Obomination: Too Extreme for the ABA but Not the Obama Justice Department

While much has rightly been made of Debo Adegbile -- President Obama’s nominee to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division -- representation of radical cop killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, there are a number of other reasons that make his nomination extremely troubling. 

Adegbile is a staunch supporter of affirmative action who opposes criminal-background checks by employers and advocates extreme racial-hiring quotas.

He has said he wants U.S. judges to ensure that "customary international law" is "the law of the land."

It is views like the latter that led Obama Administration to withdraw his earlier nomination to be a judge on the DC Circuit. 

In fall 2011, Obama asked the American Bar Assn. to evaluate Adegbile for possible appointment to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, normally a precursor to nomination. But later the White House withdrew his name.

Conservative bloggers say the bar association found Adegbile unqualified.

The left will say it is for other reasons such as possible Republican opposition that Adegbile’s name was withdrawn but that is patently ridiculous as Nina Pillard was arguably more liberal but was still nominated and confirmed (after the Nuclear Option was initiated by Senator Reid).  It certainly looks like Mr. Adegible would have been rated unqualified by the ABA not because he was liberal but because he is outside the mainstream of US jurisprudence. 

Yet, President Obama saw fit to nominate to head the Civil Rights Division. That is this week’s Obomination.