American Tali-lawyer

IN the days after the parents of American Taliban John Walker Lindh hired San Francisco lawyer James Brosnahan to represent their son, several observers took pains to point out Brosnahan’s history of supporting leftist causes. It was all true. But perhaps the real issue is not Brosnahan’s politics but his history of politicizing the cases in which he’s been involved.

Until recently, Republicans in Washington knew him best for prosecuting former defense secretary Caspar Weinberger in the Iran-contra case. Brosnahan and his boss, independent counsel Lawrence Walsh, made headlines by indicting Weinberger on October 30, 1992—the Friday before the election in which the first President Bush lost to Bill Clinton. Brosnahan and Walsh included in the indictment the full text of a January 7, 1986, note written by Weinberger that seemed to suggest that Bush knew more about the arms-for-hostages deal than he had let on.

About the Author

Byron York

Byron York is a former White House correspondent for National Review.

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IN the days after the parents of American Taliban John Walker Lindh hired San Francisco lawyer James Brosnahan to represent their son, several observers took pains to point out Brosnahan’s history of supporting leftist causes. It was all true. But perhaps the real issue is not Brosnahan’s politics but his history of politicizing the cases in which he’s been involved.

Until recently, Republicans in Washington knew him best for prosecuting former defense secretary Caspar Weinberger in the Iran-contra case. Brosnahan and his boss, independent counsel Lawrence Walsh, made headlines by indicting Weinberger on October 30, 1992—the Friday before the election in which the first President Bush lost to Bill Clinton. Brosnahan and Walsh included in the indictment the full text of a January 7, 1986, note written by Weinberger that seemed to suggest that Bush knew more about the arms-for-hostages deal than he had let on.