?
Then picture the backlash if Roman Polanski manages to avoid being sentenced for drugging and raping a 13-year-old — because his lawyer managed to use his friendship with Eric Holder to put an end to the extradition.
Now that would be a mother[expletive deleted]ing backlash.
P.S. According to the first linked article, a letter that Polanski’s attorneys wrote the DOJ says: “Mr. Polanski stands little chance of receiving a fair hearing or disposition in California should he be returned, particularly in light of the world wide press attention on this case.” In other words, treat him differently because he’s famous.
Which would bring us full circle, because Polanski’s fame is why he got the deal in the first place: my employer (the L.A. County D.A., for whom I do not speak) dismissed the most serious charges because of the potential harm to the victim, stemming from the international publicity surrounding the case.
Another hot potato for the president.
I’m not sure what to hope for.
[tick… tick… tick…]
Gesundheit (47b0b8) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:14 pmObama will be invincible for awhile now that he’s won the Nobel Peace Prize. Health care and Polanski will slide off him like water off a duck’s back, and we already know Holder can take the heat.
DRJ (7fbae6) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:19 pmI have an idea, put Polanski in the White House hot tub with a bottle of Champaigne, a bottle of ‘ludes, and Obama’s daughters. We’ll see how he votes present then.
PCD (4290e6) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:19 pm“Mr. Polanski stands little chance of receiving a fair hearing or disposition in California should he be returned, particularly in light of the world wide press attention on this case.”
Considering Hollywood is staunchly behind him, how is it that they don’t think he would receive a fair trial in Cali? If the trial were instead held somewhere in the Bible belt, then concerns about not receiving a fear trial seems far more credible.
Dana (863a65) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:25 pmEh.
Dana (863a65) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:27 pmfearfair trial…Trial? What trial. He pleaded guilty. Proceed to sentencing.
Pious Agnostic (b2c3ab) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:31 pmSure. If Polanski cannot get a fair trial in California, I recommend trying him in Iowa.
Eric Blair (c8876d) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:32 pmHey, or in Indiana. I know that JD would be happy to serve on that jury.
Eric Blair (c8876d) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:32 pmPolanski could always withdraw his plea deal, ask for a trial, and apply for a change of venue.
AD - RtR/OS! (877de6) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:33 pmI suggest Mono or Inyo Counties, they have always treated Los Angelenos fairly there.
Try him in Texas. That would be fun.
Vivian Louise (e35449) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:35 pmYou know, I’m really not worried about this one. The Obama Administration sticks its neck out for no one, and the pile of people thrown under the bus is huge. If there is anyone the Administration can safely throw under the bus, it’s Roman Polanski.
The realistic Dana (474dfc) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:38 pmI really wish people would leave other people’s children out of this.
And, the MSM will let these “associations” go with mentioning them.
JD (15293c) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:44 pmHolder has been down this road before (Marc Rich), and I don’t think he cared for the trip much. I suspect he’ll say “Sorry, can’t help you.”
Shipwreckedcrew (7f73f0) — 10/10/2009 @ 5:58 pmTime will tell. Obama has already said he wouldn’t do anything to stop the Polanski extradition. I think he will fight with all the money he can throw at it and in the end, he will be brought back here to face sentencing.
Anita Busch (fc416d) — 10/10/2009 @ 6:32 pmWell, it’ll be interesting to watch. Are they feeling invincible or is this a road they’ve been down that they don’t want to go down again?
I lean toward “feeling invincible” myself.
I can’t see why this is road they don’t want to go down again. They never suffered any consequences for taking the roads they’ve taken. Eric Holder can tell Al Gore there’s no controlling legal authority governing his fundraising from his government office, get a pardon for Rich, and still have how many Republicans in and out of Congress stand up for him?
That road he ‘s been down has been the road to becoming AG with no meaningful opposition. If he’s feeling invincible, maybe he out to be at this point. And Obama just got positive reinforcement from the only people who matter to him. Which ain’t us.
If they throw him under the bus, it’ll be after they decide their first boneheaded call isn’t working. That’s Obama’s pattern.
But this is so off the wall it’s hard to gauge. Any idea when DoJ will make a call?
Steve (99ffc1) — 10/10/2009 @ 6:36 pmI can see it now. It’s midnight on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The top official on duty at the DOJ is the under under under under under under secretary for yellow legal pads. The only thing on his desk is a letter he is to sign addressed to the Swiss authorities revoking the extradition order.
The following Monday morning Obama and Holder come back and scream what a miscarriage of justice it is that Polanski was released but nothing can be done now. You know, rule of law and all. They promise to get to the bottom of the screwup and some intern from Georgetown Law School will get a job offer revoked.
A week later the Obama Presidential Library receives a $1,000,000 check from a French bank. A down payment is made to purchase land for the library next to Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. The owner of the parcel just happens to be Valerie Jarret & Tony Rezko.
MU789 (3f9d29) — 10/10/2009 @ 6:42 pmI can definitely see Eric Holder being an Anne Applebaum-style child rapist aficionado. Not a bit of a stretch. He probably won’t be as insufferably whiny when he gets called on it though, so… that’s going in the plus column.
happyfeet (6b707a) — 10/10/2009 @ 6:47 pmMr. Weingarten is described as one of Mr. Holder’s closest friends, and joined him in founding the See Forever Foundation, which helps disadvantaged children
Just not “disadvantaged” kids who were raped by firends of ours.
Gazzer (22ecdc) — 10/10/2009 @ 7:19 pmDoesn;t Louisiana castrate child rapists now?
Scott Jacobs (d027b8) — 10/10/2009 @ 7:30 pmA couple of months ago I would have said they wouldn’t dare.
Now I say, march at the Wilshire VA, anyone?
Patricia (c95a48) — 10/10/2009 @ 7:37 pmLet Roman stay in France. People get the pedophiles they deserve.
glenn (757adc) — 10/10/2009 @ 8:21 pmWe’ll never see Polanski in the USA. Holder will consider him to be a Black Panther. There might be a new Nobel Prize forthcoming for Polanski, the Baby Bugger Award.
krusher (1c5999) — 10/11/2009 @ 3:04 amThis administration is soooooo bad that I am actually at a loss for words.
Increase Mather (4deffc) — 10/11/2009 @ 7:00 am[…] Patterico is not liking the latest direction in the Polanski saga […]
Sorta Blogless Sunday Pinup » Pirate's Cove (368bcc) — 10/11/2009 @ 7:19 am“It’s my nature.” explained the scorpion to the dying frog.
mojo (74ba73) — 10/11/2009 @ 12:57 pmThere was no backlash when Holder squashed the investigation into voter intimidation by the Black Panthers. Why would there be any backlash if Holder squashed the extradition of Polanski?
Bob Smith (5471f3) — 10/11/2009 @ 5:17 pmDid this “disadvantaged children” organization they founded also seek to assist child-rape victims? Or were they rejected as being lying non-13 year old 13-year olds who lied about it being rape-rape?
Californio (bff3db) — 10/11/2009 @ 9:11 pm