Paul D. Clement, the US Solicitor General who served under Georger W. Bush from June 2005 to June 2008, has replaced Nathan Lewin as Sholom Rubashkin's lead attorney. Rubashkin's request for a US Supreme Court review of his conviction, sentence and lost appeal is due to be filed by April 2.
Paul D. Clement
Former Bush Honcho Takes Rubashkin Case
Nathan Lewin No Longer Rubashkin Lead Attorney
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
At Nathan Lewin's request, the former US Solicitor General under President George W. Bush, Paul D. Clement, has replaced him as lead attorney for Sholom Rubashkin's request for review of his conviction and sentence. Lewin, who was guest on Zev Brenner's Talkline radio show last night, responded to a listener's emailed request for an update on the Rubashkin case. Lewin said he suggested Rubashkin hire Clement – an experienced litigator before the US Supreme Court – because it was more likely that the US Supreme Court judges would take an appeal from Clement especially seriously:
"Although I've argued many cases in the Supreme Court, I thought it would be helpful in terms of respect the court would give to a request for a review that would come from somebody who, quite frankly, is not Jewish and who is highly respected."
Lewin, who was billed by Brenner as the "dean" of Orthodox Jewish attorneys in the US, also said the deadline for filing Rubashkin's brief with the Supreme Court is now April 2 (extended by 30 days from the original deadline with the permission of the court to facilitate Clement's participation).
The US Solicitor General is the number four position in the United States Department of Justice behind the US Attorney General, Deputy US Attorney General and the Associate US Attorney General.
Clement was approved by the US Senate in June 2005 and served as US Solicitor General for three years, resigning effect in June 2008 to accept a position at Georgetown University's law school, where he still teaches.
Early in his career, Clement clerked for Associate US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.