Paul Clement, former Solicitor General of the United States, is resigning from King & Spalding today. The Atlanta based law firm, which made news a few years ago by representing terrorists in Guantanamo Bay is bailing on representing the United States House of Representatives in defending the Defense of Marriage Act.

Gay-rights agitators attacked the law firm, pledged boycotts of the law firm, etc. and have been successful in driving King & Spalding away from the representation. This, of course, will inspire and embolden gay rights groups that have made a habit of attacking the people and businesses opposed to gay marriage all with the blind eye of the Obama and silence of a sympathetic media.

Clement’s letter can be read here.

King & Spalding itself, as Paul Clement notes in his resignation, is betraying the legacy of former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell who, in his law school commencement address to his and my alma mater, Mercer University, said, “You are not required to take every matter that is presented to you, but having assumed a representation, it becomes your duty to finish the representation. Sometimes you will make a bad bargain, but as professionals, you are still obligated to carry out that representation.”

It is a truly sad day when a firm with a reputation like King & Spaudling’s would find it more noble to represent pro bono terrorists out to kill you, me, and them than the United States House of Representatives in defense of a law.