Charles Stimson (lawyer)

Stimson is the son of Douglas Joseph Stimson, chairman emeritus of the family's Seattle-based real estate holding firm, the C.D. Stimson Co., and Virginia Mullane. He has a sister Lori.

{{cite news

| title = Douglas J. Stimson, 80

| newspaper = The Washington Post

| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/2004/09/02/douglas-j-stimson-80/8d03bbdb-c487-4cee-9a8b-30c84a7200ac/

| date = 2 September 2004

| access-date = 9 January 2019}}

{{cite news

| title = Virginia M. Stimson

| newspaper = The Washington Post

| url = https://www.pressreader.com/usa/the-washington-post/20091006

| date = 9 October 2009

| access-date = 9 January 2019}} He studied at Kenyon College and obtained a J.D. degree at George Mason University.

The Pentagon created the Office of Detainee Affairs, and with it Stimson's post, in July 2004:{{cite news|last=Quigley |first=Samantha|title=DoD Creates Office of Detainee Affairs|publisher=DefenseLINK News|date=July 4, 2004 |url=http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2004/n07162004_2004071607.html |access-date=January 17, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070116082717/http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Jul2004/n07162004_2004071607.html|archive-date=January 16, 2007}}{{cite news|last=Porth |first=Jacqueline S. |title=Pentagon Creates New Policy Office to Review Detainee Issues |publisher=U.S. Department of State USINFO |date=July 16, 2004 |url=http://usinfo.state.gov/dhr/Archive/2004/Jul/19-804159.html |access-date=March 31, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070412065918/http://usinfo.state.gov/dhr/Archive/2004/Jul/19-804159.html |archive-date=April 12, 2007}}

An as-yet-unnamed deputy assistant secretary who will report to the undersecretary for policy will head the office. The new deputy will chair a joint committee composed of the undersecretary for intelligence and representatives from the Joint Staff, the Office of General Counsel, the Department of the Army, and others who might be involved in detainee affairs.

Stimson, an attorney by profession, was formerly a U.S. Navy JAG officer from 1992 to 1997.{{cite news|url=http://bulletin.kenyon.edu/x336.xml|title=Eye of the Storm|publisher=Kenyon College Alumni Bulletin|access-date=February 10, 2008|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228235306/http://bulletin.kenyon.edu/x336.xml|archive-date=December 28, 2007}}

Stimson first received press attention in October 2006, when he told Reuters that more than 300 Guantánamo detainees might remain there for the rest of their lives because nations refused to accept them.{{cite news |last=Schulman |first=Leslie |title=DOD official says some Guantanamo detainees may be imprisoned for life |work=Jurist |date=October 29, 2006 |url=http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/10/dod-official-says-some-guantanamo.php |access-date=January 17, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918202447/http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2006/10/dod-official-says-some-guantanamo.php |archive-date=September 18, 2008}}

In January 2007, he made comments concerning the legal representation of Guantánamo detainees stating that "corporate CEOs seeing this should ask firms to choose between lucrative retainers and representing terrorists."{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Neil |title=Official attacks top law firms over detainees |work=The New York Times |date=January 13, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/13/washington/13gitmo.html |access-date=January 17, 2007}} The Pentagon later issued a statement that Stimson's comments were not representative of Pentagon policy.{{cite news|last=Heilprin|first=John|title=Pentagon disavows comment on detainees|work=Newsvine|date=January 13, 2007 |url=http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2007/01/13/519638-pentagon-disavows-comment-on-detainees|access-date=January 17, 2007}}

{{cite journal |url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1169028149950 |title=Bush Official Apologizes for Slap at Guantanamo Detainees' Lawyers |journal=New Jersey Law Journal |author=Mary Pat Gallagher |date=January 18, 2007 |access-date=January 19, 2008}}

