February 5, 2016 4:38 PM

Smith: On the Right, It’s Not the Rule of Law; It’s the Rule of Pa

From the Left: QR’s liberal columnist Glenn W. Smith argues that it’s a hollow defense of the indicted Planned Parenthood attackers to say they couldn’t break the law because they meant well.

Remember the howls from the Right when Rick Perry was indicted for abusing his office? The indictment, he and his supporters said, was an attack on the Constitution and contrary to the “rule of law.”

Now, fast-forward to the recent indictments in Houston against the two activists who used forged IDs to infiltrate and videotape Planned Parenthood. Their lawyers – Jared Woodfill and Terry Yates – are arguing that they couldn’t break the law because their intentions were good.

It’s like that old song by The Animals: “I’m just a soul whose intentions are good/Oh Lord, please don’t let me be misunderstood.”

The complete column from Glenn W. Smith is in the R&D Department.

By Glenn W. Smith