October 10, 2006 4:21PM 

# Defining Justice Down 

By [Tim Lynch](https://www.cato.org/people/tim-lynch) 

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The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) recently bestowed its “Champion of Justice” award to former Attorney General Janet Reno. (Go [here](http://sdfla.blogspot.com/2006/08/janet-renos-speech-at-nacdl.html) to see the standing ovation).

What’s up with that? NACDL is sorta like the ACLU–except it specializes in the criminal law area. Could this be the result of a sealed “deferred prosecution agreement” from the ’90s or something? (For a quick refresher on Ms. Reno’s record, go [here](https://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=3906), [here](http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/fuster/etc/video.html) (viewer discretion advised) and [here](http://www.amazon.com/Waco-Rules-Engagement-William-Gazecki/dp/1567301738) (viewer discretion advised).

If you happen upon a watering hole frequented by lawyers, you might witness furious arguments between defenders of Reno and defenders of our current Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales. Buy a round for the house. Black coffee, of course. This [“red-team-is-bad; blue-team-is-good”](https://www.cato.org/dailys/08-05-04.html) stuff has gotta stop.

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