Columbia Center for Oral History Portal > Oral history interview with Michael Ratner, 2013.Biographical NotePresident Emeritus, Center for Constitutional Rights.
Scope and ContentsBorn: 1943, Cleveland, Ohio. Education: BA, Brandeis University, 1966; JD, Columbia University Law School, 1970. Career: clerk, U.S. District Judge Constance Baker Motley, 1970-1971; staff attorney, Center for Constitutional Rights, 1971-1982; legal director, Center for Constitutional Rights, 1982-1991; lecturer at Columbia Law School and Yale Law School, 1991-2002; president, Center for Constitutional Rights, 2002-present; Reminiscences: experiences at Columbia Law School in late 1960s; law students' takeover of campus during 1968 Columbia University protests; clerkship for Judge Constance Baker Motley. Discussions: Obama administration's failure to close Guantánamo; President Obama's approach to war on terror as presidential privilege; Chelsea Manning's leaking of U.S. government documents through WikiLeaks and effect on American public's opinion on the war on terror; torture and trial of Chelsea Manning; Edward Snowden NSA leaks and U.S. government secrecy; day-to-day obligations at CCR; President Obama's inability to follow through on key speech promises. Cases discussed: Handschu v. Special Services Division; Ratner v. Chemical Bank.
Subjects- Center for Constitutional Rights (New York, N.Y.)
- Columbia University. School of Law.
- Criminal justice, Administration of--United States.
- Detention of persons--Government policy--United States.
- Grele, Ronald J., interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
- Habeas corpus--United States.
- Interviews.
- Manning, Chelsea, 1987-
- Motley, Constance Baker, 1921-2005.
- Oral histories (literary works)
- Prisoners of war--Cuba--Guantánamo Bay Naval Base.
- Ratner, Michael, 1943-2016--Interviews.
- Rule of law--United States.
- Torture--Government policy--United States.
- Unlawful combatants--Legal status, laws, etc.--United States.
- War on Terrorism, 2001-2009.
- WikiLeaks (Organization)
Access ConditionsCopyright by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 2013. Permission required to cite, quote, and reproduce. Contact repository for information.
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