On January 17, 2007, Stimson wrote a letter of apology, published in The Washington Post.{{cite news |url=http://www.nacdl.org/public.nsf/freeform/terrorismnews019?OpenDocument |title=An Apology to Detainees' Attorneys |newspaper=The Washington Post |first=Charles |last=Stimson |date=January 17, 2007 |access-date=June 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927181856/http://www.nacdl.org/public.nsf/freeform/terrorismnews019?OpenDocument |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/03/washington/03gitmo.html?ex=157680000&en=775a18d99de8c778&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |title=Official Quits After Remark on Lawyers |newspaper=The New York Times |first=Sarah |last=Abruzzes |date=February 3, 2007 |access-date=February 22, 2008 |quote=Mr. Stimson, a former Navy defense lawyer, wrote an apology published in The Washington Post, saying the remarks did not reflect his "core beliefs."}}{{cite news |title=Pentagon Official Apologizes for Remarks |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 17, 2007 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Pentagon-Official-Apology.html?_r=1&oref=slogin}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}} His apology was criticized by The New York Times in an editorial, for the appearance of insincerity.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/19/opinion/19fri2.html |title=Apology Not Accepted |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 19, 2007 |access-date=February 22, 2008}} In 2017, Stimson said his comments made one decade ago were a mistake that do not represent his professional views: "I made a boneheaded statement, quite frankly it was an emotional response generated by my loss of my 295 colleagues who...were killed on 9/11 at the World Trade Center."{{cite news |last1=Tritten |first1=Travis |title=Trump Pentagon nominee Charles Stimson: I made 'boneheaded' mistake in Guantanamo Bay controversy |url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/trump-pentagon-nominee-charles-stimson-i-made-boneheaded-mistake-in-guantanamo-bay-controversy/article/2628413 |access-date=July 26, 2017 |newspaper=Washington Examiner |date=July 12, 2017}}

On February 2, 2007, a Department of Defense spokesman announced that Stimson had decided to resign because the controversy had "hampered his ability to be effective in" his office. Stimson said that the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, had not asked him to resign.{{cite news|last=Jelinek|first=Pauline |title=Defense Official Resigns Over Remarks|newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle|date=February 2, 2007 |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/02/02/national/w113725S96.DTL&hw=stimson&sn=001&sc=1000}}

Stimson serves as vice chair of his family's commercial real estate company in Seattle.

Stimson is currently a senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank, and an instructor at the Naval Justice School in Newport, Rhode Island.{{cite news|url=http://www.heritage.org/about/staff/charlesstimson.cfm|title=Charles Stimson: Senior Legal Fellow|publisher=The Heritage Foundation|access-date=February 22, 2008|quote=He is currently a Senior Instructor at the Naval Justice School in Newport, R.I., where he teaches active duty JAGS.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080302052147/http://www.heritage.org/about/staff/charlesstimson.cfm|archive-date=March 2, 2008|url-status=unfit}} In September 2010 he authored a report, titled "Just Say No", asserting that California's proposed Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 would "worsen the state’s drug problems—addiction, violence, disorder, and death".Charles Stimson, {{unfit|1=[https://archive.today/20120801082436/http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2010/09/Legalizing-Marijuana-Why-Citizens-Should-Just-Say-No "Legalizing Marijuana: Why Citizens Should Just Say No"]}}, Heritage Foundation Legal Memorandum, September 13, 2010 Stimson continues to write on detainee issues.{{cite news|url=http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2011/10/Common-Sense-Principles-for-Detainee-Policy|title=Common-Sense Principles for Detainee Policy|publisher=The Heritage Foundation|date=October 17, 2011 |access-date=October 20, 2011|author=Charles Stimson|url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111020132848/http://www.heritage.org/Research/Reports/2011/10/Common-Sense-Principles-for-Detainee-Policy|archive-date=October 20, 2011}}

Stimson was a Captain in the Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy, reserve component and is the Commanding Officer of the Navy Appellate Government unit. In June 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Stimson to become General Counsel of the Navy.{{cite news|title=President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Personnel to Key Administration Posts|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2017/06/05/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-personnel-key|access-date=July 26, 2017|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|date=June 5, 2017}}{{PD-notice}} In July 2017, the nomination was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Failing to receive consideration by the full Senate, it was returned to the President at the beginning of 2018.{{cite web|title=PN554 — Charles Douglas Stimson — Department of Defense|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/554|access-date=January 17, 2019|publisher=U.S. Congress|date=January 3, 2018}} The nomination was resubmitted in January 2018 and again reported favorably by the Committee on Armed Services in May 2018. Failing to receive consideration by the full Senate for a second time, it was returned to the President at the beginning of 2019.{{cite web|title=PN1347 — Charles Douglas Stimson — Department of Defense|url=https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/1347|access-date=January 17, 2019|publisher=U.S. Congress|date=January 3, 2019}}

Stimson is a contributor to the Federalist Society.

Stimson is chairman of the board of directors for the U.S. Soccer Foundation.{{cite news|title=U.S. Soccer Foundation adds Nathanson, Slaton to Board of Directors|url=http://www.soccerwire.com/notes/u-s-soccer-foundation-adds-david-nathanson-danielle-slaton-to-board-of-directors/|access-date=July 26, 2017|publisher=Soccer Wire|date=January 19, 2017}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Charles Stimson}}

• {{unfit|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170323054422/http://www.heritage.org/staff/charles-stimson Biography]}} at The Heritage Foundation
• {{C-SPAN|1021137}}

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Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American lawyers

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Category:United States Department of Defense officials