Blackwater sues ex-counsel (now WH Counsel) Fred Fielding and others

[funflower]

http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1201169145676

I noticed this in the morning legal gossip rag. Thought it was interesting who was representing Blackwater.

After losing its bid to have the case transferred in October 2005, Blackwater discarded its high-wattage Wiley Rein team, which included Fred Fielding, now White House counsel; Barbara Van Gelder, now an attorney with Morgan, Lewis & Bockius; Scott McCaleb, who is a partner with Wiley Rein; and Margaret Ryan, who is now a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.

....

I also thought this was an interesting legal argument:


Blackwater, which is under investigation by the Justice Department for its involvement in a September shooting that left at least 17 Iraqis dead, contends that its contracted employees are de facto federal officers under the law.

[stillcool]

1. I don't see how Blackwater can not be..

"de factor federal officers under the law"
http://www.nndb.com/people/615/000050465/
Cofer Black

Born: c. 1950
Birthplace: Stamford, CT

Gender: Male
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Government

Nationality: United States
Executive summary: Coordinator for Counterterrorism, 2002-04

For twenty-eight years a CIA career employee, Black was sworn in 3 December 2002 to the ambassador-level position of State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism, in part a public relations position. Among Black's earlier duties was hunting Osama bin Laden. He told CNN in 2003, "I guarantee you, this fellow will get caught like the rest of them."

Black's office came under fire when it grossly underestimated the number of terrorist-caused deaths in 2003, with Richard Armitage holding a prominent press conference announcing that the U.S. was winning the war on terrorism. Congressman Henry Waxman and others disputed the report as obviously in error, stating "it appears that the decline in terrorism reported by the State Department results from manipulation of the data, not an actual decline in terrorism incidents. This manipulation may serve the administration's political interests, but it calls into serious doubt the integrity of the report." Waxman was correct. A revised report released on 22 June 2004 to the Administration's great embarassment raised the number of deaths from 307 to 625.

High School: Canterbury School, New Milford, CT
University: BA International Relations, University of Southern California (1973)
University: MA International Relations, University of Southern California (1974)

Member of the Board of Blackwater USA vice chairman, Blackwater USA
US Coordinator for Counterterrorism (2002-04)
CIA employee Deputy Chief, Latin America Division (Jun-1998 to Jun-1999)
CIA employee Task Force Chief in the Near East and South Asia Division (1995)
CIA employee Director of the CIA Counterterrorist Center (past)
CIA employee (1974-)
Distinguished Intelligence Medal

Erik Prince

Erik PrinceAKA Erik D. Prince

Erik Prince is a multi-millionaire right-wing fundamentalist Christian from a powerful Michigan Republican family. His wealth came from his father, Edgar Prince, who headed Prince Automotive, an auto parts and machinery manufacturer.
A major Republican campaign contributor, he interned in the White House of President George H.W. Bush and campaigned for Pat Buchanan in 1992, finding time to intern for conservative congressman Dana Rohrabacher as well. Prince founded the security and mercenary firm Blackwater Worldwide in 1997 with Gary Jackson, another former Navy SEAL.

Prince's sister Betsy DeVos is a powerful conservative in her own right. Married to the son of Richard DeVos (Republican bankroller and co-founder of Amway), she served as chair of Michigan Republican Party in the 1990s.

Father: Edgar Prince (d. 1995, billionaire, started Family Research Council with Gary Bauer)
Mother: Elsa Prince Broekhuizen (Republican Party funder, remarried)
Sister: Betsy DeVos (former chair, Michigan Republican Party, m. Dick DeVos, Amway scion)
Sister: Emilie Prince
Sister: Eileen Prince
Wife: Joan (four children, d. 2003, cancer)
Daughter: Sophia


Blackwater Worldwide Co-Founder and CEO (1997)
Family Research Council College intern
National Conservative Campaign Fund
Restoring the American Dream
Special Operations Warrior Foundation Board of Directors
Susan B. Anthony List
DeVos Family by sister's marriage
http://www.nndb.com/people/926/000117575/

EXECUTIVES

Fred F. Fielding
Attorney White House Counsel
Erik Prince
Business Founder of Blackwater Worldwide
Joseph E. Schmitz
Government Pentagon Inspector General, 2002-05

BOARD MEMBERS OR DIRECTORS


Cofer Black
Government Coordinator for Counterterrorism, 2002-04

Ken Starr
Government Special Prosecutor, Clinton's impeachment
http://www.blackwaterusa.com/

[funflower]

2. In theory, the federal government is not a profit-making entity.

Wow. That's a great database. Our aristocracy is more inbred than I realized.

[stillcool]

3. Sometimes it's a little dated...

but it turns up some great little tid-bits in the most unlikely places.

[ManiacJoe]

4. Sounds like they need to share whatever it is they are smoking.

> that its contracted employees are de facto federal officers under the law

I would love to see a summary of THAT argument.