Maddow uses Liz Cheney’s logic: Bush admin hired terrorist sympathizers

By Andrew McLemore MSNBC talk show host Rachel Maddow commented for the second time this week on Liz Cheney's already infamous television ad attacking the so-called "Al-Qaeda 7."

The ad, produced by Cheney's conservative group Keep America Safe, suggests that lawyers who defend detainees accused of terrorism are lacking American values and specifically accuses seven lawyers hired by the Obama administration to serve in the justice department of sympathizing with terrorists.

In her show Friday night, Maddow followed that reasoning to its logical conclusion. Maddow gives three examples of lawyers who advocated for the rights of detainees before being hired by the Bush administration, including Pratik Shah, who argued in the defense of a Guantanamo prison detainee.

"So, did Bush and Cheney hire Pratik Shah to bring a terrorist sympathizer into the department of jihad — I mean justice?" she said.

The other two examples are Varda Hussain, who defended three Guantanamo detainees, and Trisha Anderson, who defended 13 Yemeni prisoners. Both were ultimately hired by the Bush administration "I would love to ask Liz Cheney these questions in person," Maddow said, adding that Cheney has refused interviews with the program.

Earlier in the show, Maddow listed several prominent conservatives who have condemned the ad and Liz Cheney's part in it. On Thursday night, Maddow was "arrested" after she realized that by Cheney's logic, "I'm Al-Qaeda, too."

Cheney said in a radio program she does not believe the ad questions the loyalty of American lawyers it refers to as the "Al-Qaeda 7."