President Barack Obama resubmitted the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to be the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel within the Department of Justice on Wednesday. Johnsen was first formally nominated in February 2009. Johnsen’s nomination has been held up for nearly a year because of Republican opposition in Congress. Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People For the American Way, said in a statement, “Unfortunately, some Senators have placed their own political concerns above the rule of law or the smooth functioning of the Department of Justice. Their efforts to obstruct this nomination, along with dozens of others, and to throw sand in the gears of our government is unprecedented. The President deserves to have his team in place at the Department of Justice, and Americans deserve a Senate that does its job. Further obstruction is inexcusable.” Johnson is currently a professor of law at Indiana University and has been working with the Obama/Biden transition team for the Office of Legal Counsel. She will lead the Office of Legal Counsel in her new position if confirmed. She also served in the Clinton White House and was the legal director at NARAL Pro-Choice America for five years.
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