William P. Barr, Griffin Bell, Benjamin R. Civiletti, Edwin Meese III, William S. Sessions, Richard Thornburgh, and Washington Legal Foundation
Amici Curiae
Richard A. Samp, Counsel of Record William P. Barr, Griffin Bell, Benjamin R. Civilette, Edwin Meese III, and Richard Thornburgh are former U.S. attorneys general. William S. Sessions is a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Washington Legal Foundation is a public interest law and policy center. Richard A. Samp is chief counsel for the Washington Legal Foundation. The following is excerpted from the Amicus Curiae Brief for the Petitioners as submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court on September 5, 2008. Qualified immunity not only providesgovernment officials with a defense to liability, it also is“an entitlement…