Ken Starr criticizes attack on DOJ lawyers who represented detainees; compares DOJ lawyers to John Adams, Atticus Finch.

It really does say something about how despicable Liz Cheney and William Kristol's attacks on DOJ lawyers were, that conservatives of every hue are lining up to distance themselves from them.

But even as conservatives line up to deride and condemn what Cheney and Kristol have done, I never ever expected this to be so outrageous that even Ken Starr would want to publicly voice his disgust.

But that is how scandalous their action was.

Here, Starr reminds us that John Adams defended British red coats after the Boston massacre, and says that he hopes that this example is taught to children in schools. He further argues that lawyers cannot be afraid to take on unpopular cases, as this is the only way to challenge and hold to account the power of the government.

Cheney and Kristol should be utterly ashamed of what they did; they have certainly gone so far out on a limb that even conservatives like Ken Starr are lining up to condemn them.

But, both Liz Cheney and Bill Kristol have shown their utter shamelessness in the past.

Kristol did so the other day with a column attempting to defend this indefensible McCarthyite advert.

Ken Starr had an answer to Kristol's column:

Ken Starr: Well, I love Bill Kristol, I view him as a friend. But, he is wrong on this one and this is simply not consistent with the great traditions of our country.

Kristol and Cheney will never admit that what they did was simply wrong on every level. And the saddest thing is that they are both so ideologically driven that they simply can't see what the rest of us are so outraged by.

Kristol: If all this hubbub is the price we have to pay for the Obama administration adopting more responsible detainee policies that will do a little more to keep America safe, it’s worth it.

Kristol and, I suspect, Cheney, will remain unmoved; but I take some comfort from the fact that many, many, conservatives can see what we are talking about here and that they are willing to stand up and say so.

Tags: Liz Cheney, Bill Kristol, al Qaeda 7, Guantanamo 9, McCarthyism