Obama To Re-Nominate Johnsen To Head DOJ Office Of Legal Counsel

President Obama plans to re-nominate Dawn Johnsen as his choice for the head of the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel after the Senate failed to take action on her nomination last year, according to a White House official, CQ Today reports (Perine, CQ Today, 1/7). Some Senate Republicans have argued that Johnsen is too controversial for the post given her criticism of legal memorandums OLC issued during the Bush administration. She also has drawn fire for her earlier work in support of abortion rights (CQ Today, 1/7).

Johnsen, an Indiana University law professor who served as acting head of OLC during the Clinton administration, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee in March 2009. However, the full Senate never voted on her nomination, in part because of criticism from the GOP (Savage, New York Times, 1/8).

In the past, Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) and then-Republican Arlen Specter (Pa.) had expressed reservations, although they have not declared how they would vote (CQ Today). Republican Sen. Richard Lugar (Ind.) has said he will support Johnsen (New York Times, 1/8).

Democratic advocates praised the resubmission. Marge Baker, executive vice president of People for the American Way, said, "President Obama made an excellent choice in Professor Johnsen to lead OLC, and today he's shown his willingness to stand on principle and call the Republicans on their attack and delay tactics."

Obama also re-nominated Louis Butler and Edward Chen, two choices for U.S. district court judgeships (CQ Today, 1/7).


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