Edward Whelan (American lawyer)
 | This article may rely excessively on sources too closely associated with the subject, potentially preventing the article from being verifiable and neutral. (December 2014) |
Edward Whelan | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 (age 58 years) |
| Alma mater | Harvard University (BA), Harvard Law School (JD) |
| Occupation(s) | President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center Blogger for National Review |
Martin Edward Whelan III (born 1960) is an American lawyer, legal activist and political commentator. He serves as President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank "dedicated to applying the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to critical issues of public policy", and used to be an official in the United States Department of Justice. He is a conservative lawyer and closely associated with the Federalist Society, and helped advise Brett Kavanaugh in his nomination process for the Supreme Court.
Whelan is also notable for a baseless accusation of sexual assault he directed at a private citizen in an attempt to defend his friend Brett Kavanaugh from allegations of sexual assault, during Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings for the Supreme Court. Whelan speculated that the allegation against Kavanaugh was a case of mistaken identity, and speculated that a high school classmate of Kavanaugh's, who allegedly looked like him, was actually responsible for the attack.[1] Whelan also publicly named the identity of the former classmate, baselessly accusing him of having committed the assault that Christine Ford says was committed on her by Kavanaugh.
Whelan was widely criticized and ridiculed, by commentators across the political spectrum, for what was regarded as a baseless accusation of an innocent private citizen.[2] He subsequently apologized for an "appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgement."[3]
Early life and education
Whelan graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1981 and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.[4] In 1985, he earned a J.D. degree magna cum laude from Harvard Law School and also was on the Board of Editors of the Harvard Law Review.[4]
Career
From 1985 until 1986, Whelan worked as a law clerk to United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judge J. Clifford Wallace.[4] From 1991 until 1992, Whelan worked as a law clerk to United States Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia.[4]
In the 1990s, Whelan served as general counsel to the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary while it was controlled by Republicans. He also has worked as a lawyer in private practice and was Senior Vice President and Counselor to the General Counsel for Verizon Corporation.[4]
From 2001 until 2004, Whelan served as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the United States Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, advising the White House Counsel's Office, the Attorney General and other senior DOJ officials, and Departments and agencies throughout the executive branch on difficult and sensitive legal questions.
In 2004, Whelan became president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative nonprofit think tank that is based in Washington, D.C. He directs the EPPC's program on the United States Constitution, federal courts and culture.
In 2016, Whelan gave his opinion in an interview reported by The New York Times. Whelan asked conservatives to adopt an uncompromising stance on appointments to the upper ranks of the U.S. judiciary, including appeals courts (which give the last word on cases the U.S. Supreme Court declines to review, and which can serve as a "breeding ground" for future Supreme Court justices).[5]
In 2018, Whelan helped advise his close friend Brett Kavanaugh, a federal judge, in the latter's nomination effort to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.[6] On September 16, Christine Blasey Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting and attempting to rape her in the early 1980s when they were teenagers.[7]
Baseless sexual-assault allegations against a private citizen
Whelan drew considerable attention and criticism when, in an attempt to defend his friend and fellow conservative lawyer Brett Kavanaugh from allegations of sexual assault and attempted rape, Whelan speculated that the allegation against Kavanaugh was a case of mistaken identity, and speculated that a high school classmate of Kavanaugh's, who allegedly looked like him, was actually responsible for the attack. Whelan also publicly named the identity of the former classmate, baselessly accusing him of having committed the assault attributed to Kavanaugh. After criticism from across the political spectrum for what was regarded as a baseless accusation, Whelan apologized for an "appalling and inexcusable mistake of judgement".[3]
Blogging
In May 2005, Whelan began blogging at the National Review's website.[8]
In June 2009, Whelan sparked a controversy in the blogosphere when he publicly divulged the name of a pseudonymous legal blogger in a post entitled "Exposing an Irresponsible Anonymous blogger".[9] Whelan apologized to the blogger for the disclosure,[10] and the blogger accepted Whelan's apology.[11]
References
- ^ Garber, Megan (September 21, 2018). "The Magical-Thinking Defenses of Brett Kavanaugh". The Atlantic. Boston, Massachusetts: Emerson Collective. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/21/ed-whelan-kavanaugh-tweets-pr-firm-836405
- ^ a b Coaston, Jane (September 21, 2018). "Conservative activist Ed Whelan apologizes for insinuating a Kavanaugh doppelgänger assaulted Ford". Vox.com. New York City: Vox Media. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "Edward Whelan". Ethics and Public Policy Center.
- ^ Savage, Charlie (February 15, 2016). "Before Scalia's Death, a Clash Between G.O.P. and Obama Over Appellate Judges". The New York Times. New York City: New York Times Company. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
- ^ Kim, Seung Min; Dawsey, Josh; Brown, Emma (September 20, 2018). "Kavanaugh accuser won't testify Monday but open to doing so later next week". The Washington Postpublisher=Nash Holdings LLC. Washington DC. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ Brown, Emma (September 16, 2018). "California professor, writer of confidential Brett Kavanaugh letter, speaks out about her allegation of sexual assault". The Washington Post. Washington DC: Nash Holdings LLC. Retrieved September 20, 2018.
- ^ "Ed Whelan Archive". National Review Online. New York City: National Review Inc. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ Phelan, Ed (June 6, 2009). "Exposing an Irresponsible Anonymous Blogger". National Review Online. New York City: National Review, Inc. Retrieved March 7, 2016.
- ^ Whelan, Ed (June 8, 2009). "My Apologies to Publius". National Review Online. New York City: National Review Inc. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ "Obsidian Wings: Moving On". Obsidianwings.blogs.com. June 9, 2009. Retrieved December 2, 2011.