Ethics

Whither Dawn Johnsen?

By Ed Brayton

Here's something I bet you haven't read about in the media for months: Obama's pick to head the crucial Office of Legal Counsel, Dawn Johnsen, still hasn't gotten a confirmation vote in the Senate. The Judiciary Committee voted in favor of her confirmation way back in March, voting 11-7 to move her nomination to the full Senate. The Senate just held votes on a whole raft of Obama nominees last week, including Sotomayor, and Johnsen still hasn't gotten a vote.

The problem is not a lack of votes to confirm her. There are easily more than 50 votes in the Senate in her favor. Ben Johnson (D-Neb) says he plans to vote against her, but Richard Luger has endorsed her nomination. Arlen Specter hinted at opposing her before he switched parties. They have 57 votes at a bare minimum. The problem is having 60 votes to invoke cloture.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on August 14, 2009 (boomark / email).