Eric Holder's decision to bring KSM and his fellow 9/11 plotters to New York City for the "trial of the century" became an issue today in the primary race between Rob Simmons and Linda McMahon who are battling for the chance to take Chris Dodd's senate seat from him in 2010. Simmons blasted out a statement saying McMahon had "hedged her bets," in the words of the New Haven Independent, on whether a federal criminal court in New York was an appropriate venue for the trial of a man who committed an act of war against the United States:
Democrats like Dodd have largely supported the decision. One of Dodd's leading Republican challengers, Rob Simmons, blasted him for that position.
"I'm trying to do a poll of any politician I can find on this, since I'm from New York, where the trial's going to actually take place," [voter Julie Hershon] said.
McMahon hedged her bets on the issue. While New York "has certainly tried other terrorists before," she noted, this trial will cost New York $75 million.
"I'll probably have more firm policy statements after the first of the year," she said.
McMahon spokesman Shawn McCoy responds in a statement to THE WEEKLY STANDARD: "Linda of course believes KSM should be tried in a military tribunal, not in a civilian court. The high cost of a civilian trial, coupled with the disruptions such a trial would create in New York are just two of the reasons Linda opposes Holder's decision on this issue. She is deeply concerned that a trial would make sensitive information public."
Think about how much juice this issue will have in the 2010 election if KSM is actually given the daily opportunity to spew al Qaeda propaganda in front of the media and in open court. Leaving aside the very serious implications for national security that such trials will raise, the political implications for Democrats facing tough races next year are very real.
