The President yesterday formally renominated Dawn Johnsen, his choice to head the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, along with several other nominees obstructed by Senate Republicans last year. The nomination comes more than a year after he first announced that he would name Johnsen to head the Office, but her nomination was held up by GOP refusals to allow an up or down vote.

Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People For the American Way, issued the following statement:

“President Obama should be commended for standing up for a qualified nominee who has been unjustly smeared by political opponents. Dawn Johnsen has received bipartisan support and accolades from across the ideological spectrum. She has the experience, the integrity and the intellect to do this job and to do it well.

“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. The Senate should move quickly to move Johnsen’s nomination to the floor and to confirm her to the OLC.”

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