Ted Olson Is Out

With the United States Supreme Court concluding its 2003-04 term this week, Solicitor General Theodore Olson - the widower of conservative commentator Barbara Olson, who was on the airliner flown into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 - is resigning his post. Olson had made it his cause to do anything he can to fight terrorism in honor of his late wife. While I certainly respect Olson's vigor in this noble quest, I must admit that I'm glad to see him go. As the White House's advocate at the Supreme Court, Olson did more than just argue for fewer restraints on the government to fight terror. He also argued in favor of Bush's heavy-handed efforts to curb civil liberties and squelch dissent.

I'm sorry that Olson lost his wife on 9/11. That's no reason to gut the Bill of Rights on Bush's behalf.

P.S. Olson was one of the Republican lawyers who argued against recounts in Florida at the end of the 2000 election.