Or…if the glove fits, you must quit.
Even though he currently resides out of sight in a Nevada prison, 2016 was the year of Orenthal James Simpson. But for a minor envelope malfunction during last Sunday night’s Oscar ceremony, one of the more interesting moments was the selection of Ezra Edelman’s cinematic tour-de-force O.J.: Made in America as best feature documentary. Just four month’s earlier, Fox Television’s recreation of the double murder and ensuing trial The People vs. O. J. Simpson won an Emmy for best limited series. More than twenty years after the fact, Americans are still intrigued by a crime no one ever could have imagined.
Which brings us back to Jefferson Beauregard Sessions. Much of the discussion during the past 48 hours has focused on what it means if the nation’s chief law enforcement officer lied under oath to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee during his confirmation hearing on January 10. But, I want to take this one step further. Not only would his behavior disqualify him from retaining his cabinet position, he displayed a level of legal incompetence which should preclude him from ever again practicing before the bar.
Any skilled courtroom attorney knows there are two time-honored golden rules which must never be breached. The first, never ask a witness a question to which you do not ALREADY know the answer. The consequences of violating that tenet became obvious when Los Angeles Assistant District Attorney Christopher Darden, despite everyone’s best advice, asked Simpson to try on the bloody glove police recovered from Simpson’s property the night of the murders.
The second prime directive is advise witnesses to NEVER volunteer information if they are not specifically asked for it. During the January 10 confirmation hearing, Minnesota Senator Al Franken asked Sessions what he, as attorney general, would do if stories concerning meetings between Russian officials and the Trump campaign proved to be true. It is important to note Senator Franken did NOT ask the nominee if he personally had met with Russian officials.
In a glaring case of judicial incompetence, Sessions replied as follows.
Senator Franken, I’m not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I didn’t have — did not have communications with the Russians, and I’m unable to comment on it.
Maybe Sessions should have heeded the legal counsel of Abraham Lincoln, “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” This time the glove fits perfectly.
For what it’s worth.
Dr. ESP