Transnationalist Harold Koh Makes The Big Time

With healthcare, cap and trade, and the most important news item of all -  the death of Michael Jackson – dominating the news all week, this one quietly slipped by virtually unnoticed.

On Friday, Harold Koh was confirmed by the senate as Legal Adviser of the Department of State.

Harold Koh is a self-described ‘transnationalist’, which means he believe that the United Stated should apply international law here at home. Mr Koh has written “transnationalists believe that U.S. courts can and should use their interpretive powers to promote the development of a global legal system.”

In other words, Mr. Koh believes that United States sovereignty comes second to international law. In his new job as State Department Legal Advisor, he will be in perfect position to ensure that’s exactly what happens.

According to Fox News, “Obama nominated Koh on March 23 to become the State Department’s legal adviser — an appointment that, if confirmed by the Senate, will give Koh far-reaching influence over the extent to which international norms affect U.S. law.  “This is not a desk job. This guy will be the face of American international law around the world,” said Steven Gross, legal expert and fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation.”

Apparently, congress – along with the precedent -  has forgotten their oath of allegiance. It goes like this:

“I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.”

While the Republicans attempted a filibuster, Republican senators Snowe, Collins, Alexander, Hatch, Gregg, Lugar, Martinez, and Voinovich voted ‘Yes’ to cloture (ending the debate) on Wednesday 6/24. The cloture vote was:
YEAs 65
NAYs 31
Not Voting 3

Koh was confirmed on Thursday by a vote of 62-35:
YEAs 62
NAYs 35
Not Voting 2

The R.I.N.O.s who voted in favor of Koh’s confirmation were no big surprise: Snowe, Collins, Lugar, Martinez, and Voinovich.

Some background on Koh:
Ethics and Public Policy Center: Harold Koh’s Transnationalism: A Collection of Posts on the State Department Legal Adviser Nominee

G.O.A Video: Harold Koh, another anti-gun Obama nominee

Nokoh: Coalition To Preerve American Sovereignty

-Cnation