Another Resemblance Betwen Scopes and Dover

Another Resemblance Betwen Scopes and Dover

You may recall that during the Scopes trial, Clarence Darrow called an unusual expert witness, defense attorney William Jennings Bryan himself.

80 years later, in Dover, it’s now the prosecution bringing in the defense team as an exhibit:

During cross-examination in U.S. Middle District Court Monday, [plaintiffs’ attorney Steve] Harvey read the following line from the center’s [the Thomas More Law Center, representing the defendants] site: “Our purpose is to be the sword and shield for people of faith, providing legal representation without charge to defend and protect Christians and their religious beliefs in the public square.”

(emphasis mine)

[ACLU attorney Witold] Walczek said Harvey’s question hit on a lingering point.

“I think it’s a question everyone wanted to ask,” Walczek said. “If this case has nothing to do with religion, why are you employing the Thomas More Law Center?”

Excellent question. Care to answer that?

Update, Nov. 3, 2005: Another resemblance, pointed out by Ed Brayton: Scopes had H.L. Mencken. Dover has Mike Argento.