SAN FRANCISCO — Incurring civil libertarian vitriol, the Justice Department reaffirmed its state secrets argument Monday in an attempt to dismiss a claim over the government’s controversial extraordinary rendition program.
Many supporters of President Obama hoped he would reverse the stance taken by his Republican predecessor before the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Yet DOJ civil division attorney Douglas Letter told the panel that his argument had been “thoroughly vetted” by the new administration. “Judges shouldn’t play with fire with this type of national security situation,” Letter said.
