Patrick F. Philbin is an American lawyer and Bush administration appointee.[1]
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Philbin wrote a note in the Harvard Law Review regarding the specialty requirement in the medieval action of covenant.
Philbin served as a law clerk for federal appeals judge Laurence Silberman,[2] and then for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel.[3]
Philbin is notable for being one of the lawyers who helped counsel President Bush that he, as head of the United States' Government's executive branch had the authority to charge Guantanamo captives before military commissions.[2][3][4]
According to James Comey Philbin was present when he rushed to John Ashcroft's hospital bed to try to prevent other Bush officials from trying to pressure the very sick Ashcroft to reverse the decision of the deputy acting as his replacement not to renew the controversial Warrantless wiretap program.[5] Comey said that Philbin's career suffered when he supported Comey in his efforts to intervene to prevent Gonzales from abusing Ashcroft.