Did John Kerry Represent an Art Thief?

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Pardon me, but what does it matter if he was guilty or not?
Isn't the job of a defense lawyer to, you know, *defend* their client?
Can't win, I guess. If he hadn't done his job, you'd just be accusing him of negligence instead.
Sheesh.

Sili 1:59AM February 22, 2009

As a friend of Reissfelder's brother, I will say that John Kerry is a maggot and he should be in prison for his crimes against the American public!!!

Tom of MA 9:57PM February 21, 2009

Taking the easy way out! Use a hook like a well-known political name and hang a story on it. What sloppy writing!
U.S. News, you should know better than that!

Jane Bordzol of DE 8:38PM February 18, 2009

Hey, it was a book review of sorts. But Kerry shows again he's not the sharpest crayon in the box: The art theft took place years BEFORE the lamented baseball "theft" --which Kerry seems to have mixed up when he says the art theft was the greatest heist SINCE the 2008 encounter...

Jill of CA 5:44PM February 18, 2009

All Senator Kerry did here was what any good lawyer would do. He and his partner represented a man that the court assigned them to represent. No one disputes that the man was innocent of that crime. No one doubts the extremely high quality of Kerry's skill as a lawyer in that case. As Kerry's own comments suggest the man was a pretty unsavory character. That though does not change that he had been imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit.
Your title is misleading, as it implies that Kerry represented an art thief. At the point Kerry represented him, the pictures were still in the Museum - so at the point that Kerry had represented him he was not an art thief. He was at most a potential future art thief, who is not around to defend himself on the charge. Maybe you should look at laws broken by people reporting to Buah with his approval - at the time they actually worked for him. Senator Kerry has lived most of his life in public service and he has done so without doing anything illegal or unethical. We need more people who hold to his level of integrity and honor. Shame on you for attempting to connect him to something where there is no connection - even if that man is guilty.
Hey, I bet somewhere, some time, a thief or murderer read a column you wrote. So, you, in your professional role, are connected to him.

Karen of NJ 2:23PM February 18, 2009

Come on Paul, everyone knows they're no longer the "Devil Rays" now just the "Rays"... Interested in art theft check out my blog at www.artttheftcentral.blogspot.com ... Will be releasing an interview with Ulrich Boser in the next few days!

Mark Durney of MA 11:51PM February 17, 2009

No doubt, from Kerry's reaction to the book, there might be some truth in the author's insinuations. Reissfelder doesn't seem to have been all that savory based on those comments alone.

sherlock holmes of NH 3:56PM February 17, 2009

What is it with these right-wingers, they can't stick to the subject and drag in anything that's dwelling in the recesses of their Limbaughger cheese minds. Now, the art heist is very interesting in that nothing has been seen of the stolen items for years, but what does it have to do with Kerry?

Ralph Warman of TN 2:58PM February 17, 2009

I stand behind no one in my contempt for Kerry, but I don't see anything here against him. Apparently the guy was convicted for a crime he didn't commit and Kerry got him out. Good for him. He certainly isn't responsible for anything this guy did afterward. This is totally different than the Willie Horton thing. That guy was guilty, and anyone who allowed him to leave WAS responsible for his later actions. Totally different things. Stuff like this gives opposition research a bad name.

buzz of KS 2:00PM February 17, 2009

"It looks like the largest theft since the Devil Rays took what should have been the Red Sox's 2008 American League championship."
A patrician sentiment worthy of the esteemed Senator Kerry himself. How dare those peasants outplay the AL elite!
I look forward to the Red Sox and Yankees scrapping over the #2 spot in the AL East again this season.

Phred of FL 8:54AM February 17, 2009